It's been two weeks since we checked in on this year's rookie crop and, well, some things have changed.
Most notably, San Jose's Adam Jahn has charged up the rankings after deputizing brilliantly for Alan Gordan and Steven Lenhart. He's now the leading scorer among first-year MLS pros with three goals.
There's also a new No. 1 in Colorado's Dillon Powers, a player who isn't flashy, but has proven to be very effective for Rapids manager Oscar Pareja during their injury crisis. That also means New England defender Andrew Farrell has finally dropped out of the top spot after missing time through injury, while Seattle's DeAndre Yedlin slid down the charts following an ill-advised red card against the Union.
Two weeks ago, more than 80 percent of the fan votes went to the Sounders right back, a group sure to be unhappy with their man's – likely temporary – fall from grace.
Who do you think has inside track for Rookie of the Year recognition? Have your say in the comments section below or make your voice heard by voting in the poll to the right!
For a more detailed look at Major League Soccer's best young talent, check out MLSsoccer.com's 24 Under 24 series.
Only MLS regular-season games reflected on schedule and statistics.
<strong>Rank</strong> |
<strong>Trending</strong> |
<strong>Last </strong> |
<strong>Player</strong> |
<strong>Comment</strong> |
<strong>1</strong> |
<img alt="" height="40" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/arrow-up-with-shadow_1.png" width="40"> |
<strong>4</strong> |
<br><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Dillon-Powers.jpg" style="width: 55px; height: 55px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/dillon-powers" target="_blank"><strong>Dillon Powers</strong></a><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/colorado_150.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<p>You might be shaking your head right now, wondering how a workhorse midfielder toiling in Colorado could top this chart. Well, it comes down to two things. First, Farrell's and Yedlin's drops created an opportunity for advancement. Second, Powers has probably been the most consistent rookie presence in MLS this year, exerting a huge influence on his team's game-to-game fate. After a blip, Powers is back to manning the Rapids engine room with aplomb.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week:</strong> Won vs. Toronto, 1-0 (90 min)</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday at Columbus (7:30 pm ET, <strong><a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank">MLS LIVE</a></strong>)</li><li><strong>Season Statistics:</strong> 1 G (10 GP, 10 GS)</li><li><strong><a href="http://fantasy.mlssoccer.com/" target="_blank">MLS Fantasy Soccer Manager</a>:</strong> 35 points, $5.7 million (2.8 percent owned)</li></ul> |
<strong>2</strong> |
<img alt="" height="40" src="//league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/arrow-up-with-shadow_1.png" width="40"> |
<strong>NR</strong> |
<br><br><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Jahn.jpg" style="width: 55px; height: 55px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/adam-jahn" target="_blank"><strong>Adam Jahn</strong></a><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/sanjose_150.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<p>Cue the hate mail from Sounders fans for dropping their golden-maned right back from the second spot. Jahn deserves it, though, after being overlooked for most of the young season. With Gordon and Lenhart ruled out with suspension, the Supplemental Draft pick out of Stanford is turning out to be a perfect fit in San Jose. He's got two goals in three games and excels at sniffing out shooting opportunities, while proving to be an above-average finisher with great feet. Is there room for another Bash Brother?</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week:</strong> Drew vs. Montreal, 2-2 (90 min, 1 G)</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Wednesday vs. Toronto (10:30 pm ET,<strong><a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank">MLS LIVE</a></strong>), Saturday at Seattle (4 pm ET, Univision Deportes)</li><li><strong>Season Statistics:</strong> 3 G (8 GP, 4 GS)</li><li><strong><a href="http://fantasy.mlssoccer.com/" target="_blank">MLS Fantasy Soccer Manager</a>:</strong> 30 points, $5.6 million (6.2 percent owned)</li></ul> |
<strong>3</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/red-arrow-down2_0.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<strong>1</strong> |
