With the 2022 NFL season just around the corner, NFL.com's analysts predict who they think will win some of the league's most prestigious individual awards, specifically:
Participating analysts: Judy Battista, Jeremy Bergman, Ali Bhanpuri, Tom Blair, Brooke Cersosimo, Jeffri Chadiha, Eric Edholm, Gennaro Filice, Marcas Grant, DeAngelo Hall, Dan Hanzus, Steve Mariucci, Dan Parr, Kevin Patra, Adam Rank, Chad Reuter, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Ross, Marc Sessler, Nick Shook, Matt "Money" Smith, LaDainian Tomlinson, Jim Trotter, Kurt Warner, Lance Zierlein.
NOTE: All betting lines -- listed alongside each player's name -- are courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook and are current as of Noon ET on Wednesday, Aug. 31.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
(12 votes: Battista, Chadiha, Filice, Grant, Hall, Mariucci, Parr, Rank, Shook, Smith, Tomlinson, Zierlein.)
2) Justin Herbert (+900) | 6 votes: Blair, Edholm, Hanzus, Patra, Sessler, Trotter.
T-3) Joe Burrow ( +1300) | 2 votes: Bergman, Warner.
T-3) Patrick Mahomes ( +800) | 2 votes: Rosenthal, Ross.
T-5) Derek Carr (+3000) | 1 vote: Bhanpuri.
T-5) Lamar Jackson (+2000) | 1 vote: Cersosimo.
T-5) Aaron Rodgers (+1000) | 1 vote: Reuter.
Why Judy Battista chose Josh Allen: He's coming off a 4,407-yard, 36-touchdown passing season, was the Bills' second-leading rusher (763 yards) and entered a different orbit during the playoffs, shredding a Bill Belichick defense and going toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes in a postseason epic. With even more weapons at his disposal (the emergent Isaiah McKenzie, for one), Allen is poised to get the only things that have eluded him so far in his career: an MVP trophy and a Super Bowl ring.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
(7 votes: Battista, Bhanpuri, Cersosimo, Hall, Patra, Sessler, Trotter.)
2) Jonathan Taylor | 4 votes: Reuter, Shook, Tomlinson, Zierlein.
3) Ja'Marr Chase | 3 votes: Bergman, Blair, Grant.
T-4) Davante Adams | 2 votes: Chadiha, Edholm.
T-4) Justin Herbert | 2 votes: Rank, Smith.
T-4) Lamar Jackson | 2 votes: Filice, Ross.
T-7) Derrick Henry | 1 vote: Warner.
T-7) Jalen Hurts | 1 vote: Parr.
T-7) Christian McCaffrey | 1 vote: Hanzus.
T-7) Deebo Samuel | 1 vote: Mariucci.
Why DeAngelo Hall chose Justin Jefferson: I knew the LSU product was a special talent when he came into the league in 2020, but I'm not sure anyone other than Jefferson himself envisioned this degree of dominance this early. He's re-writing the record books with the most receiving yards in a player's first two seasons (3,016) in NFL history. It's also the most receiving yards league-wide since 2020 -- yes, more than the robust totals accumulated by Davante Adams (2,927) and Cooper Kupp (2,921). The third-year pro said back in July that he's going to be the NFL's best receiver by the end of the 2022 season. I believe that will be true.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
(10 votes: Battista, Bhanpuri, Chadiha, Mariucci, Rank, Rosenthal, Ross, Sessler, Tomlinson, Warner.)
2) Aaron Donald (+700) | 5 votes: Bergman, Blair, Reuter, Shook, Smith.
T-3) Nick Bosa (+1400) | 3 votes: Cersosimo, Edholm, Trotter.
T-3) Myles Garrett (+750) | 3 votes: Hanzus, Parr, Patra.
5) Joey Bosa (+2000) | 2 votes: Filice, Hall.
T-6) Derwin James (+5000) | 1 vote: Zierlein.
T-6) T.J. Watt (+700) | 1 vote: Grant.
Why Jeffri Chadiha chose Micah Parsons: The Cowboys took a gifted linebacker in last year's draft and eventually discovered they had one of the league's best pass rushers. Imagine what schemes Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn will cook up to maximize Parsons in Year 2.
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
(8 votes: Battista, Bergman, Edholm, Filice, Patra, Ross, Smith, Trotter.)
