The 5 Best Rookie Quarterback Seasons Over the Last Decade
3. Cam Newton, 2011
Cam Newton was the first overall pick in 2011 and was expected to be great, but fantasy analysts did not forecast his monster rookie season. He piled up 375 fantasy points, ranking third among all quarterbacks in 2011.
His passing touchdown-to-interception ratio was 21-17, which is what you would expect from a rookie.
However, when Newton ran for more than 700 yards and 14 touchdowns, he had stunned more people than Stone Cold Steve Austin during a Royal Rumble. Newton is the only quarterback ever to rush for 14 touchdowns in one season in NFL history.
Heck, no running back has rushed for 14 or more touchdowns in a season since Arian Foster in 2012. This was a rare feat that may never be topped.
You're probably wondering why Cam isn't first on this list. After digging deeper into his stats, you will see that his inefficiency as a passer is what threw him out of the top spot.
| Player | Passing NEP | Rank | Rushing NEP | Rank | Total NEP | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cam Newton | 57.48 | 11th | 50.28 | 1st | 110.21 | 6th |
Among quarterbacks with at least 40 rushing attempts, Newton finished first in Net Expected Points per rush with 0.40. His total Rushing NEP was by far the best in the league in 2011. His Passing NEP per drop back among quarterbacks with at least 200 drop backs ranked 14th, however.
Newton has had a terrific career since 2011, finishing as a top-five quarterback in 2015 in Total NEP with a score of 146.24.
