NFL, Sports

NFL Awards Predictions through Week 13

Photo Credit: SB Nation (featured image), ESPN (team logos)

 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

i Tom Brady, Quarterback, New England Patriots (10-2)

  • Statistics: 208/302 (68.9% completion percentage), 2,470 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, 1 interception, 25 rush attempts, 60 rushing yards
  • Analysis: In his eight games back from suspension, Tom Brady has been dominant in pretty much every game and has shown that he is really back, and he is not rusty. Sure, he has only played in eight games so far while many players have played in 12, but if he puts up solid numbers all season long like he has done so far and gets this Patriots team yet another first round bye in the postseason, there is no doubt that he will be one of the league’s top players with a legitimate shot at winning the NFL MVP award yet again. The reason he is at the top of this list is because he has shown that value already since returning from his suspension
Rounding out the top 5:

2. i-19 Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys (11-1)

  • Statistics: 243/358 (67.9% completion percentage), 2,974 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 47 rush attempts, 217 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns

3. i-15 Derek Carr, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders (10-2)

  • Statistics: 300/458 (65.5% completion percentage), 3,375 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 30 rush attempts, 53 rushing yards

4. i-22 Matthew Stafford, Quarterback, Detroit Lions (8-4)

  • Statistics: 291/433 (67.2% completion percentage), 3,224 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 30 rush attempts, 178 rushing yards

5. i-27 Matt Ryan, Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons (7-5)

  • Statistics: 284/414 (68.6% completion percentage), 3,813 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 30 rush attempts, 107 rushing yards

 

 

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

i-31 David Johnson, Running Back, Arizona Cardinals (5-6-1)

  • Statistics: 228 rush attempts, 1,005 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 60 receptions, 704 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns
  • Analysis: David Johnson is leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage so far this season with 1,713 yards, and he is doing so by quite a comfortable margin of over 100 yards to 2nd place. He has also scored 15 touchdowns, which also leads the NFL. His playmaking ability, versatility, statistics, and the fact that he is carrying the Cardinals on his back through a tough start to the season without slowing down make him the frontrunner to win the Offensive Player of the Year award.
Rounding out the top 5:

2. i-4 Le’Veon Bell, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

  • Statistics: 180 rush attempts, 817 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 63 receptions, 501 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown

3. i-19 Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys (11-1)

  • Statistics: 263 rush attempts, 1,285 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 28 receptions, 322 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown

4. i-12 Melvin Gordon, Running Back, San Diego Chargers (5-7)

  • Statistics: 251 rush attempts, 992 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 41 receptions, 419 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns

5. i-11 DeMarco Murray, Running Back, Tennessee Titans (6-6)

  • Statistics: 229 rush attempts, 1,043 rushing yards, 8 rushing touchdowns, 45 receptions, 309 receiving yards, 3 receiving touchdowns, 1/2 (50.0% completion percentage), 10 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown

 

 

OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

i-19 Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys (11-1)

  • Statistics: 243/358 (67.9% completion percentage), 2,974 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 47 rush attempts, 217 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdowns
  • Analysis: Dak Prescott has emerged as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL, and his statistics are getting better and better each week as he develops into an even better overall quarterback. Through 12 games in his rookie season, Prescott’s total touchdown to interception ratio is 12 to 1, which leads the NFL among players who have played in as many games. He is becoming much more productive and directly responsible for the Cowboys’ scoring than he was up until a few weeks ago, and having such great statistics to back up his great play and leading the team with the best record in the NFL makes him a solid Offensive Rookie of the Year award candidate at this point in the season.
Rounding out the top 5:

2. i-19 Ezekiel Elliott, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys (11-1)

  • Statistics: 263 rush attempts, 1,285 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 28 receptions, 322 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown

3. i-23 Jordan Howard, Running Back, Chicago Bears (3-9)

  • Statistics: 181 rush attempts, 883 rushing yards, 5 rushing touchdown, 22 receptions, 242 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown

4. i-26 Michael Thomas, Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints (5-7)

  • Statistics: 69 receptions, 831 receiving yards, 7 receiving touchdowns

5. i-17 Carson Wentz, Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles (5-7)

  • Statistics: 285/452 (63.1% completion percentage), 2,901 passing yards, 12 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 35 rush attempts, 97 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown

 

