Top rookies
AFC East
As published in print Dec. 27, 1999
Buffalo Bills|Indianapolis
Colts|Miami Dolphins
New England Patriots|New
York Jets
AFC East|AFC Central|AFC
West
NFC East|NFC
Central|NFC West
|
| Buffalo
Bills |
| After playing well as the team’s nickel back, first-round pick
Antoine Winfield became the Bills’ starting left cornerback in Week 16 when Ken Irvin
went down for the season with a foot injury. Whether as a reserve or a starter, Winfield
has been a valuable contributor to a defense that was ranked first overall through Week
15. Winfield has also been an effective special-teams player. |
Top of page
| Indianapolis
Colts |
| The Colts knew RB Edgerrin James would be good; they just didn’t
know he’d be this good this soon. James, selected fourth overall in the ’99
draft, is having an MVP-caliber season. He has shown the ability to wear down defenses,
and he has developed into a very good receiver out of the backfield. James’ only
apparent flaw? He has fumbled a few more times than he and the Colts would prefer. |
Top of page
| Miami
Dolphins |
| It’s still early, but this appears to be Jimmy Johnson’s worst
draft class since he came to Miami. Second-round RB J.J. Johnson has been the most
productive rookie — he was the team’s leading rusher and had the Dolphins’
only 100-yard rushing performance entering their Week 16 Monday-night game — but he
has been plagued by nagging injuries since training camp. |
Top of page
| New
England Patriots |
| C Damien Woody has started every game and has generally done a solid job.
He has hit the rookie wall in recent weeks, but before that, the loss of veteran C Dave
Wohlabaugh, who went to Cleveland as a free agent, was barely noticeable. With the
offensive line destined for an offseason shakeup, and top OT Bruce Armstrong nearing the
end of his career, Woody appears to be the line’s cornerstone. |
Top of page
| New York
Jets |
| ORG Randy Thomas has been everything the Jets hoped he’d be when
they took him in the second round out of Mississippi State. Thomas has proved to be a
better run blocker than predecessor Matt O’Dwyer, as well as a decent pass protector.
Thomas has very good athleticism for a guard, but head coach Bill Parcells says Thomas
still needs to improve his blocking on screen passes. That’s the mark of a great
guard, according to Parcells. |
Top of page |
|
 |
The Archives
1999 - 2000 Season |
| Online writers — features and
columns by our PFW staff, columnists, AFC reporters, NFC reporters and contributing
writers |
| College football — articles,
college notepad, key college game previews, PFW's college top 10 |
| Fantasy football — articles,
injury reports, weekly fantasy tips, weekly matchups, The Fantasy Doctor, mock drafts,
draft boards, "In our opinion" daily fantasy columns, player profiles |
| Free-agency |
| General features — Internet
features, features from our print edition, special reports |
| Handicapper's Corner —
staff selections, games of the week, PFW Players of the Week, NFL standings, weekly
handicapping columns, predictions |
| "A closer look" —
in-depth analysis of general football topics |
| "In our opinion" daily columns
— opinions on general football topics |
| "PFW spins" —
short-takes on current events |
| Joel Buchsbaum — college
player evaluations, NFL player analysis, NFL draft coverage, NFL notepad, NFList, Q and
A's, college game previews and other NFL articles by PFW's contributing editor |
| NFL Draft — player evaluations,
printouts, feature stories, commentaries, draft recaps |
| Ron Pollack — articles and
commentary by PFW's editor-in-chief |
| Season in review —
the 1999-2000 NFL season |
| XFL — a new football league begins |
|
