Rookie quarterbacks are taking over the NFL. Two are in a fight to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award as Chicago Bears' rookie Caleb Williams and Washington Commanders' rookie Jayden Daniels seem to be in the early stages of a rivalry that will last their entire careers.
Daniels has Williams narrowly beat as the favorite to win the award with -115 odds while Williams is second with +100 odds, per FanDuel.
When you look at the stats, Daniels has a slight advantage.
Daniels has a 5-2 record and has passed for 1,460 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions to go along with a 107 quarterback rating. He also has 66 carries for 372 yards and four touchdowns.
Williams has a 4-2 record and has passed for 1,317 yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions to go along with an 88.7 quarterback rating. He also has 25 carries for 169 yards.
The deciding factor might be that Daniels has a better offensive line and coaching staff.
The Bears offensive line has been as easy to get through as a turnstile this season, giving up 20 sacks this year. It's been a weakness for years and the Bears have failed to address it. While they were signing skill players Keenan Allen and D'Andre Swift, no investment was given to the line. it's showed. Daniels has more time to throw the ball.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is a defensive-oriented coach. And while offensive coordinator Shane Waldron should be given credit for helping Geno Smith win comeback player of the year during his tenure with the Seahawks, the Commanders have a better coaching staff.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn went to multiple playoff runs as the Atlanta Falcons head coach and the defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. His experience in the NFL will be huge for developing Daniels. Similarly, offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury developed Patrick Mahomes in college at Texas Tech and Kyler Murray as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
We haven't seen a rookie of the year race this close in a long time. Both quarterbacks are playing well and have their teams in a position to make a playoff run. Both quarterbacks have solid offenses around them that were built for a rookie to succeed with. Both were selected within a pick from each other at No. 1 and 2, respectively, in last year's draft.