2) George Pickens (+1000) | 7 votes: Bhanpuri, Chadiha, Parr, Reuter, Rosenthal, Sessler, Shook.
3) Kenny Pickett (+900) | 4 votes: Blair, Cersosimo, Hall, Hanzus.
T-4) Breece Hall (+1200) | 2 votes: Tomlinson, Zierlein.
T-4) Dameon Pierce (+1000) | 2 votes: Rank, Warner.
T-6) Drake London (+1400) | 1 vote: Grant.
T-6) Christian Watson (+1600) | 1 vote: Mariucci.
Why Jim Trotter chose Chris Olave: This really wasn't a difficult choice. First, Olave is talented. Second, he has a QB who is proficient with the deep ball. Third, defenses figure to pay a lot of attention to Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara, as well as Jarvis Landry, so Olave could see a lot of one-on-one coverage, which I expect him to win.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
(15 votes: Battista, Blair, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Hall, Mariucci, Patra, Reuter, Ross, Sessler, Tomlinson, Warner, Zierlein.)
2) Travon Walker (+850) | 4 votes: Rosenthal, Shook, Smith, Trotter.
3) Sauce Gardner (+1200) | 3 votes: Bergman, Grant, Hanzus.
T-4) Jaquan Brisker (+4000) | 1 vote: Rank.
T-4) George Karlaftis (+2000) | 1 vote: Parr.
T-4) Derek Stingley Jr. (+1200) | 1 vote: Bhanpuri.
Why Kevin Patra chose Aidan Hutchinson: Hutchinson enters the NFL with athleticism, power and a motor to stack tackles and sacks. The No. 2 overall pick will be used all over the front to wreck backfields, proving to be the best D-lineman Detroit has boasted since it took former DROY Ndamukong Suh with the No. 2 selection back in 2010. Also, we know voters love a good story, and the homegrown kid helping turn around a moribund franchise makes Hutch an easy selection here.
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
(8 votes: Bergman, Cersosimo, Edholm, Hall, Parr, Patra, Tomlinson, Trotter.)
2) Christian McCaffrey (+900) | 7 votes: Blair, Filice, Hanzus, Mariucci, Rank, Sessler, Warner.
3) Derrick Henry (+450) | 3 votes: Battista, Chadiha, Reuter.
T-4) Saquon Barkley (+1200) | 2 votes: Rosenthal, Smith.
T-4) Khalil Mack (+2500) | 2 votes: Bhanpuri, Ross.
T-6) J.K. Dobbins (+2500) | 1 vote: Zierlein.
T-6) JuJu Smith-Schuster (+1800) | 1 vote: Grant.
T-6) Michael Thomas (+1800) | 1 vote: Shook.
Why Eric Edholm chose Jameis Winston: Winston was playing pretty darn well a year ago when he got hurt, and though there's no guarantee he'll match that level of performance, his weapons and a manageable schedule (with most of the tougher games at home) give me hope we can see him enjoy success in 2022. I'll back Winston in what figures to be a flashpoint season for his somewhat-wayward career.
COACH OF THE YEAR
(8 votes: Battista, Blair, Grant, Mariucci, Rank, Reuter, Shook, Trotter.)
2) Brandon Staley (+1300) | 5 votes: Chadiha, Hanzus, Sessler, Tomlinson, Warner.
T-3) Doug Pederson (+1500) | 2 votes: Edholm, Hall.
T-3) Frank Reich (+1800) | 2 votes: Smith, Zierlein.
T-3) Nick Sirianni (+1800) | 2 votes: Filice, Rosenthal.
T-3) Mike Tomlin (+3000) | 2 votes: Bergman, Parr.
T-7) Dennis Allen (+2500) | 1 vote: Cersosimo.
T-7) Bill Belichick (+2000) | 1 vote: Patra.
T-7) John Harbaugh (+2500) | 1 vote: Ross.
T-7) Josh McDaniels (+2200) | 1 vote: Bhanpuri.
Why Steve Mariucci chose Sean McDermott: McDermott probably should've already won this award, having led the Bills to the playoffs in four of his five seasons as head coach. With all eyes on his team after its crushing playoff exit a season ago, McDermott leads Buffalo to another fantastic season in 2022 and finally gets the recognition he deserves for helping turn this franchise around.