Agholor is an outstanding athlete with very long arms, a wide catch radius and top-end quickness. He's also an excellent punt returner, which will enhance his chances of making noise in this race. Two things concern me about him. First, he doesn't seem to be real strong, which could hamper his ability to deal with defenders trying to make it hard for him to get off the line of scrimmage. Second, he's on a team with plenty of other offensive weapons, including a rising second-year pro in Jordan Matthews, which means he might not put up the numbers necessary to make the cut. Still, I loved this kid coming out of USC, and I expect big things from him in 2015.

Abdullah has been turning heads lately, drawing a comparison from Jets coach Todd Bowles to none other than Barry Sanders. While that's a bit like comparing a promising young writer to Shakespeare, I do see some similarities. Abdullah has the 1989 Offensive Rookie of the Year's quickness and vision. He also has burst, acceleration and a history of producing at Nebraska. Everybody's looking for the total package, and Abdullah is exactly that, capable of dashing off big plays in both the aerial and the return game. If he notches 1,000 rushing yards and 45 to 50 catches, he should garner some OROY consideration, especially if he also returns a touchdown or two. Modern defenders are so good that we don't see 80-yard runs like we once did, but Abdullah has the quickness to rack up the sizable gains.

The Wisconsin product isn't as good an inside runner as Todd Gurley, but he has strength, size and exceptional perimeter speed. He's a terrific competitor and probably a stronger runner than I've given him credit for. He also has big hands, which should help make him a threat in the passing game. Gordon's pro career got off to a slow start in Week 1 of the preseason; logging six carries against the Cowboys, he posted just 11 yards. But that was just one dress-rehearsal outing. In camp, it looked like he has the skill -- reminiscent of Jamaal Charles -- to be the clock-eating back the Chargers' coaching staff needs. I see him topping 1,000 yards, and if he can help carry San Diego to the playoffs, he has a real a chance in this award's race.

This is a special, talented guy with size. He's strong and powerful, possesses great vision, balance and tackle-breaking ability, and he can catch the ball. Jeff Fisher loves the power-running game, and Gurley, who reminds me of Steven Jackson, looks like a perfect fit. Now, in all probability, he'll miss several games to start the season as he continues to work back from a torn ACL suffered last November. But his skill and talent level should allow him to flourish anyway. If he can get in 12 games (the same as 2014 Offensive Rookie of the Year Odell Beckham Jr.), he has the potential to break the 1,000-yard mark and lead St. Louis to the playoffs -- and he'll have a very strong chance of taking home some hardware after the season.