This year’s NFL awards races are some of the most competitive in recent years.
Several outstanding candidates are worthy of consideration for each award, including Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year and Coach of the Year.
Below are our picks for this year’s awards, plus an honorable mention in each category.
MVP
Bills quarterback Josh Allen
The Bills needed Allen to be better than in 2024, and he delivered. After trading wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Texans and watching Gabe Davis leave in free agency, Buffalo’s season could have gone off the rails had Allen made some of the same mistakes that kept him out of past MVP conversations.
This season, Allen threw a career-low six interceptions and was only sacked 14 times, the fewest by a quarterback who started at least 16 games since Peyton Manning during his 2009 MVP season. (h/t Stathead)
Per Sumer Sports, Allen led quarterbacks with at least 250 plays in expected points added per dropback, and he had 40 total touchdowns and 4,262 total yards (3,731 passing, 531 rushing).
Honorable mention: Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson | If there were ever a season we should have our first co-MVPs since 2003 when Manning and Steve McNair shared the honor, it would be this year. Jackson, a two-time MVP, has had arguably his best season, throwing for a career-high 41 touchdowns and 4,172 yards while finishing the year with a 119.6 passer rating, the fourth-highest all-time.
Offensive Player of the Year
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley
Barkley became the ninth running back in league history to cross 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. Seven of the previous eight were named OPOY. Funnily enough, Eric Dickerson was the only player who didn’t win OPOY, and that came after he set the single-season rushing yards record in 1984.
Dickerson’s record is safe thanks to Philadelphia’s decision to sit Barkley, and he’ll also likely remain the only 2,000-yard rusher not to win OPOY.
Honorable mention: Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase | Chase completed the rare receiving triple crown, ending the season first in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17). Per Stathead, he’s one of three players in league history with at least 120 receptions, 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns in a season, joining Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (2021) and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (1995).
Defensive Player of the Year
Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II
In a wide-open race, we’re leaning toward the game’s best cornerback. Surtain routinely limited opposing wide receivers and ended the regular season with four interceptions and 11 pass deflections. Per Pro Football Reference, he only allowed 326 yards on 38 completions, and quarterbacks posted a 58.9 passer rating when targeting him.
Honorable mention: Browns defensive end Myles Garrett | The Browns wasted a brilliant season from Garrett, who tied with Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson for the league’s most pressures (83), per Pro Football Focus, and only trailed Lions edge Aidan Hutchinson in pass-rush win rate (23.1%). Let’s hope that Garrett gets traded to a contender this offseason.
Coach of the Year
Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings)
The Vikings won 14 games for just the second time in franchise history. They entered the season with their over-under win total set at 6.5 games. There are plenty of great Coach of the Year candidates, but O’Connell’s the easy answer.
Honorable mention: Jim Harbaugh (Los Angeles Chargers)
Harbaugh’s ability to lead the Chargers to the playoffs in Year 1 — after the organization parted with wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and running back Austin Ekeler — hasn’t received nearly as much praise as it should.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels
Daniels wasn’t just good for a rookie. He was one of the league’s best quarterbacks overall. Most impressive was his ability to lead Washington on four winning drives. Per Sumer Sports, only Allen and Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had a higher EPA/play than Daniels among 34 quarterbacks with at least 150 plays when trailing.
Honorable mention: Raiders tight end Brock Bowers | Bowers shattered the rookie tight end records for receptions and receiving yards. He had 112 receptions — 26 more than Lions tight end Sam LaPorta last year — and 1,194 receiving yards, breaking Mike Ditka’s receiving record (1,076 yards) that had stood since 1961.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Rams 3-4 outside linebacker Jared Verse
Verse, the No. 19 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, led rookie edge-rushers with 77 pressures, the fourth-most among all defenders.
Honorable mention: Texans safety Calen Bullock | Bullock led rookies with five interceptions and only allowed 15 completions on 35 targets while playing 89% of Houston’s defensive snaps. (h/t Pro Football Reference)
Comeback Player of the Year
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow
The 2019 Heisman winner returned from a season-ending wrist injury last November to assemble his best statistical season. Burrow completed a career-high 70.6% of his passes and led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns.
Honorable mention: Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins | Dobbins has been limited by injuries throughout his career, including a torn ACL that forced him to miss all of 2021 and a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1 a season ago.
This year, Dobbins had a career-high 905 rushing yards, and he finished with 1,058 yards from scrimmage, his first time eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark since being drafted in the second round (No. 55 overall) by the Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft.
