(1/5/2010) 17Knowshon Moreno-Denver Broncos

Knowshon Moreno has been working hard all year with the Denver Broncos to help get them to the postseason. While the Broncos came short of that goal, Moreno’s valiant efforts deserve notice as he ran for two touchdowns in this critical game with the Chiefs. The former Georgia star looks poised to be the future of the Bronco backfield and if he can stay injury free, he’ll have Denver competing to make a playoff run in the future.

Honorable mentions go out to Mike Wallace of Pittsburgh who concluded a solid rookie season with 64 yards and a touchdown and Darius Butler of New England who had two tackles and a 91-yard interception for a touchdown. This concluded Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” program. Make sure to use the rookie card tracker to help you put together sets of your favorite rookies this year. Make sure to check the archives as well to see which rookies made the biggest impression on us for the 2009 season.
(1/5/2010) 16Brian Cushing - Houston Texans

Brian Cushing is one of four rookie linebackers out of USC playing in the pros this year. Cushing has been making a solid case for defensive rookie of the year and he stepped up big as he has all season with another great performance in a game the Texans had to win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. Cushing recorded a sack and an interception to help the Texans record a key win for the franchise looking to make their first trip to the postseason ever.

 

Honorable mentions go out to Mohamed Massaquoi of Cleveland who grabbed three catches for 61 yards and a touchdown and Austin Collie of Indianapolis who continues to put up solid numbers. Who will be the “Rookie of the Week” for week 17? Find out on Tuesday, January 5th. Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards of the player you think will have the best performance. Check back on Tuesday, January 5th to see if the players you entered were chosen as Upper Deck's "Rookie of the Week"!
(12/22/2009) 15Mike Wallace - Pittsburgh Steelers

It was a game the Steelers had to win. Rookie receiver Mike Wallace only made two catches in this key game, but he finished them in the end zone both time. With two grabs for 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Wallace helped the Steelers to a 37-36 win over the Packers. The speedster is looking like he's ready to step up as the heir apparent to Hines Ward in Pittsburgh.

Honorable mentions go out to "Beanie" Wells of Arizona and Josh Freeman of the Tampa Bay. Please note, due to the holiday break, we will NOT announce a "Rookie of the Week" for next week.  We will announce the Week 16 and Week 17 "Rookie of the Week" on Tuesday, January 5th. Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards of the player you think will have the best performance. Check back on Tuesday, January 5th to see if the players you entered were chosen as Upper Deck's "Rookie of the Week"!
(12/15/2009) 14

Michael Crabtree - San Francisco 49ers

Michael Crabtree helped make a statement on the national stage against the reigning NFC champions in week 14.  What made the 49er nation excited was this was the first time they really saw the promise of Crabtree come to light as he has a nice 35-yard touchdown grab from Alex Smith in the first half.  He finished the night leading San Francisco receivers with 67 yards and a touchdown en route to a critical 24-9 win.

Honorable mentions go out to Hakeem Nicks of the Giants who put up great numbers, but had a couple of big drops and “Beanie” Wells of the Cardinals who seems to have supplanted Tim Hightower as the go-to back in AZ.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 15? Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards of the player you think will have the best performance. Check back on Tuesday, December 22nd to see if the players you entered were chosen as next week's "Rookie of the Week"!

 
(12/8/2009) 13Louis Murphy - Oakland Raiders
Rookie wide receiver Louis Murphy caught the game-winning touchdown to give the Oakland Raiders their fourth win of the season. As the team’s fourth round selection out of the University of Florida, Murphy showed why he deserved to play at this level by surprising the Pittsburgh Steelers with three receptions on the final drive, including an 11-yard go-ahead touchdown catch. Murphy stepped up in the final minutes, catching three of his four total catches on the final drive of the game. Murphy finished with four receptions for a whopping 128 yards and a touchdown.

Honorable mentions go out to Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin who led his team with 79 yards receiving and a touchdown. Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 14? Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards of the player you think will have the best performance. Check back on Tuesday, December 15th to see if the players you entered were chosen as next week's "Rookie of the Week"!
(12/1/2009) 12Kenny Britt - Tennessee Titans

Rookie wide receiver Kenny Britt caught the game-winning touchdown to give the Tennessee Titans their fifth victory in the last five games. As the University of Rutgers' first ever first-round pick, Britt showed why he deserved that honor by catching three passes on the final drive, including a 10-yard go-ahead touchdown pass as time expired. Britt turned out to be the Arizona’s worst nightmare, finishing the game with seven catches for 128 yards and an amazing touchdown.

