Don't believe the hype. That was the word on the street this spring and summer regarding Cam Newton. He is quickly making believers out of every critic with his play thus far this season. In what was widely considered a weak NFL draft, we are still seeing numerous rookies having instant fantasy impacts, from Newton to AJ Green to Demarco Murray. As we head to the midway point in the semester, we take a look at how some top offensive rookies are progressing.



Cam Newton is clearly at the head of this class. He has set the league on fire since Week 1. He's not much more than an average passer at the moment, but his running ability makes him a weekly starter. He has a cannon for an arm, so improved accuracy would make him a Top 3 Dynasty QB. There is still some risk here, but he looks like the real deal. Dynasty stock way up.

Blaine Gabbert has looked like a rookie, which is to be expected. On the practice field, he looks the part of a franchise signal caller. He has a solid running game, but questionable (at best) receivers. That will likely be addressed this offseason by the Jags front office, as they will want to put him in the best position to succeed. Expect him to struggle for most of this season, but it will only help him long term. Acquire if you are able to for the right price. He's a few seasons away from fantasy relevance, but a true WR1 would speed up that timeline.

Andy Dalton has proven to be NFL ready right out of the gate and even warrants QB2 consideration during bye weeks. The Red Rifle has a blossoming receiving corp. that strengthens his situation. Should the Bengals continue to add offensive talent, he'll find himself as a solid option more because of the players around him than the his slightly above average skills. If someone is selling, he's a buy. On the flip side, he's a sell high if someone will overpay. Don't expect him to be a QB1, but a capable understudy that could bring your Dynasty bench stability at the position.

Christian Ponder is just breaking into NFL action, so be sure to watch his performances in the coming weeks. He's held his own thus far and if he continues to run the offense effectively, he's likley to entrench himself as the Vikings franchise QB. He has enough weapons to support him as a QB2/3 next season but his long term upside is not much higher. If you can acquire him cheaply, he's a buy, but if not, you might want to wait and see before spending top dollar.



Mark Ingram has struggled to get anything going this season. He's stuck in a messy situation with three other backs now, but he should come out as the lead early down and goal line back once he gets healthy. Plenty of long term value and makes for a nice buy low if you have a frustrated owner. Sean Payton traded up to get him for a reason. His PPR ability is limited by the presence of Darren Sproles, but in the Saints offense there will be plenty of opportunities for fantasy success. For the short term, consider him an RB2, but he has an RB1 ceiling in Dynasty leagues.

Demarco Murray came into the league with a reputation for being a dynamic running back and also extremely injury prone. Luckily for him, he has Felix Jones ahead of him on the depth chart, who is just as injury prone. Murray had to wait until Week 7 for his shot, but he made the most of it - dropping 253 yards and a TD on 25 carries. For the season, he's averaging 6.9 yards per carry and in the process made Tashard Choice expendable. He has a similar skillset to Felix Jones - just okay at running between the tackles, strong receiver and excels as a playmaker with the ball in his hands - but he has a higher ceiling. Dynasty stock is up, just remember the injury concerns.

Roy Helu might get an opportunity soon with Tim Hightower going down with an ACL tear. Right now, though, the Skins view him as a 3rd down back/change of pace type. He'll need to display tough between the tackles running along with game breaking speed to change their mind. You never know what the Shanahans are going to do at running back, but Helu's talent is certainly legit.

Daniel Thomas has been bothered by a hamstring injury for most of the season. The Dolphins are a mess this season, but expect Thomas to be their lead back. When he's right, he's a powerful inside runner with the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Reggie Bush has looked solid, but Thomas is clearly the more gifted back. He makes sense as a trade target in Dynasty leagues, future RB2 value with RB1 upside if he starts to hit his stride.

Kendall Hunter was drafted to back up Frank Gore and might eventually take his job as the 49ers starter. It won't happen this year as Gore has been Beasting, but he's a good bet to wear down in the next couple seasons. Hunter is built in similar fashion to a Ray Rice, with complete back skills to go along with his compact but powerful size. If you own Gore, he's a must have. Even if you don't, though, Hunter is a guy to stash and wait.



