NBA Rookie of the Year Rankings: Where Are Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears?

Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears have been two of the brightest spots for the New Orleans Pelicans this season. As exciting as it is two have two potential future offensive stars, it's important to take a look at their place in the rookie hierarchy. Among a deep and talented rookie class, how do Fears and Queen stack? Do they have a chance to win the Rookie of the Year? Let's take a look at the latest rookie rankings.

1. Kon Knueppel

The Charlotte Hornets should still be considered the frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year race. Cooper Flagg got off to a slow start in Dallas because of the ridiculous plan to make him the point guard. Knueppel made the most of this opportunity and staked his claim as the rookie to beat in the ROY race.

Knueppel is not only averaging more points than any other rookie with 18.0, but he is doing so with impressive efficiency. Hitting over 40% of his threes, Knueppel has 61.3% True Shooting, making him the only high-usage rookie with above league-average efficiency.

2. Cooper Flagg

Flagg is trending up and still might be the favorite to win the award, but he still hasn't done enough to take the No. 1 spot here. The former Duke star is showcasing his all-around ability, stuffing the box score and making an impact defensively. Yet, his shot is still not falling, and the Mavericks are a whopping 13.8 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the floor than off, per Cleaning the Glass, which puts him firmly behind Knueppel for now.

3. Cedric Coward

Coward's box score stats are not eye-popping, but he has been a winning player since the first day of the season. He defends well, plays hard, and hits his shots enough to already be a solid three-and-D wing. He has struggled from the floor over the last couple of weeks, so he could fall in these rankings if his efficiency takes a dip. So far, however, he has one of the best on/off metrics among rookies and the Grizzlies, who are playing at a high level (+3.5 net rating) with him on the floor.

4. Derik Queen

Queen may have had the best individual moments any rookie has had so far this season. His 33-point triple-double against the Spurs may be the best game by a rookie through the first 25 games of the season.

At the same time, he has had quite a few duds. While we focus on the positives, there are plenty of areas of improvement for the talented big man. He has largely been inconsistent and struggled defensively. The Pelicans having the worst record in the league and playing in a ton of blowouts will certainly lower his chances of winning the ROY.

Future is extremely bright for Queen and he should be the centerpiece for this team going forward, but he is lagging behind a few of his draft classmen so far.

5. Jeremiah Fears

Fears has arguably had the largest offensive role of any rookie so far. Being the starting point guard at age 19 for any offense in the NBA is impressive. His three-point shot has been falling at a better than expected rate, he gets to the free-throw line, and his handle is as advertised.

There is plenty to like here as an offensive player, but Fears still has a poor 52.6% True Shooting with 25.6% usage rate. That combination of volume and inefficiency is a reason why the Pelicans are only scoring 109.9 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor. Flashes have been excellent for Fears, but it's not impacting winning yet.

Outside Looking in: Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Ryan Kalkbrenner

Harper has missed some time, but he has easily been one of the three or four best rookies when he has been available. The Spurs guard is playing with an impressive maturity, gets to the basket at will, and has a significant role in one of the better teams in the Western Conference. He will rise in the next iteration of these rankings.

Edgecombe has slowed down after a hot start, especially struggling with finishing and getting to the line. His efficiency has taken a big hit, but his playmaking has been better than expected. He will be heard from in this race thanks to his big role on the Sixers offense.

Kalkbrenner has been solid for the Hornets. He doesn't have a chance to crack the top-five due to his small offensive role, but he has been starting-caliber center immediately, making him an excellent 34th-overall pick.