Alvin Kamara has topped Kareem Hunt for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award with his strong well-round performance in 2018.
The Associated Press announced the winner of this year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Award on Saturday night’s NFL Honors program with Alvin Kamara, running back for the New Orleans Saints, coming up the winner over Kareem Hunt, running back for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Kamara had an incredible year of production all-around for the Saints, whether on the ground, through the air or on special teams. He rushed 120 times for 728 rushing yards, good for a league-leading 6.1 yards/carry average as he teamed with Mark Ingram for the league’s best rushing attack. Kamara put up an incredible 826 receiving yards as well on 81 receptions for the Saints, and he totaled 13 touchdowns combined on offense.
More from Arrowhead Addict
- Former Chiefs cornerback in legal trouble in Las Vegas
- Chiefs Kingdom: Get ready to break contract news
- Chiefs news: Travis Kelce wants to host fan ‘chug-off’ in Germany
- Podcast: Breaking down the Chiefs biggest roster battles
- KC Chiefs send Dave Merritt to NFL coaching accelerator
That wasn’t the end of Kamara’s on-field value, however. He also returned 11 kicks for an average of over 31 yards, including a league-leading 106 yard touchdown return. He was sixth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage and was named to the 2017 Pro Bowl.
In a normal year, it would make sense for Hunt to be the runaway winner of the award considering that he won the rushing title as a rookie—only the sixth time in NFL history that’s ever happened. Hunt rushed 272 times for 1,327 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, besting L.A. Rams running back Todd Gurley for the title by 22 yards at season’s end.
Hunt also had more yards from scrimmage than any rookie in the NFL with 1,782, trailing just Gurley and Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell.
Kamara also won the Pepsi Rookie of the Year award earlier this week, an award aided by fan voting.