Predicting the end of season NFL awards is a great idea, right? Of course it is. There’s no way I can get all of them wrong…
I’ll throw in current betting odds for fun, though I won’t actually be betting any of these. Gamble responsibly.
Most Valuable Player
Jalen Hurts (+1100)
It could very well be Patrick Mahomes again. Or Lamar Jackson throws for 6,000 yards and wins it unanimously. But Hurts has taken giant leaps between every season, and considering where he was at by the end of last year, a leap forward this year will take him out of the stratosphere.
Coach of the Year
Arthur Smith (+1400)
When the Falcons run away with the NFC South, it’ll be hard to give the award to anyone else. I think he’ll add a deep playoff run away well, but NFL Honors only account for regular season play. 11 or more wins should do the trick.
Comeback Player of the Year
Damar Hamlin (-285)
Yes, you read those odds correctly. Look, he already won. The moment he steps onto the field on Sunday, they should just hand him the award. And I’m not saying that in any kind of condescending way. The guy briefly died on the football field. Imagine getting into a major car accident where you almost die and then 9 months later you get back in the driver’s seat like it’s no big deal. Not the best analogy, but it’s the best I can think of off the top of my head.
Offensive Player of the Year
Christian McCaffrey (+1500)
If McCaffrey plays a full season, Chris Johnson‘s 2,509 yards from scrimmage record will be in jeopardy. I could see McCaffrey putting up 1,300 yards in both rushing and receiving, probably with 90-100 catches. That would pull in a handful of MVP votes, as well.
Defensive Player of the Year
Micah Parsons (+450)
When this happens after Micah threatens or surpasses the single-season sack record, he can just sit back and let Jerry come to him. It’ll cost $40 million a year for the Cowboys to keep him.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Devon Achane (+3500)
This guy can play all over the field, and you know Mike McDaniel will find places all over the field to use him. With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle getting all the attention, Achane will be seeing a lot of open space.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Nick Herbig (+6500)
If T.J. Watt misses any amount of time, Herbig’s chances will skyrocket. If he starts half the games, he’ll have double digit sacks. Even if he’s just rotational, he’ll still get 6-8.
As always, may all your teams win or someone on your team get named Walter Payton Man of the Year.
Of course I love Achane. As for Smith, so many weapons now. Mina Kimes calls them the Atlanta 48ers.
I love Mina! She my go-to pod right after Eisen. I got excited when she started talking up Atlanta cause I feel like like I’ve been the conductor of this train for almost a year.
Me too, and don’t forget Lenny.
I’m hoping Bijan has a strong start. I know they have a lot of weapons but this kid . . he looks SO good!