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Field Yates, ESPN Insider 8y

Rookies who started slow but could break out

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A bit of food for thought: Through the first three games of his NFL career, Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans had 13 catches for 138 yards and no touchdowns. Over his next 12 games, he posted 55 catches for 913 yards -- an average of 16.6 per reception -- and 12 touchdowns. Incidentally, Evans is off to a slow start again this year, but I'm optimistic he'll turn it around and be the star he looked like as a rookie.

And speaking of rookie turnarounds, here we are -- at least a quarter of the way through the regular season for all but two NFL teams -- with a few notable rookies who have not yet lived up to the expectations of many observers who predicted big things for the beginnings of their NFL careers. With plenty of football still ahead of us, here's a look at rookies who could be due for a spike in production and a turnaround as the season wears on.

Todd Gurley, RB, St. Louis Rams: We'll keep this short and sweet, as Gurley was inactive for the first two games of the season: He is a special talent -- arguably the best pure prospect of the 2015 class -- and is in line to be the workhorse back for a ground-based offense. He ripped off 146 yards on 19 carries last week, showing burst, elusiveness and power.

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