MarShon Brooks is hurt and the Nets are keeping his return date as secret as the White House keeps nuclear codes. But most of those who rank rookies still write good things about him...but worry about his broken pinkie toe.

Drew Packham drops him from #3 to #4 in its rankings, based mainly on his injury, noting, "it's really not fair to him. He is out with a broken pinkie toe on his foot and the Nets aren't saying how long he'll be out." Sebastian Pruiti of Grantland thinks it's fairer to simply mark him down as "injured."

Doug Smith, the respected Toronto-based writer, puts Brooks ahead of everyone but Kyrie Irving. "For a guy chosen 25th overall and traded draft night from Boston to the Nets, he’s had a significant impact," Smith writes.

• Rookie Ladder - Triple the fun - Drew Packham - NBA.com
• NBA Rookie Rankings IV: Kyrie Irving, Ricky Rubio, Iman Shumpert, and more - Sebastian Pruiti - Grantland
• Top NBA rookies this season so far - Doug Smith - Toronto Star