We are officially half way through the NFL season and the award winners are becoming more and more clear. While anything can happen, we have a good understanding of who will likely win each award. Let’s talk about who should win each award if the season were to end today.
MVP- Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes has led one of the best teams in all of football again this year, just proving how he can elevate a team on his own. He has led the Chiefs to many improbable wins purely due to Mahomes’ incredible playmaking ability. He has created opportunities for players that were perceived as one of the worst receiving cores in the league at the beginning of the season. Mahomes is leading the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns by far, and has only thrown seven interceptions. While other players could catch up, Mahomes’ play and team success should have him running away with this award.
OPOY- Tyreek Hill, Wide Receiver Miami Dolphins
Tyreek Hill has been nothing short of unstoppable this season when the odds were stacked against him. Tyreek Hill has been the missing piece to the Miami Dolphins’ success, with his unmatchable speed and great route running ability. He currently leads the league in receptions and receiving yards, adding four touchdowns to his stats as well. Everyone expected Hill to take a step back after no longer having Patrick Mahomes as his Quarterback and has to compete for targets with Jaylen Waddle, who is also playing incredibly well but ended up making all three of them better. He is on pace to fall just short of Calvin Johnson Jr.’s single-season receiving yards record, which would make him an easy runaway for this award.
DPOY- Micah Parsons, Outside Linebacker Dallas Cowboys
Parsons has been a dominant force on the edge this season and has been hard to stop most all year. Parsons has eight sacks on the year and two forced fumbles, along with getting pressures on almost every rep. He has only been stopped twice this year and they were both against some of the best tackles in the league. While he’s not a runaway for this award and players like Matt Judon and Nick Bosa could end up with it by the end of the year, if the season ended right now he would probably win this award.
OROY- Kenneth Walker, Runningback Seattle Seahawks
Since Rashaad Penny went down with his injury Kenneth Walker was forced into the starting role and was pressured to step up, and he has been nothing short of spectacular. He leads all rookies in rushing yards and leads the league in fourth-quarter touchdowns, and is near the top of the league in yards per rush and rushing touchdowns. He is one of the main reasons for the Seahawks’ success this season and should be a runaway for this award.
DROY- Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Cornerback New York Jets
Sauce Gardner has been the definition of lockdown this year and has been 100% as advertised. Not only has he been the best rookie corners this year, but he has been one of the best corners in all of football this year. In 366 coverage snaps, Sauce has only allowed 189 yards and had 13 pass deflections and two interceptions. Even with players like Tariq Woolen and Aidan Hutchinson playing extremely well, Sauce Gardner should be a runaway for this award.
CPOY- Geno Smith, Quarterback Seattle Seahawks
After being looked at as one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the league at the start of the year, Geno Smith has been playing at an elite level this season. He has been the leader of one of the league’s most surprising teams and could lead them to NFC West champions. He is fifth in passing yards and touchdowns with only four interceptions. With Geno Smith playing the best football of his career he should be a lock to win the award.
COTY- Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks Head Coach
This Seattle Seahawks team was expected to be a bottom of the league team that wouldn’t be competing for a long time, but Pete Carroll had other plans. With his great coaching, he was able to make a great quarterback out of Geno Smith and make a playoff contender out of a bottom of the league roster. With a little bit of competition from Mike McDaniels, Pete Carroll should win this award easily.
