Mid-Season Report.... 5 Rookies Who Have Under-Performed, and 5 Rookies Who Have Performed Well!

by MickeyTrapmouse | 4 weeks ago | 0 Comments

Mid-Season Rookie Report (Season 60, Week 9):


-Rookies Who Have Peformed Well, or Surpassed Expectations-

5. Arizona Cardinals - Ashton Jeanty: Ashton Jeanty has been a very pivotal piece in the Arizona Cardinals (Yeameat18) offense this season. Yeameat18 is known for his 'air raid' scheme, but has been able to keep the defense guessing, and take focus off of the pass-attack due to the fact he can always run with Jeanty. Jeanty does not have insane stats like he did at Boise State so far, but currently leads the league for rookie rushing yards with 435 yards. The thing that makes Jeanty lethal is how the Cardinals can use the run to open up their main scheme in the pass game, and makes the defenses have to constantly adjust to the blend of run/pass options. This also helps explain why the Cardinals are (6-1) as a result.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Malaki Starks: Starks has been a solid player, and has performed well. He does not have any elite stats, but his play is something that the stats cannot measure. He has been lockdown most of the year, and teams usually avoid throwing his way, as opposed to the other defensive options in Tampa Bay (BarterMan3mz). He does have decent stats still, as he is the current league-leader in tackles by a rookie with a total of 30 tackles, and also has 2 interceptions as well. Starks shows that he is a first round talent, and will continue to improve and be a pivotal piece for the Buccaneers in the future!

3. Dallas Cowboys - R.J. Mickens: This might be a suprising pick to some, but should not be a suprising pick to most, as the Dallas Cowboys coach/user iLz Gor is famous for turning mid-round pick rookies into stars, as he likes to develop his own players from scratch, and keep them for a while on cheap rookie deals. Mickens has been a hidden gem this year, and has just balled out. He leads all rookies in the league for most rookie interceptions with 6 total interceptions so far. He also has been getting it done with 18 total tackles as well. The most impressive fact about Mickens is that he was drafted with the 18th Pick in the 5th Round.

2. Buffalo Bills - Arian Smith: u sold huh is a bigtime Georgia fan, and likes to see Georgia players succeed. He has similar success with rookies like iLz Gor in terms of developing rookies in the mid-rounds; except u sold huh has an emphasis on doing it with Georgia Bulldog prospects. Arian Smith helps refute this statement due to having a solid season, and being drafted 9th overall in the 3rd Round. Some thought that Smith was a 5th-6th round prospect, and that u sold huh reached, but it seemed like u sold huh knew something others did not. This is due to the fact that Arian Smith is the 2nd place leading reciever in rookie recieving yards with 754 yards, and also has 11 touchdowns. He has surpassed every reciever drafted above him except for Tetairoa McMillan.

1. New York Giants - Tetairoa McMillan: The Giants (KingJuju1018) recieving core is STACKED this season! First, let's note that McMillan is leading the rookies in reception yards with 1,133 Yards, and is tied for 11 touchdowns with Arian Smith. This season, and last season Juju has had an amazing team in terms of the pass attack, and McMillan was a huge upgrade that improved it. One reason McMillan is so successful is due to the fact that everyone is focused on CeeDee Lamb, and that the Giants have too many weapons to be able to focus on one player. It is safe to say that KingJuju1018, and Matthew Stafford are pleased with all the weapons on offense. The Giants drafted the best available player over position need when taking McMillan at #4, and that risk paid off dearly!



-Rookies Who Have Under-Performed-

5. Atlanta Falcons - Travis Hunter: This is the only player on the list who has played decent, and will not be scolded for either sucking as a player, or having a shitty coach 'ruin' them. The reason Hunter is on this list is due to the fact he is a generational prospect, heisman winner, and the #1 Overall Pick of the MickeyLeague Season 59 Draft! Hunter got set to CB primarily this season, and does not have bad stats at all, but is just not dominating the league like everyone thought he would. He has 21 tackles, 1 interception, and a force fumble, which is ok for a rookie, but it is safe to say Hunter is underperforming. A lot of this can be attributed to the fact that MickeyLeague experts stated the Falcons should have taken Abdul Carter instead. This is due to the fact that the Falcons had the worst front-7, and edge rushing core in season 59, and made little-to-no improvements in the Off-Season. They currently have 1 player above an 80 on their front 7, and Travis Hunter has to compete for reps with the rest of the secondary. A big reason for Hunter's lack of stats can also attribute to the fact that the Falcons get abused on the front-7, and it is easier to avoid Travis, and pound the rock on the Falcons. 

4. Cinncinati Bengals - Mason Graham: Mason Graham is going to be a solid player, and has already been upgraded to an 80 overall. He will be good in the future and is decent right now, but the stats say otherwise. He only has 5 tackles, and no other major stat to record, as everything else is at 0! Being the 5th pick in the 1st round means high expectations, and he has not gotten anywhere near his ceiling, or near the expectations people had for him. The only reason he will not be labled as a bust is due to having a high overall as a rookie, which always leaves potential for more development, and the potential to breakout at any point in the next few seasons of his career. LOB LEGION might be wishing he took another player, as picking Mason Graham as a panic draft-pick anyways (did not know who to draft, and panicked with the clock ticking) due to the fact he thought he had Cam Ward falling to him at #5 until the Commanders (MAVERICK4109035) traded up for pick #4 to steal Ward from the Bengals.

3. Los Angeles Chargers - Abdul Carter: Abdul Carter will be generational still, and will be a threat in the future, but he is not the star player 'right out the gate' that everyone thought he would be. He only has 2 sacks, which still puts in in the top-5 for rookie sacks, but what is a red flag is him only having 9 tackles at the midpoint way of the season! Reps are not an issue as he is a solid starter, and the Chargers needed edge-rusher, in which Carter filled that hole. When Carter unlocks his XF Dev-Trait he should be playing at a higher level, but as of now has been one of the most underwhelming prospects so far this season. There should not be too much to worry about for Paperhit, and the Chargers as Carter will definitley improve into one of the key players for the Chargers in the future.

