Besides for Joel Embiid, consistency continues to be a problem for this year's rookies class.

Top picks, Kris Dunn and Jaylen Brown started off the season strong but have since fell into an inconsistent rhythm. The opposite happened with Buddy Hield as he started off poorly but has since turned things around. Denver's Jamal Murray couldn't hit a shot at the beginning of the season, then caught fire, but now is again mired in a shooting slump.

Consistency week after week, is what keeps players high in the rankings, which is reflected this week as players like Bucks' rookie Malcolm Brogdon and Brooklyn's Isaiah Whitehead are moving up due to their strong consistent play.

This week's rankings
1
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Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers C
Last week: No. 1

Receiving a few not-so-gentle slaps on the rear end from DeMarcus Cousins, Embiid's play is earning recognition from his fellow bigs for his impressive play this season. Still on a minutes limit but no longer sitting out games for rest, Embiid just continues to shine, leading all rookies in points (18.7), rebounds (7.4) and blocks (2.4). Embiid's shooting remains stellar as well. He is shooting 46.8 percent, 40.3 percent (averages 3 threes a game) and 76.5 percent from the line.

2
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Malcolm Brogdon Milwaukee Bucks SG
Last week: No. 3

Playing well consistently for a playoff hopeful, Brogdon moves up a spot this week. He also continues to have impressive performances. Like in Milwaukee's 123-96 victory over the Wizards on Friday, Brogdon didn't miss a shot and scored career-high 17 points and had seven assists in 29 minutes. Brogdon is second among all rookies in assists (3.2), third in steals (1.0) and fifth in scoring (7.9).

3
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Dario Saric Philadelphia 76ers PF
Last week: No. 5

After a few poor shooting games, Saric's shot has returned and so has his production. He shot 45.5 percent and 40 percent from downtown and scored 12 points while also grabbing nine rebounds in Philadelphia's 102-100 loss to Sacramento on Monday. Saric is second among all rookies in points (9.2) and rebounds (5.8).

4
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Brandon Ingram Los Angeles Lakers SF
Last week: No. 4

Ingram's defense and his ability to play multiple positions makes him unique among the rest of the rookie class. His shooting percentage (34.8 percent) remains shaky but Ingram is seemingly developing at the perfect pace for the Lakers. Ingram played well in the Lakers' Christmas day win against the Clippers, finishing with 10 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes. He is in the top-10 among all rookies in points, rebounds and assists.

5
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Buddy Hield New Orleans Pelicans SG
Last week: No. 10

Continuing his strong play in December, the Oklahoma product cracks the top 5. Starting for the Pelicans, Hield seems to have found his stride in the NBA. He scored 14 points against the Mavs on Monday and in December, Hield is averaging 10.0 points while shooting 42.5 percent and 47.5 percent from three. Among all rookies, Hield is fourth in scoring (8.3).

6
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Isaiah Whitehead Brooklyn Nets PG
Last week: No. 7

Starting for the Nets due to Jeremy Lin's injuries this season, Whitehead looks to be a promising player. In December, Whitehead is averaging a solid 8.6 points (on 50 percent shooting) and 3.1 assists in 24 minutes. Whitehead is third among rookies in assists and 10th in points.

7
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Jamal Murray Denver Nuggets SG
Last week: No. 2

Murray slides down several spots after struggling with his shot for over a week. Because of this, his scoring has dropped off drastically. Murray scored just two points in each of Denver's last two games. Despite his struggles, Murray still ranks third among all rookie in scoring, averaging 8.7 points.

8
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Andrew Harrison Memphis Grizzlies PG
Last week: No. 8

Harrison's shooting is still dreadful (28.2 percent) yet he is a fine defender and playmaker. He leads all rookies in assists (3.7) and steals (1.1). Harrison is also second in minutes and sixth in blocks.

9
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Domantas Sabonis Oklahoma City Thunder PF
Last week: Unranked

A consistent starter for Oklahoma City, Sabonis was left off the rankings last week due to a stretch of bad shooting performances. Yet Sabonis snapped out of his slump and scored a career-high 20 points in the Thunder's 117-112 win over the Celtics on Friday. He remains one of the better shooters on the Thunder, shooting 44.7 percent and 41.6 percent from beyond the arc.

10
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Pascal Siakam Toronto Raptors PF
Last week: 6

Siakam's minutes have been cut down drastically in Toronto's last two games as the Raptors have been increasing Patrick Patterson's role and gearing up for the return of Jared Sullinger. Among all rookies, Siakam is second in blocks and eighth in rebounds.