Heading into Week 9, we’re right around the halfway point of the season. Technically, after next week would be more in the middle than right now, but I know that next week there will be deadline trades to cover. And voting has been a hot topic this week anyway in our country, so it seems as good a time as any to share my midseason awards.
For each award, I’ll include my top 3 current leaders, as well as checking in to see how my preseason choice is doing. We’ll start with the MVP.
MVP
- Josh Allen
- Joe Burrow
- Brock Purdy
Preseason: Justin Herbert
Allen is a fairly obvious choice at the moment, having led the Bills to the AFC’s best record thus far while dominating as a passer and a runner. Burrow is on pace for 49 touchdowns, and Purdy leads what seems to be the best team in the league at this point. Caleb Williams isn’t on here currently because of the time he’s missed relative to the weeks that have been played, but by season’s end I would expect him to be here. As for my Herbert prediction, he’s inexplicably having the worst season of his career, so I missed on that one badly.
OPOY
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba
- Jahmyr Gibbs
- Kenneth Walker III
Preseason: Jahmyr Gibbs
While I picked Gibbs preseason, Smith-Njigba is on a pace even more impressive than last year’s outrageous numbers that won him the award. If that pace falls off at all, though, Gibbs is still right behind ready to take his place. And Walker has been the driving force for Kansas City’s resurgent offense.
DPOY
- Fred Warner
- Dallas Turner
- Jeffery Simmons
Preseason: Myles Garrett
If not for injury, I have little doubt that one of these three names would be Garrett’s. As is, Fred Warner’s return from injury has been a great reminder of just how much better that defense looks with him in the middle of it. Turner has taken a huge step forward. Simmons has been as disruptive as ever and gets to spend the rest of the season doing so for a contender. The notable omission here is Will Anderson, Jr., who’s been as impressive as usual, but whose unit has failed to follow suit.
OROY
- Denzel Boston
- Carnell Tate
- Emmett Johnson
Preseason: Jeremiyah Love
Without any quarterbacks in the running, the field for this award looks a little different than usual. Still, Boston has been a revelation for the Browns, along with teammate KC Concepcion, who narrowly missed this list. Tate has been the lone bright spot in the Tennessee offense. And Johnson has shown great versatility and effectiveness as of late, and could easily climb to the first or second spot in the coming weeks. Love has been hampered by injuries, keeping him from reaching the expected level of production to be listed here.
DROY
- David Bailey
- Arvell Reese
- Jacob Rodriguez
Preseason: Caleb Downs
Bailey has piled up the sacks early on, putting himself in pole position for this award. Reese has been impressive, too, and has been a key part of the budding turnaround for the Giants. And Rodriguez has simply made plays. Downs has had several good moments, while also being exposed as a rookie frequently. Mostly, though, the Dallas defense has been enough of a high-profile disaster as to almost certainly keep him from contending here.
COY
- John Harbaugh
- Klint Kubiak
- Todd Monken
Preseason: Brian Schottenheimer
In part due to a weak division, the rebuild for the Giants has been temporarily accelerated, as they’ve consistently found ways to win (or tie) close games. However, both the Raiders and the Browns are true dark horses, and if either actually makes it to the playoffs, it’s likely he’ll take the award home instead of Harbaugh, even if the Giants hang on in the NFC East. Schottenheimer is closer to being fired now than to winning any sort of award. I debated much of the offseason between him and Minter, whose chances have also cratered now, courtesy of the latest Lamar Jackson injury.
CPOY
- Patrick Mahomes
- Fred Warner
- Malik Nabers
Preseason: Aaron Donald
Mahomes has returned to himself even quicker than I would’ve expected, and I almost picked him over Donald back in early September. I’ve already spoken to Warner’s excellence. Nabers has stayed healthy thus far and has put up good numbers despite three different quarterbacks throwing to him. Donald’s rust has shown more than I expected.
With just over half a season to go, it should be interesting to see how these races shake out!
