With every team in the NFL having played at least half their games, we decided to hand out our midseason rookie awards.

	LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 75 yards on 14 carries in the Chargers' Week 9 loss to the Broncos.

On the offensive side of the ball, it's a two-back race between San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson and Chicago's Anthony Thomas. Tomlinson charged out of the gates and seemed to be on his way to running away with Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. However, the play of Thomas has thrust the former Michigan Wolverine into the race.

Based on his fast start, Tomlinson edges out Thomas at this point. However, when the season ends, expect Thomas to be the one collecting the hardware.

Steelers linebacker Kendrell Bell is the choice on defense at this point in the season. He's turning in a stellar performance for the Steelers, who are the surprise leaders in the AFC Central and have the top-ranked defense in the NFL.

Here are the top rookies on offense and defense ranked in order of where we think they'd finish if Rookie of the Year voting were conducted today.

Each Tuesday from now until the end of the regular season, ESPN.com will hand out its report card on how the new kids are doing.

Offense

PLAYER, STATS	THE SKINNY
LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, Chargers 195 att., 726 yds. 8 TDs	After blazing out of the gates with 412 yards rushing in San Diego's first four games, Tomlinson hit a bit of a wall, gaining just 314 yards in the last five games. However, his 726 yards is still the fifth-highest total in the AFC. He's also found the end zone eight times, by far the highest total for any rookie.
Anthony Thomas, RB, Bears 127 att., 580 yds. 4 TDs	If Tomlinson was the hot rookie over the first quarter of the season, Thomas has been the story over the second quarter. The A-train has pounded out 456 yards on the ground over the last four weeks -- 411 of them coming in three games from Week 6 to Week 8. Thomas has also shown an ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, hauling in 11 passes the last two games. The Bears run a fairly conservative offense, so Thomas will have every opportunity to post big numbers in the second half of the season.
Chris Chambers, WR, Dolphins 21 rec., 443 yds. 2 TDs	The Dolphins might have found the deep threat they've been searching for in Chambers. While Chambers has only 21 receptions on the season, the former Wisconsin Badger is averaging more than 20 yards per reception. Chambers also found the end zone in Week 9 for the first time, scoring two touchdowns against the Colts.
Rod Gardner, WR, Redskins 25 rec., 455 yds. 3 TDs	Gardner has developed into one of the go-to receivers for Tony Banks. The former Clemson Tiger leads the Redskins in receptions (25) and receiving yards (455). The highlight of Gardner's season came in Week 6 when he torched the Panthers for 208 yards on six receptions.
Leonard Davis, OT, Cardinals	Davis is a stud and deserves mention in any Rookie of the Year discussion. However, he's an offensive lineman, so he's not going to generate much publicity. That being said, Davis stepped right in as a starter at right guard for the Cardinals and hasn't missed a step. While the Cardinals' offensive line has been somewhat of a disappointment, Davis has been impressive. The mammoth 370-pounder could eventually move to one of the tackle spots, where he spent his time in college.

Honorable mention: OT Jeff Backus (Lions), RB Kevan Barlow (49ers), RB Correll Buckhalter (Eagles), TE Alge Crumpler (Falcons), RB Travis Henry (Bills), OG Steve Hutchinson (Seahawks), RB James Jackson (Browns), OT Matt Light (Patriots), KR Steve Smith (Panthers), WR David Terrell (Bears).

Defense

PLAYER, STATS	THE SKINNY
Kendrell Bell, LB, Steelers 45 tackles 5 sacks	Bell has emerged as one of the best young linebackers in the NFL. The second-round pick from Georgia leads all rookies with five sacks. He is second on the Steelers in tackles (45) and has been a big part of the Steelers' No. 1 ranked defense. Bell was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for October.
Shaun Rogers, DT, Lions 52 tackles 2½ sacks	Toiling in relative anonymity for the winless Lions, Rogers is putting together one of the best seasons by any rookie in the league. Rogers, who slipped to late in the second round (No. 61) because of an ankle injury, has been one of the few bright spots in Detroit this season. He is second on the team in tackles (52), has recorded 2½ sacks and has also blocked two field goals.
Adam Archuleta, S, Rams 31 tackles 1 sack	Archuleta continues his steady play for the Rams. His numbers don't jump off the page, but Archuletta has started all eight games for one of the NFL's most improved defenses. He is fifth on the Rams in tackles (31) and has one sack. Through eight games, the Rams' defense is giving up only 16.1 points per game, compared to 29.4 points per game last season.
Fred Smoot, CB, Redskins 20 tackles 3 INTs	The brash cornerback from Mississippi State was one of the lone bright spots in the Redskins' dismal start. Smoot had three interceptions in Washington's first five games before injuring his leg in Week 5 against the Cowboys. Smoot missed two games, returning as a backup to Darrell Green in the Redskins' Week 8 victory over the Seahawks.Coach Marty Schottenheimer hasn't decided whether Smoot or Green will start Sunday against the Broncos.
Andre Carter, DE, 49ers 30 tackles 2 sacks	The numbers aren't spectacular, but Carter has started every game for the vastly improved 49ers defense. The No. 7 overall pick has 30 tackles and is tied for the team lead with two sacks. The sack total is lower than expected, but look for the total to grow close to double digits in the second half of the season.

Honorable mention: S Idrees Bashir (Colts), CB Nate Clements (Bills), S Marlon McCree (Jaguar), DT Richard Seymour (Patriots), DE Justin Smith (Bengals), DT Gerard Warren (Browns).

Peter Lawrence-Riddell is the assistant NFL editor for ESPN.com.