<br><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/Andrew-Farrell.jpg" style="width: 55px; height: 55px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/andrew-farrell" target="_blank"><strong>Andrew Farrell</strong></a><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/newengland_150.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<p>Through no real fault of his own – see Michael Farfan's reckless tackle in Week 9 – Farrell is out of the top spot for now. The Louisville product is listed as questionable with a left knee contusion suffered in that challenge ahead of Wednesday's match against Real Salt Lake, <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/05/08/room-roam-diego-fagundez-proves-effective-creator-new-england-revolution" target="_blank">but head coach Jay Heaps said he's available</a>. Like Austin Berry before him, Farrell has as good a chance as any to take home the AT&T Rookie of the Year award. He'll have to stay healthy to do so, though.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week: </strong>Drew at Portland, 0-0 (DNP)</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Wednesday vs. Real Salt Lake (8 ET, <strong><a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank">MLS LIVE</a></strong>), Saturday vs. New York (7:30 ET, <strong><a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank">MLS LIVE</a></strong>)</li><li><strong>Season Statistics:</strong> 7 GP, 7 GS</li><li><strong><a href="http://fantasy.mlssoccer.com/" target="_blank">MLS Fantasy Soccer Manager</a>:</strong> 39 points, $5.0 million (2.5 percent owned)</li></ul> |
<strong>4</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/red-arrow-down2_0.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<strong>2</strong> |
<br><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/DeAndre-Yedlin.jpg" style="width: 55px; height: 55px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/deandre-yedlin" target="_blank"><strong>DeAndre Yedlin</strong></a><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/seattle_150.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<p>Youthful exuberance combined with a moment of madness. It was bound to happen at some point this season, and Yedlin's came on Saturday against Philly. Yes, tempers were flaring all over the field, but the US U-20 right back has to be smarter than to <a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2013-05-04-PHI-v-SEA/highlights/218829" target="_blank">whiff on a full-blooded tackle before doubling back to make sure the intended damage was done</a>. He'll miss Wednesday's game in Kansas City – rightly so, I might add – before strapping up against San Jose at the weekend. Lesson learned? Let's hope so.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week:</strong> Drew at Philadelphia, 2-2 (89 min, red card)</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Wednesday at Kansas City (8:30 ET, <strong><a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank">MLS LIVE</a></strong>), Saturday vs. San Jose (4 pm ET, Univision Deportes)</li><li><strong>Season Statistics:</strong> 1 A (7 GP, 7 GS)</li><li><strong><a href="http://fantasy.mlssoccer.com/" target="_blank">MLS Fantasy Soccer Manager</a>:</strong> 29 points, $4.7 million (4.4 percent owned)</li></ul> |
<strong>5</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/red-arrow-down2_0.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<strong>3</strong> |
<img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/DeShorn-Brown.jpg" style="width: 55px; height: 55px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid;"><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/players/deshorn-brown" target="_blank"><strong>Deshorn Brown</strong></a><img alt="" src="https://league-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/mp6/colorado_150.png" style="width: 40px; height: 40px;"> |
<p>Brown may have assured everyone he'd be ready to play in Houston during Week 9, but Pareja chose to keep the young striker on the bench. Then the same thing happened against Toronto FC last weekend, with Kamani Hill starting up top, although Brown did play 11 minutes off the bench with the Rapids chasing a goal. Can he force his way back in the lineup with Edson Buddle started to get fit and Atiba Harris proving his worth as chance-creating forward? That remains to be seen and explains his drop to fifth in these rankings.</p><ul><li><strong>Last Week:</strong> Won vs. Toronto, 1-0 (11 min)</li><li><strong>This Week: </strong>Saturday at Columbus (7:30 pm ET, <strong><a href="http://live.mlssoccer.com/mlsmdl/" target="_blank">MLS LIVE</a></strong>)</li><li><strong>Season Statistics:</strong> 2 G, 1 A (8 GP, 7 GS)</li><li><strong><a href="http://fantasy.mlssoccer.com/" target="_blank">MLS Fantasy Soccer Manager</a>:</strong> 28 points, $6.0 million (9.7 percent owned)</li></ul> |
Other rookies to watch: Carlos Alvarez (CHV), Erik Hurtado (VAN), Kekuta Manneh (VAN), Scott Caldwell (NE), Devon Sandoval (RSL), Charlie Rugg (LA), London Woodberry (DAL)
