NFL awards are traditionally given at the end of the season, but it’s become common for media to acknowledge midseason honors. Using a mix of projections and current stats, personalities like Colin Cowherd and Nick Wright entertain fans by highlighting standout first-half performances.
With seven weeks left, here’s who would get my vote if the season ended today.
For Most Valuable Player, I’d go as far as to change its name to MV3, because it will mark the third award Lamar Jackson bags.
Without a doubt, Jackson still threatens defenses with his legs as one of the most agile runners with the football. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback has developed as an elite passer from the pocket, and the stats back that up. He leads the NFL in yards per attempt with 9.3, passer rating with 123.2 and touchdowns with 24.
He can still terrify teams with his ability to extend plays, but Jackson looks more poised inside the tackle box than he has before.
Coming into week 10, he has thrown the most touchdowns under pressure with eight. By proving wrong narratives such as, “he can’t throw under duress,” or “he will only go as far as his legs take him,” and by leading his team with a 7-3 record, Jackson should sooner or later run away with MVP.
The Offensive Player of the Year award truly is too soon to call. I think three players have separated themselves from the pack: running backs Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
The tempting thought to include Justin Jefferson crossed my mind, but in recent weeks this Minnesota Vikings offense has shown signs of finally cooling off.
It would feel almost criminal to not award this to the guy leading the league with 1,120 in rush yards and 12 TDs.
Henry, “The King,” has destroyed any doubters who questioned how his age will impact his play. News flash: it hasn’t. He’s on pace to rack up 1,900 yards on the ground, and his elite usage will give him a legitimate shot at hitting 2,000.
What makes Henry so great, apart from his getaway speed and clever recognition of gaps, lies in his punishing run style. In the 2023 season, his 2.2 yards after first contact led the league, and often we saw hoards of defenders needed to take him down. I don’t see “The King” slowing down anytime soon.
Before I finish with another heavily debatable award, let me get some obvious ones out of the way. The Rookie of the Year race has already finished.
Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels became the first rookie since 1970 to lead his team to at least 150 points through his first five games and the first QB ever to have back-to-back games with at least an 85% completion rate. His team is in a prime position to reclaim the NFC East throne and return to playoff glory for the first time since 2020.
Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse quickly became a pillar in the Los Angeles Chargers defense. Since tackles for loss became an official statistic in 1999, Verse’s 11 TFLs tied Von Miller and Micah Parsons for second-most through a player’s first nine games. Now that’s some elite company. When you watch Verse play, however, his ability to disrupt everything around him stands out the most.
Although no one has stood out thus far, I’d give Defensive Player of the Year to the best player on one of the best defenses. The Pittsburgh Steelers rank second in fewest points and TDs per game, with 16.2 and 1.7 respectively, and despite not filling out the stat sheet as he has done in previous years, T.J. Watt gets my nod.
Now on to Coach of the Year, by far the closest race on this list. If the Chiefs end the regular season with zero or one loss, Andy Reid will surely earn his fourth COTY.
However, there are some other contenders as well. The Detroit Lions’ offense looks like a juggernaut right now, and the team hasn’t lost a game in nearly two months. Dan Campbell has fans across the country who have bought into the Lions, and if they finish as the NFC’s No. 1 seed, he will be an extremely likely candidate.
We can’t forget about the other Dan, either — Dan Quinn in Washington, D.C. The Commanders have shocked many NFL fans this year, including myself, to the point of competing for the NFC East title.
But what Mike Tomlin has done with Pittsburgh this year has amazed me. If you had told me with their current roster, the Steelers would start the season with a 7-2 record, I would have called you crazy. With minimal offensive talent, Tomlin’s team has leaned on its defense and grinded out wins.
Now their schedule will get really tough — they still have all six divisional games left plus two matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chiefs. I predict their success won’t sustain long, ending with the Lions’ Campbell claiming COYT honors.
Still, this is the midseason awards, and I can’t turn my head away from Tomlin’s work so far.
