With the 2023 NFL season at its midpoint, NFL.com's analysts update their predictions on who they think will win some of the league's most prestigious individual awards at NFL Honors, specifically:
Participating analysts: Keegan Abdoo, Mike Band, Judy Battista, Tom Blair, David Carr, Brooke Cersosimo, Jeffri Chadiha, Eric Edholm, Gennaro Filice, Michael F. Florio, Leslie Frazier, Christian Gonzales, Marcas Grant, Anthony Holzman-Escareno, Maurice Jones-Drew, Bobby Kownack, Michelle Magdziuk, Steve Mariucci, Matt Okada, Dan Parr, Kevin Patra, Chad Reuter, Marc Ross, Marc Sessler, Nick Shook, Brendan Walker, Lance Zierlein.
NOTES:
- All betting odds listed below -- courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook -- are current as of 10:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 8.
- Odds for Comeback Player of the Year were not available at publishing.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
(10 votes: Abdoo, Battista, Chadiha, Edholm, Frazier, Grant, Jones-Drew, Patra, Reuter, Ross.)
T-2) Jalen Hurts (+400) | 7 votes: Blair, Florio, Gonzales, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Okada, Walker.
T-2) Patrick Mahomes (+260) | 7 votes: Band, Carr, Cersosimo, Filice, Holzman-Escareno, Sessler, Zierlein.
4) Joe Burrow (+750) | 2 votes: Kownack, Parr.
5) Tua Tagovailoa (+550) | 1 vote: Shook.
Why Eric Edholm chose Lamar Jackson: It's a down year overall for quarterbacks statistically, which leads me to believe voters will consider a more abstract factor: just how much stress Jackson puts on defenses. Doing that consistently against one of the league's more brutal schedules would earn my vote.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
(13 votes: Abdoo, Band, Battista, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Florio, Gonzales, Grant, Holzman-Escareno, Reuter, Ross, Shook, Zierlein.)
2) Christian McCaffrey (+145) | 8 votes: Blair, Filice, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Okada, Parr, Patra, Walker.
3) A.J. Brown (+500) | 3 votes: Carr, Edholm, Kownack.
4) Jalen Hurts (+3500) | 2 votes: Jones-Drew, Sessler.
5) Lamar Jackson (+3000) | 1 vote: Frazier.
Why Marc Ross chose Tyreek Hill: I went back and forth between Hill and A.J. Brown, but ultimately, Hill’s impact on the Dolphins’ offense is on a level of its own. No other non-quarterback changes an offense and how opposing defenses game plan like Hill. He’s also on a historic pace, having racked up 1,000 receiving yards before the calendar even flipped to November.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
(16 votes: Abdoo, Battista, Blair, Carr, Chadiha, Edholm, Florio, Frazier, Gonzales, Grant, Kownack, Okada, Reuter, Ross, Sessler, Shook.)
2) Micah Parsons (+180) | 6 votes: Band, Filice, Holzman-Escareno, Mariucci, Parr, Patra.
3) T.J. Watt (+220) | 5 votes: Cersosimo, Jones-Drew, Magdziuk, Walker, Zierlein.
Why Judy Battista chose Myles Garrett: Garrett has 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, and he has been the most consistently disruptive pass rusher in the league this season, with bonus points for leaping over the line to block a field goal. He is a true game wrecker, and the overall improvement of the Browns' defense should also help boost Garrett's candidacy.
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
(25 votes: Abdoo, Band, Battista, Blair, Carr, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Florio, Frazier, Gonzales, Grant, Holzman-Escareno, Kownack, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Okada, Parr, Patra, Ross, Sessler, Shook, Walker, Zierlein.)
2) Puka Nacua (+700) | 2 votes: Jones-Drew, Reuter.
Why David Carr chose C.J. Stroud: The No. 2 overall pick faced an uphill battle as a rookie in a Texans organization in rebuild mode, but he has matured quickly behind a rock-solid offensive line. Stroud’s pocket poise, arm talent and athleticism are on display each time he takes the field, keeping Houston (4-4) in the thick of the AFC South race. Oh, and he’s absolutely delivered in big moments (SEE: game-winning TD vs. Tampa). It feels as though he’s setting records by the week (his one INT through eight games is unheard of for a rookie), proving the Texans have found their franchise quarterback. He’s the real deal.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
(18 votes: Abdoo, Band, Battista, Blair, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Frazier, Jones-Drew, Kownack, Magdziuk, Parr, Reuter, Ross, Sessler, Shook, Walker, Zierlein.)
2) Devon Witherspoon (+240) | 7 votes: Florio, Gonzales, Grant, Holzman-Escareno, Mariucci, Okada, Patra.
T-3) Will Anderson Jr. (+900) | 1 vote: Carr.
T-3) Brian Branch (+1200) | 1 vote: Filice.
Why Mike Band chose Jalen Carter: It did not take long for Carter to establish himself as a game wrecker at the pro level. Through nine weeks, the No. 9 overall pick has generated 31 pressures, per Next Gen Stats, nearly twice as many as the next-closest rookie defensive tackle (Bryan Bresee, 17).
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
(17 votes: Abdoo, Band, Battista, Cersosimo, Edholm, Florio, Frazier, Jones-Drew, Kownack, Okada, Parr, Patra, Ross, Sessler, Shook, Walker, Zierlein.)
2) Tua Tagovailoa | 5 votes: Chadiha, Gonzales, Holzman-Escareno, Mariucci, Reuter.
T-3) Breece Hall | 2 votes: Carr, Grant.
T-3) Lamar Jackson | 2 votes: Blair, Filice.
5) Joshua Dobbs | 1 vote: Magdziuk.
Why Brendan Walker chose Damar Hamlin: Hamlin's return to football is nothing short of a miracle. After suffering a cardiac arrest in the middle of a Monday Night Football contest last season, he worked his way back to the field and was activated for his first game in Week 4. What a comeback story for a truly inspiring Comeback Player of the Year candidate.
COACH OF THE YEAR
(16 votes: Battista, Blair, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Florio, Holzman-Escareno, Kownack, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Okada, Parr, Patra, Reuter, Shook, Zierlein.)
2) Mike McDaniel (+375) | 4 votes: Band, Gonzales, Grant, Sessler.
T-3) John Harbaugh (+1200) | 2 votes: Abdoo, Ross.
T-3) Doug Pederson (+2000) | 2 votes: Jones-Drew, Walker.
T-3) Robert Saleh (+1000) | 2 votes: Cersosimo, Frazier.
6) DeMeco Ryans (+550) | 1 vote: Carr.
Why Jeffri Chadiha chose Dan Campbell: It's been seven years since the Lions made the postseason and 30 since they won a division title. They're in position to do both because Campbell has crafted a team in his own image: physical, tough and willing to do whatever it takes to win.