When Deshaun Watson was ruled out for the season with a knee injury sustained at practice, the Houston Texans' season (for all intents and purposes) was lost, as it's now in the hands of Tom Savage.
Watson didn't just lose the chance to take Houston to the playoffs, but also the 2017 Offensive Rookie of the Year award that could have already had his name engraved into it. The honor is now sure to go to one of many eligible running backs, with no true candidates at other offensive positions.
The 12th-overall pick was the only quarterback from the 2017 draft class to have played long enough, and well enough, to garner any sort of consideration. Mitch Trubisky took several weeks to get into games and still only has an ultra-thin version of John Fox's playbook at his disposal. And Week 1 starter DeShone Kizer has led the Browns to a winless first half.
Just three wide receivers have been named Offensive Rookie of the Year this millennium. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Cooper Kupp have flashed promise at times but have impressed mostly when compared to the standard of rookie wide receivers rather than their running back counterparts. Top-10 picks Corey Davis and Mike Williams have missed far too much time due to injury and have not impressed when healthy.
And with all due respect to Evan Engram, no tight end has ever won the award. Jeremy Shockey's 2002 Pepsi NFL ROTY award doesn't count. Running back Clinton Portis won the real award that year.
Top Contenders
Kareem Hunt
Hunt was the first to emerge, taking full advantage of his early screening in the season opener against the New England Patriots.
He topped 100 total yards in each of his first seven games, including a debut of more than 200 yards. He has failed to hit the mark in each of his past two outings, and he hasn't found the end zone since Week 3. His average yards per attempt have been dwindling quickly, and head coach Andy Reid will need to find ways to get Hunt reinvolved if he hopes to climb back to the top of the class and help the Chiefs snap a spell that's lost them three of four games.
Leonard Fournette
Fournette has topped 100 total yards in four of six games, scoring a total of seven touchdowns along the way with 4.6 yards per carry. He has, however, missed two games - one due to injury, and one for violating a series of team rules - limiting his contributions.
Should the Jaguars retain their early hold on the AFC South title, Fournette would get some extra voter attention, but he'll need to stay on the field regularly and leave behind rising doubts.
Alvin Kamara
Dethroning Adrian Peterson almost immediately to begin his NFL career will earn Kamara some bonus points. Mark Ingram is now in danger of losing the lead role due to Kamara's versatility and excellence as both a rusher and receiver. The Saints will need to lean on Kamara more to stay atop the NFC South.
Risers
Christian McCaffrey
The eighth rookie selected in the draft, McCaffrey ranks third in the NFL in receptions with 54. He has scored just one touchdown on the ground, with two others coming as a receiver. Still, he'll need to greatly improve on his 2.9 yards per carry and usurp Jonathan Stewart once and for all to gain enough consideration for the award.
Joe Mixon
Mixon seems to have finally surpassed both Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard, but he's gaining just 2.9 yards per carry with only two touchdowns on the year. He's been efficient in the passing game, averaging just over 10 yards per catch, but he's yet to record more than four receptions in a single game.
Outside Chance
D'Onta Foreman
A bounceback season from starter Lamar Miller has limited Foreman to a complementary role in his rookie campaign, but the team's shift to a run-first style while at the mercy of Savage could provide enough work for Foreman to gain notice. He's still unlikely to put together big enough games to make up for lost time.
Marlon Mack
Mack ranks as Pro Football Focus' No. 34 running back, two spots ahead of incumbent Colts starter Frank Gore. He's unlikely to overcome the veteran's presence in the immediate future, but as the Colts become a footnote in the 2017 season, they could allow Mack to make his claim for a larger role in the years to come.
Samaje Perine
Perine is yet to impress even once, but all that stands between him and a starting job is Rob Kelley, making for an easier task than the ones standing in front of Foreman and Mack. He'll have little room for error if handed another chance at the starter's role.
Eliminated from Contention
Dalvin Cook
Everything was going in Cook's favor to start the year. Two games with 100-plus total yards, two touchdowns, and the lead role out of the backfield for what is now a division-leading team. If he could've maintained his pace while avoiding injury, he would've surpassed both Hunt and Fournette by now.
Chris Carson
Carson still has an 80-yard rushing lead over all other Seahawks running backs, with only quarterback Russell Wilson ranked ahead of him in the statistic. He wasn't able to score a touchdown on just 49 attempts, but his 4.2 yards per carry behind the porous offensive line was easily the backfield's best.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