AJ Green was a Beast at Georgia and it does not look like he needed much time to catch up to the speed of the NFL. He is playing like a WR1 in his rookie season, complete with highlight reel catches. His upside is otherworldly and his stats are backing that up. Outside of Calvin Johnson, you can make a case for not trading him straight up for any other wide receiver in football. He isneck and neck with young stallions Hakeem Nicks, Mike Wallace and Dez Bryant in terms of Dynasty upside.

Julio Jones landed in a perfect spot for an instant impact. The Falcons have long been searching for a dynamic receiver to line up opposite of Roddy White. Talent-wise, he is right in Green's neighborhood. He has flashed elite skills early for the Falcons and expect him and Roddy White to terrorize defenses for years. He should be the WR1 within a few seasons and is knocking on the door of the Top 10 Dynasty wideouts already.

Jonathan Baldwin has been making headlines since the season started, but just recently for his play. After an early season scuffle with Thomas Jones left him with a thumb fracture, Baldwin's stock was trending down. He came into the league with a questionable character as it was. Now, though, he's getting attention for his strong play. In Week 8, he snagged 5 balls for 82 yards and a TD, showing above average ball skills. He's got WR1 potential and is in a great spot for success. Stock up.

Denarius Moore took training camp by storm, making plays and drawing praise seemingly everyday. Then he got his first taste of extended playing time in Week 2, showing excellent deep ability on the way to 146 yards and a touchdown on 5 catches. He also almost came down with a hail mary in the final seconds. Since then, though, Darrius Heyward-Bey has emerged as a go-to option and speedster Jacoby Ford has returned to the lineup. His ceiling is still high in Dynasty leagues, likely more of a WR2 talent, but since the hype has died down, he can be had at a more reasonable price right now.

Greg Little has the ceiling of a WR1 and he's flashed glimpses of that talent this year. Take a look at his overall numbers and you are not likely to be impressed, but the game footage shows a potentially dominant receiver with yards after the catch ability. His value is definitely up and if you are thinking more 2012 than this season, he's a perfect prospect to acquire in a deadline deal.

Torrey Smith had a first game unlike any rookie in recent memory. He caught 3 TD's in the first quarter from Joe Flacco and ended with 5 catches for 152 yards. Smith still needs time to develop, but he has speed to burn and is a great complement to a go-to possession receiver. Keep an eye on his usage, as he could eventually transition into a true all-around receiver much like we are seeing with Mike Wallace right now. For now, though, consider him a long term WR2.

Extra Credit: Alex Smith and Matt Hasselbeck are both playing well enough to keep Colin Kaepernick and Jake Locker on the bench for most of this season. Both QB's will benefit from that experience. The Colts may have found their inside runner with Delone Carter, who has looked strong thus far. Expect more involvement as the season goes on. Stevan Ridley has looked good in limited touches, but his playing time is very inconsistent. Same goes for the Falcons Jacquizz Rodgers. He's a Dynasty stash. Undrafted rookie Doug Baldwin is making plays when he gets the chance and that has put himself on the Dynasty map. Keep an eye on what he does during the remainder of the season, he just might establish himself as the long term No. 2 option for the Seahawks. Randall Cobb exploded onto the scene with a huge Week 1, but has been hit or miss since. Patience will be required here, not because of Cobb's development so much as the options ahead of him. Cobb is a dangerous weapon and when he gets the opportunity he'll reward his fantasy owners. He has elite measurables and is flashing big time skills right now. Greg Salas got off to a slow start, but looks to have potential as a possession option for the Rams. Titus Young is still developing, but he cold be the Robin to Megatron's Batman as soon as next season. Tight ends Lance Kendricks and Kyle Rudolph could get more involved as the season goes on, but it's likely that both will wait until 2012 before having a significant impact.

Check out our continuously updated Rookie Rankings here.