Honorable mentions go out to Tampa Bay Buccaneers' quarterback Josh Freeman who led his team with 250 yards passing, two touchdowns, and a 118.5 quarterback rating, and Minnesota Vikings' wide receiver Percy Harvin, who had 45 yards rushing, 101 yards receiving, and a touchdown. Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 13? Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards of the player you think will have the best performance. Check back on Tuesday, December 8th to see if the players you entered were chosen as next week's "Rookie of the Week"!

(11/24/2009) 11Matthew Stafford - Detroit Lions
Rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford led his Detroit Lions to their second win of the season with an amazing yet dynamic performance against the Cleveland Browns.  In a game that was almost decisively won by the Browns, Stafford led his team down the field to throw his fifth touchdown pass with :00 seconds remaining on the clock!  Stafford finished the game with 422 yards, five touchdown tosses, and a 112.7 quarterback rating.  Stafford is living up to all the expectations and is making a strong push for Rookie of the Year.
 
Honorable mentions go out to Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi who led the team with 115 yards and a touchdown, and Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, who finished with 99 yards and a touchdown.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 12?  Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards of the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back on Tuesday, December 1st to see if the players you entered were chosen as next week's "Rookie of the Week"!
(11/17/2009) 10Chris Wells - Arizona Cardinals
In a game where he started out as a backup, running back Chris "Beanie" Wells helped lead the Arizona Cardinals to a significant divisional win over the Seattle Seahawks.  Wells was drafted 31st overall out of Ohio State to be the featured running back of the franchise, and he is starting to fulfill that role as he finished with 117 total yards and two touchdowns.  His 13-yard run in the fourth quarter put the Cardinals ahead for good, never looking back after that.  Wells is quickly establishing himself as a top rookie running back that will, if not already, be named as the starter.
 
An honorable mention goes out to rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, a first-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, who had 76 yards and a touchdown in a demoralizing loss to the San Diego Chargers.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 11?  Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back on Tuesday, November 24th to see if the players you entered were chosen as next week's "Rookie of the Week"!
(11/10/2009) 9Josh Freeman - Tampa Bay Bucs
In his first start as an NFL quarterback, Josh Freeman led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their first win of the season over the Green Bay Packers.  Freeman was drafted 17th overall out of Kansas State to be the future of the franchise, and he lived up to all the expectations as he finished with 205 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.  Not to be overlooked was his game winning touchdown pass to fellow rookie Sammie Stroughter that came with 4:14 left in the 4th quarter.  Expect to hear more from this rookie as the season progresses.
 
Honorable mentions go out to LeSean McCoy, a first-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, who had 115 yards in a devastating loss to the Dallas Cowboys.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 10?  Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back on Tuesday, November 17th to see if the players you entered was chosen as next week's "Rookie of the Week"!
(11/3/2009) 8Percy Harvin - Minnesota Vikings
Once again, Percy Harvin established himself as not only a top rookie wide receiver, but a major weapon for the Minnesota Vikings.  In a game where all the media hype surrounded quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre, Harvin stole the show by catching five passes for 84 yards with a touchdown to help the Vikings defeat the Green Bay Packers, 38-26, for the second time this season.  He also returned five kicks for 175 yards, including a 77-yard return the first quarter that led to an Adrian Peterson touchdown.  Even as a rookie, Harvin is quickly establishing himself as one of the NFL's most valuable rookies, and even better, as Favre's favorite target.
 
Honorable mentions go out to LeSean McCoy, a first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, who had 92 total yards and a touchdown.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 9?  Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back on Tuesday, November 10th to see if the players you entered was "Rookie of the Week!"
(10/27/2009) 7Shonn Greene - New York Jets
Many people questioned why the New York Jets used their first round draft pick to add another running back to an already crowded back field. Well, running back Shonn Greene not only liberated the Jets from all criticism, but justified their move by leading the team in rushing this past weekend against the Oakland Raiders. Greene finished with 144 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns to help rout the Raiders 38-0. After incumbent backup Leon Washington went down in the first quarter, Greene was called upon to help starter Thomas Jones carry the load. Greene’s signature play came on a 33-yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter to seal the victory.

Honorable mentions go out to Chris “Beanie” Wells, a first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, who had 67 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Hakeem Nicks, who led the New York Giants in receiving with 80 yards and a touchdown.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 8?  Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back on Tuesday, November 3rd to see if one of the players you entered was "Rookie of the Week!"
(10/20/2009) 6Hakeem Nicks-New York Giants
Hakeem Nicks continues to prove why he is one of the best rookie receivers from this past NFL draft.  In a game where one team had to leave with a record of 4-1, Nicks did all he could to help his Giants overcome the undefeated Saints.  Nicks shined bright in the spotlight finishing the day with five catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.  His signature play came at the end of the game when quarterback David Carr found him deep for a 37-yard touchdown.  This was the first of many tests to come for the Giants, and Nicks seems primed and ready for the challenge.
 
