Where would the Dallas Cowboys have been without their rookie superstars'It's likely they wouldn't have ended up in first place in the NFC East and finished the season with the best record in the NFC. But the presences of running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Dak Prescott made this a year to remember for the Cowboys and head coach Jason Garrett.With the league's top rookie honor set to be handed out Saturday night, Elliott and Prescott are the two leading candidates this season. It was not a great year for overall rookie performances, as quarterback Carson Wentz of the Philadelphia Eagles and running back Jordan Howard of the Chicago Bears also had positive seasons, but neither could compare to Dallas' pair of stars.After Wentz and Howard, it's difficult to find any other rookies worthy of consideration.Elliott had a remarkable season, and that's just what the Cowboys expected after selecting him with the No. 4 pick in the 2016 draft. Running backs have rarely been selected that high in recent years, but Elliott had displayed speed, power, a hunger to compete and great skill while toting the ball at Ohio State.All of his talents translated well at the NFL level, as Elliott carried the ball 322 times for a league-best 1,631 yards, along with 32 receptions for 363 yards. He scored 16 touchdowns and was a game-changing force throughout his rookie season.As impressive as Elliott was in Dallas, a good argument can be made that Prescott may have been the more valuable performer of the two.Prescott showed poise and leadership from the moment he learned that he would be starting under center as a result of Tony Romo's injury in the preseason. Prescott looked like he belonged as a starting NFL quarterback from the instant he took his first snap, which is a rarity in the NFL.Most rookie quarterbacks go through difficult periods of adjustment once they start playing regularly, including getting hammered by powerful and athletic pass-rushers and trying to throw the ball into tight windows because of close coverage. Interceptions are often the result.Prescott completed 311 of 459 passes for 3,667 yards with 23 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Even if Prescott had thrown seven additional interceptions, he still would have had more than a 2-1 ratio, which is excellent for a rookie.Prescott was not a classic running quarterback, but he did pick up 282 yards on the ground with six touchdowns. He ran when the opportunity presented itself and when it was beneficial for the team.If Prescott hadn't been so poised and resourceful, opposing defenses likely would have been able to send more of their resources to stop Elliott. They couldn't do that, and that's part of the reason the star running back found some convenient and wide-open rushing lanes.Elliott and Prescott have supported each other all season long."No matter who wins it, me, him or somebody else, it's shared between us two," Prescott said, per David Moore of the Dallas Morning News. "I think we know what we did this year for this team, this organization was fun. It's a year we'll never forget and we're excited for next year."Howard may have been the only bright spot on the 3-13 Chicago Bears. The fifth-round draft choice from Indiana was expected to back up Jeremy Langford this season, but he made the most of his opportunities and gained 1,313 yards on 252 carries while scoring six rushing touchdowns. Howard's rushing total was second in the league behind Elliott. He had six runs of 20 yards or more, and he was able to establish himself as one of the most consistent running backs in the league.The Bears have many areas to address in the offseason, including quarterback, wide receiver and several spots on defense, but head coach John Fox can feel confident that he has the running back position covered with Howard.Wentz was able to perform well enough this summer that the Eagles had no problem trading veteran Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings prior to the start of the season.Wentz started all 16 games for the Eagles, completing 379 of 607 passes for 3,782 yards with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Wentz was especially hot coming out of the gate, as the Eagles won their first three games of the season.He cooled down shortly thereafter, but Eagles head coach Doug Pederson saw that he has a quarterback who is capable of competing hard and winning games in the future.The Eagles finished a respectable 7-9 this season, and they could become playoff contenders in 2017 or 2018 with Wentz at quarterback. PredictionThis award is a fight between two brilliant teammates in Elliott and Prescott, and while the quarterback played well, Elliott established himself as the most productive running back in the NFL.If he can come close to repeating his performance, he can lay claim to being the best running back in the league, and that's a major achievement.While Prescott's stats were excellent, Elliott's numbers were off the charts, and that should allow him to walk away with the NFL Rookie of the Year Award Saturday night in Houston.
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