We’re officially back. After last night’s game where the Buffalo Bills defeated the reigning champion Los Angeles Rams, the NFL is flowing through the bloodstream right now. Football Sunday’s are now injected in to my veins. While the games have officially kicked off, so have the MVP sweepstakes. Josh Allen’s performance last night was nothing short of incredible, but will he be able to continue that for his first ever MVP? Let’s get into it.
MVP: QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Everything is lining up for another MVP season for Lamar Jackson. Hollywood Brown is gone, he missed the playoffs for the first time as a starter, he’s coming off a season-ending ankle injury and he did not get paid. After seeing all his peers splash the cash from Mahomes to Kyler, Lamar and the Ravens could not get a deal done before the start of the 2022/23 season. Despite losing half of his team to injuries last year, Lamar had the Ravens at 8-4 before his own injury. The Ravens would go on to lose their last five games of the season and miss the playoffs. Let me just put Lamar’s impact on this team into perspective. Since the beginning of the 2019 season Derrick Henry has led the league in rushing yards with 4,504. In eighth place, with 2,978 rushing yards, sits Lamar Jackson. Ranked higher than David Montgomery, Joe Mixon and Alvin Kamara.
Lamar Jackson is one of the most electrifying players to ever step on a football field. He’s the best dual-threat quarterback the world has ever seen, yet he is the most hated on player I’ve seen in a while. This year Lamar will bet accompanied by his running J.K. Dobbins once again after a season-ending knee injury in last year’s training camp. The Ravens are a lot healthier coming into the year and most importantly will have star tackle Ronnie Stanley back. Lamar Jackson is going to put this Ravens team on his back and I can’t wait to witness the greatness.
Honorable mentions: QB Josh Allen, QB Tom Brady
Sleeper pick: QB Justin Herbert
Offensive Player of the Year: RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
They could’ve given this to Jonathan Taylor last year and I don’t think it would’ve been wrong. Taylor was the best back in the league last year rushing for 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns, leading the league in both categories. I don’t see a reason why Taylor can’t come back and do the exact same thing. I have the Colts winning the AFC South and I see Taylor as a big part of that offense down the stretch.
Honorable mentions: WR Justin Jefferson, QB Kyler Murray
Sleeper pick: QB Jalen Hurts
Defensive Player of the Year: DE Nick Bosa, San Fransisco 49ers
After tearing his ACL in the 2020/21 season, Nick Bosa came back and had his best season of his career. Bosa recorded 15.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and 21 tackles for loss landing him at fourth-best in the league in sacks. The Niners were one game away from the Super Bowl and the former Ohio State pass-rusher was a huge part of that. It took them years to give T.J. Watt a DPOY award, there’s no way they give it to him twice in a row. And Nick Bosa is just the guy to come in and steal the award.
Honorable mentions: DE Myles Garrett, LB Micah Parsons
Sleeper pick: LB Za’Darius Smith
Offensive Rookie of the Year: WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
Despite Zach Wilson set to miss at least the first three weeks of the season, I’m still sticking with Garrett Wilson. I think that Wilson and Elijah Moore, someone that I am very high on, have the ability to both have 900+ yards & 6+ touchdown seasons. In a very crowded receiver room at Ohio State, Wilson still managed to grab 70 catches for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s a very fast wideout with great catching ability and I can’t wait to see him thrive at the professional level. Just not against my Patriots though.
Honorable mentions: RB Dameon Pierce, WR Chris Olave
Sleeper Pick: WR Alec Pierce
Defensive Rookie of the Year: DT Jordan Davis, Philadelphia Eagles
The popular pick seems to be the Detroit Lions first-rounder Aidan Hutchinson, but I’m going with my favorite player in the draft in Jordan Davis. Davis, a member of that legendary Georgia defense, is an incredible run-stopper with power and size that can run any interior lineman off of the line. Davis will line up alongside Pro-Bowlers Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. Taking the pressure off of them and just learning under those two great veterans will benefit him greatly.
Honorable mentions: DE Aidan Hutchinson, CB Sauce Gardner
Sleeper Pick: DE George Karlaftis, LB Quay Walker
Comeback Player of the Year: RB Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
Three years ago, if you told the casual NFL fan that there would be a backfield of Baker Mayfield and Christian McCaffrey they would probably say that team would make a deep playoff run. Now, the conversation around both of those players are a little different. Mayfield is coming off an injury-riddle season and a bad breakup with the Browns and McCaffrey has only played 10 games since the 2019/20 season. In that last full season, the Panthers running back became the third player ever to have 1K+ yards rushing and receiving yards in a single season. Just like Saquon Barkley, I still believe in CMC. And I think this year he’ll show everyone that he can still be an elite running back.
Honorable mentions: RB Derrick Henry, QB Jameis Winston
Sleeper pick: RB J.K. Dobbins
Coach of the Year: Brandon Staley, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers were one win away from the playoffs last year. Actually, technically speaking, they were one tie away from making the playoffs. The Chargers have gotten increasingly better in the off-season by getting some big names like J.C. Jackson and Khalil Mack on their defense now. If they can just get their run-defense right they will win the division and then some. Brandon Staley is a great coach and he’ll show everyone why he deserves an extension after only his second year at the helm.
Honorable mentions: Sean McDermott, Todd Bowles
Sleeper pick: Nick Sirianni
Super Bowl Champions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The whole world thought it was finally over. They thought they would never see Tom Brady put on the pads again. They thought wrong. Tom Brady is back for yet another year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and I think they can definitely secure Brady’s eighth ring. Even though Bruce Arians is no longer the head coach, this Bucs team has the championship DNA at every position. The Bills, Chargers and Bengals all pose big threats to this possibility but I love this Bucs team. Akiem Hicks is one of the most underrated run-stoppers in the league and he’ll be teaming up with Vita Vea, JPP and Shaq Barrett forming one of the best front seven’s in the league. If Julio Jones can stay healthy, the sky is the limit. You all saw how Antonio Brown was thriving with Brady before he decided to quit in the middle of a Jets game. Brady is coming off of a season with 43 touchdowns and 5,316 passing yards. And now, he’s going apparently going through problems at home with the wife??? Brady going to wake up a different monster now you just wait and see.
Honorable mentions: Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers
Sleeper pick: Denver Broncos
There we are. My official season award predictions have arrived. The first NFL Sunday is tomorrow and I couldn’t be happier. Like I said in my previous article, I’m planning to continue writing weekly articles during the season. This year in music is getting even more crowded so this album rankings article is going to be very difficult to write. Football is back ladies and gentlemen. Let’s enjoy it while we can. And may the New England Patriots win another Super Bowl. This is YSN, until next time, signing out.