An honorable mention goes out to Sammie Stroughter, a seventh-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who had 65 yards receiving and a 97-yard kickoff returned for a touchdown.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 7?  Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back on Tuesday, October 27 to see if one of the players you entered was "Rookie of the Week!"
(10/13/2009) 5Jeremy Maclin- Philadelphia Eagles
Donovan McNabb returned to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a decisive 33-14 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend. McNabb's passer rating of 157.2 was nearly perfect and one of the main reasons why he had so much success was because of rookie standout, Jeremy Maclin. McNabb and Maclin looked in sync right off the bat as they hooked up for a 51-yard touchdown strike. Maclin finished the day with 142 yards on six catches with two touchdowns.

Honorable mention goes out to Mark Sanchez who lost a Monday night heartbreaker where he threw for 172 yards and a touchdown. Who will win "Rookie of the Week" for Week 6? Enter codes from the back of the 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance. Check back on Tuesday, October 20 to see if one of the players you entered was the "Rookie of the Week!"

 
(10/6/2009) 4Mohamed Massaquoi - Cleveland Browns
Another exciting week of football has passed with a new playmaker taking the league by surprise. Mohamed Massaquoi had eight receptions for 148 yards on Sunday in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Even though they lost, Massaquoi proved to be one of the more unstoppable players on the field. While being compared to more highly-touted receivers such as Crabtree and Heyward-Bey, Massaquoi is one of the few less-known receivers to actually have a major impact on his team.

Honorable mention goes out to Knowshon Moreno who helped the Denver Broncos get to 4-0 with his 76 total yards and touchdown. Who will win “Rookie of the Week” for Week 5?  Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back on Tuesday, October 13 to see if one of the players you entered was the "Rookie of the Week!"
(9/29/2009) 3Matthew Stafford - Detroit Lions
Matthew Stafford got the monkey off the back of the team that had the longest losing streak in the NFL.  His Detroit Lions had the dubious distinction of losing 19 games in a row with the last victory coming in late 2007.  Looking every bit like the first overall draft pick on Sunday, Stafford managed the game well with 241 yards and a touchdown.  While the Lions are definitely a team that is rebuilding, they are certainly not a team devoid of talent.  Stafford leads a young and hungry group of Lions poised to get better each week.
 
Honorable mentions go out to Mark Sanchez and Percy Harvin who both played major roles in helping their teams get to 3-0.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for Week 4?  Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck NFL rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back on Tuesday, October 6 to see if one of the players you entered was the "Rookie of the Week!"
(9/15/2009) 2Donald Brown - Indianapolis Colts
Little-known Donald Brown was the Indianapolis Colts' first round draft choice out of the University of Connecticut, and he is proving to be one of the better rookie running backs in the NFL.  Initially, Brown was drafted to spell Joseph Addai but with his recent struggles, Brown is slowly replacing the incumbent in the Indy backfield.  Even though Brown and the Indy offense were only on the field for less than 15 minutes, he still managed to end the game with 50 total yards and a touchdown.
 
Honorable mentions go out to Mark Sanchez and Percy Harvin who both played essential roles in helping their teams get to 3-0. Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for week three? Enter codes from the back of 2009 Upper Deck rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance. Check back Tuesday, September 29 to see if one of the players you entered was the "Rookie of the Week!"
(9/3/2009) 1Mark Sanchez - Jets
Mark Sanchez lived up to the hype in the first week of the NFL season as he was able to have success against an improved Texans defense and led his Jets to a victory.  Expectations have been high for Sanchez ever since draft day when the Jets made one of the biggest trades in history of the franchise to acquire the young quarterback from Southern Cal to take the reigns from a legendary gunslinger Brett Favre.  So far the gamble seems to have been worth it as Sanchez showed the kind of poise and decision making that made him a star at USC.  Sanchez completed 18 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown in the 24-7 victory over the Houston Texans last Sunday.
 
Honorable mentions go out to Kenny Britt and Percy Harvin for their strong first week showings.  Who will be the "Rookie of the Week" for week two?  Enter codes on the back of 2009 Upper Deck rookie cards for the player you think will have the best performance.  Check back Tuesday, September 22 to see if one of the players you entered was the "Rookie of the Week!"