Trying to predict who will take home 2016 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in May is certainly not an exact science. A multitude of factors play a part in someone being named Offensive ROY, including skillset, talent around said player, coaching staff, schedule, and ability to remain healthy, among others. That being said, let’s take a shot at it anyway.
Josh Doctson Will Win 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
There are multiple players a case could be made for, including running back Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans), running back Ezekiel Elliot (Dallas Cowboys), quarterback Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams), wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (Minnesota Vikings) and wide receiver Corey Coleman (Cleveland Browns), but Josh Doctson should be the frontrunner.
Henry will have to compete with DeMarco Murray, who will be looking to have a bounce back year, for carries. It’s usually difficult for quarterbacks to really produce at a high level in their rookie year so Goff (or Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz if he happens to win the starting job) would not be a smart bet. Laquon Treadwell’s success in 2016 will depend too much on the growth of young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Corey Coleman will probably have Robert Griffin III throwing him the ball and it’s unclear if RG III can get back to the success he enjoyed early in his career. Plus, the Browns just don’t have the talent around Coleman to put him in a position to really thrive in 2016. Ezekiel Elliot is probably right behind Doctson because he will probably be the man in Dallas in 2016, he is really talented and the Cowboys offensive line is impressive. But, if quarterback Tony Romo suffers another injury which causes him to miss significant time and opposing defenses know the Cowboys will just keep feeding the ball to Elliot, will the former Ohio State Buckeye be able to find a lot of success? If Romo stays healthy and the Cowboys defense improves, Elliot could very well wind up being the Offensive ROY, but Doctson is the smarter pick.
The former TCU Horned Frog has the mentality of a number one receiver and he is able to create separation. Even though Doctson missed three games in 2015 he still managed to snag 25 receiving touchdowns in the last two years. The talented receiver also has really strong, sure hands to help secure catches and he’s a good route runner. Doctson has the tools to succeed early in his NFL career.
Doctson and the Washington Redskins appear to be a good fit as well and he should prove himself to be a true downfield and redzone threat. The former TCU standout has impressive length and timing to help him bring down jump balls, which should help him become a favorite target of quarterback Kirk Cousins. In 2015, Cousins’ first season as the Redskins starting quarterback, tight end Jordan Reed led the team with 952 yards on 87 catches and 11 touchdowns. None of the other Redskins receivers, including DeSean Jackson or Pierre Garcon, stepped up last season. It is possible that Washington might release either Jackson or Garcon (releasing Garcon makes more sense from a talent and a salary cap standpoint), which would almost guarantee Doctson becoming the guy in Washington, even though signs seem to point to the team wanting to keep both veteran receivers. Whether or not the Redskins retain both Jackson and Garcon, Doctson will have every opportunity to show what we can do and become Cousins’ primary target in 2016.
FORT WORTH, TX – OCTOBER 03: Josh Doctson #9 of the TCU Horned Frogs scores a touchdown against Davante Davis #9 of the Texas Longhorns in the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium on October 3, 2015 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
