To some analysts, sports writers, and fans, the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award should have been between Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson and Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt. Now, with Watson out for the season, many believe it to be Hunt's to lose. As a matter of fact, ESPN put up a poll on midseason awards for the NFL on November 6, and for Offensive Rookie of the Year voting Deshaun Watson received 42 percent of the vote while 36 percent voted for Kareem Hunt. The next closest to them was Leonard Fournette with 12 percent.

Even though Kareem Hunt seemed like the next great running back in the first quarter of the season, he has slowed down considerably. Yet, not a lot of people seem to be noticing, as he is consistently being talked about as a better running back than he has truly played like.

(NFL Network - via twitter)

Hot start but not maintained

The Chiefs first game of the season was against the defending champs. Some people expected the New England Patriots to be just as good as the year before and thought that New England would come out with a win.

However, The Chiefs had other plans in mind. They went on to score 42 points and beat New England by 15. Much of the win was attributed to Hunt's three total touchdowns and over 200 total yards (148 rushing, 98 receiving). After that game, everyone in the league knew who Kareem Hunt was. He continued his tear by rushing for over 100 yards in three of his next four games.

He was simply a sensation.

Something occurred between their win against the Houston Texans and their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whether that was teams figuring him out, or something that happened to Hunt, he has not looked the same. In his last four games, he has failed to reach 100 rushing yards and has been held under 2.5 yards per carry twice.

He has also not recorded a touchdown, rushing or receiving, since Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers. His production has dropped considerably, but it has not seemed to register with a lot of people yet.

Slump or coming reality?

I believe that the last few games are more of Hunt coming down from a hot start. He is a good running back, probably one of the better ones in the league, but he is not one of the best. Hunt is young and has a lot of time to develop, but for the time being, is not on the same level as players such as Le'Veon Bell, Ezekiel Elliot, and Todd Gurley. As of now, he relies a bit too much on big plays and needs to improve on consistency throughout the game.

I don't even think he is the best or will be the best running back in his class.

Leonard Fournette has been a monster for a Jacksonville Jaguars team that has struggled on offense and has still played great despite going up against stacked boxes due to a lack of respect for the Jaguars passing game. Unless Hunt turns his recent play around, I think Offensive Rookie of the Year should be Fournette's to lose.

The future for Kareem Hunt

Kareem Hunt has a long career ahead of him and could develop into a great running back, but as of now, he is not there. His phenomenal start to the season gave some people a false hope of a superstar that has stuck. Even as he has declined, people are still remembering the first couple of games he took by storm. People need to wake up and see that he is being overrated right now and see that how he's played of recent has been a factor of why the Chiefs are beginning to struggle.

Maybe he'll bounce back, and that is certainly a possibility, but I don't think he will. Regardless, he has not been playing like the best rookie for some weeks now and it is time more people began noticing.
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