2. Los Angeles Rams - Shedeur Sanders: If it was not for bad coaching with the Bears User (Hvntah), then Sanders would easily be at the #1 spot, but he is not. Sanders did not fall as far as he did irl, but still fell to the late 1st round this draft. The Rams traded for pick #30 in the first-round to get what they thought would be their 'Franchise-Quarterback (QB)', but so far it has not panned out. The one positive for Sanders is that he is still young and has mentors to develop under, but has not played well when he was starting. Sanders has had 'piss poor' play with 232 Yards, 2 Touchdowns, and 5 Interceptions. He also has a passer rating of 70.8! The other downside for Sanders is having player suspensions due to off the field issues, and due to issues with the coach Mas0nevisu. Sanders also cannot blame coaching/user skill for the lack of play, and has been demoted to the 3rd-string QB due to being out played 'stat-wise' by Dorian Thompson-Robinson (345 YDS, 5TD:10INT, 83.7 Rating), and Sam Darnold (1,739 YDS, 19TD:20INT, 91.1 Rating). The fact that the other two QB's are 'shitting the bed' also, and that Sanders is the worst out of all 3 despite being called a 'Day-1 Starter' is a HUGE 'Red-Flag'!

1. Chicago Bears - James Pearce Jr.: James Pearce Jr. hopefully can develop into a good player and currently has a locked Superstar trait that is holding him back. However the true barrier holding him back it the coach Hvntah. Hvntah has solid User-Skill, and is good at Madden, but has had some shitty coaching decisions in terms of Pearce and playing time. Pearce has 0 stats recorded in all categories, and has the same stats as a backup who has played 0 downs. This is due to lack of starting reps, and the Bears user being to lazy/retarted to actually re-order the depth chart from the previous season. Pearce gets some reps, but is not near the amount of reps he should be having. Imagine having someone ruin your rookie season, and potentially your career because they are too retarted to use, and develop a Superstar development player drafted in the first round. Hvntah you are special ed confirmed.


-On the Fence/TBD in the Future-

5. Baltimore Ravens - Luther Burden III: Luther Burden has decent stats, but is on the fence due to having half of his good stats from a career game earlier in the season. He is good, but very inconsistent. Most of this is due to the mediroce play from Malik Willis, and the Baltimore Ravens (MickeyRaven) emphasizing a culture of ground and pound runs, while relying on the defense to win the game for the team. The Ravens being to conservative on offense results in low offensive stats, but Malik Willis breaking out later in the season, or the Ravens finding a new QB in the Off-Season could easily boost Burden's production/stats.

4. Philadelphia Eagles - Jalen Milroe: Milroe was looking like the MVP week 1 with JACKJACK2004, but JACKJACK2004 left the league due to issues with the league going back to 'Sim' mode, as he tried to exploit the league on 'Comp' mode. Milroe had a low starting overall, and it began to show on sim and got benched for a few weeks/sat behind the season 59 MVP Aaron Rodgers. Milroe won his starting job back with the new coach/user Demboyz8821 and has had very high moments, but are cancelled out to having very low moments. Not to mention he does not throw as well due to his overall having more of an impact from being on Sim. His inconsistent play shows itself in the stat-sheet with having a 22:25 TD:INT ratio! It is also important to note that Demboyz8821 has had interception issues the last few leagues with being an aggressive gunslinger style thrower as a user, which can have a negative impact on Milroe's career.

3. Houston Texans - Nick Emmanwori: Nick Emmanwori is not a bad prospect, and has very good intangibles with a very good combine/pro-day perfomance to back it up. The issue people had with him was the Texans user/coach Llumis Blaze reaching on him by picking him with the 7th pick in the 1st round. He just has mediocre stats with the potential to either improve drastically, or decline drastically in the futute. So far he has been developing well after going up to a 76 overall from a 72-73 overall at the start of the season. Time will tell how Emmanwori's career turns out.

2. New England Patriots - Omarion Hampton: Hampton has not been a bad prospect at all, and has been playing solid with the Patriots. The reason he is on the fence is due to lack of elite production expected from a 1st round Halfback (HB), and the fact that he is not filling the shoes of the Patriots best offensive player, and top-5 Halfback in season 59 who was Kenneth Walker III. The Patriots unfortunately lost Walker III in FA, and Hampton was a no-brainer move to replace Walker in the draft, as Walker led the Patriots to a deep playoff run last season in season 59. Hampton is a solid piece, and easily a future starter for New England, but has not shown elite traits, and Runningbacks drafted in the mid rounds have had more production than him statistically. As mentioned earlier Hampton is not a bad player. The question is will he be able to fill the shoes of Kenneth Walker III, and play like a 1st round Halfback?

1. Washington Commanders - Cam Ward: The positive side of Ward is that he is a top-5 passing yard leader in the league and has the most passing yards out of all rookies at the mid-season point of the league. The downside is the amount of interceptions thrown from Ward trying to play too much 'hero ball'.  Ward is just shy of 3,000 yards right now with 2,981 passing yards, but has a 19:33 TD:INT ratio as well. Cam Ward plays a lot of 'hero ball', which gets him into more trouble than he should be in, and does not know when to play it safe and tack the sack, or throw the ball away. This is common with rookie QBs, and will hopefully be fixed with development, and improvement in user/coach skill over-time. If it is fixed Ward should be a decent Franchise QB, but if not than the Commanders will be set back a few years after trading up to steal Cam Ward in the draft from the Bengals who would have picked him a pick later.