Ben Staker
Sports Editor
Now that the NFL is at its midseason point, it’s a better time than ever to take a look at the potential award winners. Some players have separated themselves as clear frontrunners to win awards, while others are going to be in close races until the end of the season. These rankings are subject to change during the second half of the season, but this is who I would give the awards to if the season ended today.
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
- Lamar Jackson
- Josh Allen
- Joe Burrow
At the current point of the NFL season, I feel that Lamar Jackson is running away with the MVP award. After just his tenth game, Jackson had already eclipsed the same number of passing touchdowns he threw during his MVP season last year. Jackson has been the best statistical quarterback this year and shows no signs of stopping.
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY)
- Derrick Henry
- Ja’Marr Chase
- Saquon Barkley
This is another award that the Baltimore Ravens are going to run away with. Derrick Henry has rushed for over 1,100 yards and scored 12 touchdowns in just 10 games this season. No player is outputting as much production offensively as he is, other than his teammate Lamar Jackson. It would take another offensive player to go on a historic run to win this award.
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY)
- T.J. Watt
- Dexter Lawrence II
- Chris Jones
The Defensive Player of the Year award is likely the most competitive at this point. My current pick would be T.J. Watt because he’s had the most defensive impact out of any player in the league. While he doesn’t have the typical sack numbers fans have become accustomed to, he leads the league with four forced fumbles. A defensive player’s worth is more than just sacks, which is why I think Watt is most likely to win this award.
Offensive Rookie of the Year (OROY)
- Jayden Daniels
- Malik Nabers
- Brian Thomas Jr. and Brock Bowers
Jayden Daniels is the clear frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year right now. While he hasn’t had the best statistical year so far, he’s led the Commanders to an impressive 7-3 start after they won just four games last year. The Commanders’ strong start, combined with his playing a premium position like quarterback is what sets him apart.
Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY)
- Jared Verse
- Evan Williams
- Kamari Lassiter
This is the most difficult award to predict this year considering the first fourteen picks in the 2024 NFL draft were offensive players. However, I’m going to give the slight edge to Jared Verse because he plays a much more premium position. Verse currently has five sacks on the season, but if he finishes with around eight to ten, the award will likely be his to lose.
Comeback Player of the Year (CPOY)
- Joe Burrow
- Kirk Cousins
- Kyler Murray
This is another two-headed race like Defensive Rookie of the Year, but I think Joe Burrow should run away with this award. Coming off a season-ending injury from last year, Joe Burrow now leads the entire league in passing yards and passing touchdowns. While the Bengals have started out with a disappointing 4-6 record, it hasn’t been because of Burrow. The only way I see Kirk Cousins, or some other player winning this award is if voters take team record into their voting process.
Coach of the Year
- Dan Quinn
- Mike Tomlin
- Sean McDermott
At this point, I think Dan Quinn is the most likely candidate to win this award. He took over a team that finished with an abysmal 4-13 record last year and has them out to a 7-3 start. Many people criticized the Commanders for drafting Jayden Daniels in front of Drake Maye and hiring Dan Quinn, but they’ve proved all those haters wrong. There is a lot of season left, but Quinn’s coaching job has been the best so far this year.