 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

i-14 Von Miller, Linebacker, Denver Broncos (8-4)

  • Statistics: 52 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 3 passes defensed, 1 stuff
  • Analysis: Von Miller’s influence on opposing offenses is among the greatest that the NFL has ever seen. He nearly singlehandedly brought the Broncos a Super Bowl championship just this past February with his superb play, and he earned the Super Bowl 50 MVP award in doing so. That outstanding play has carried over into this season so much so that Denver’s defense, despite losing some key players this past offseason, is still one of the NFL’s best. Miller is also leading the NFL with 13.5 sacks. The impact Miller not only has on the Broncos’ defense but on the Broncos as a whole makes him the current frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Rounding out the top 5:

2. i-15 Khalil Mack, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders (10-2)

  • Statistics: 58 tackles, 10 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 interception, 1 touchdown, 3 passes defensed, 4 stuffs

3. i-18 Landon Collins, Safety, New York Giants (8-4)

  • Statistics: 94 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 interceptions, 1 touchdown, 13 passes defensed, 2 stuffs

4. i-12 Casey Hayward, Cornerback, San Diego Chargers (5-7)

  • Statistics: 48 tackles, 7 interceptions, 1 touchdown, 17 passes defensed, 1 stuff

5. i-1 Lorenzo Alexander, Linebacker, Buffalo Bills (6-6)

  • Statistics: 50 tackles, 10 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 3 passes defensed, 4 stuffs

 

 

DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

i-12 Joey Bosa, Defensive End, San Diego Chargers (5-7)

  • Statistics: 24 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 4 stuffs
  • Analysis: Joey Bosa is tied for 3rd in the NFL in sacks among rookies with 5.5, and he has played in only eight games so far this season. As it turns out, he was well worth the wait for the Chargers, and he has really been one of the better defensive players in the entire NFL since he settled his contract dispute with the Chargers and recovered from his injury. Despite having missed four games, which is equal to a quarter of the season, Bosa is the best rookie defensive player in the NFL right now, making him the frontrunner for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Rounding out the top 5:

2. i-23 Leonard Floyd, Linebacker, Chicago Bears (3-9)

  • Statistics: 29 tackles, 7 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 touchdown, 1 pass defensed, 1 stuff

3. i-27 Deion Jones, Linebacker, Atlanta Falcons (7-5)

  • Statistics: 76 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown, 5 passes defensed, 3 stuffs

4. i-27 Keanu Neal, Safety, Atlanta Falcons (7-5)

  • Statistics: 79 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, 3 passes defensed, 3 stuffs

5. i-9 Yannick Ngakoue, Defensive End, Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)

  • Statistics: 18 tackles, 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 interception, 2 passes defensed, 1 stuff

 

 

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

i-4 Le’Veon Bell, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

  • Statistics: 180 rush attempts, 817 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 63 receptions, 501 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown
  • Analysis: Since returning from his torn ACL that he suffered last season and coming back from his three game suspension to open up the season this season, Bell has already totaled 1,318 scrimmage yards over nine games, giving him an average of 146.4 scrimmage yards per game, which leads the entire NFL. He is possibly the best pass catching running back in the entire NFL; in fact, since his return, he has averaged 7 receptions per game, which would give him 112 receptions over a 16-game span, a total that would be considered great even for the most elite wide receivers. He is the frontrunner for the Comeback Player of the Year award as of now because of these insane numbers.
Rounding out the top 5:

2. i-8 Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts (6-6)

  • Statistics: 258/403 (64.0% completion percentage), 3,105 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns, 8 interceptions, 54 rush attempts, 272 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown

3. i-21 Jordy Nelson, Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers (6-6)

  • Statistics: 69 receptions, 872 receiving yards, 10 receiving touchdowns

4. i-5 Terrelle Pryor Sr., Wide Receiver, Cleveland Browns (0-12)

  • Statistics: 62 receptions, 855 receiving yards, 4 receiving touchdowns, 8 rush attempts, 21 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown

5. i-25 Kelvin Benjamin, Wide Receiver, Carolina Panthers (4-8)

  • Statistics: 50 receptions, 754 receiving yards, 5 receiving touchdowns

 

 

COACH OF THE YEAR

i-19 Jason Garrett, Head Coach, Dallas Cowboys (11-1)

  • Analysis: Jason Garrett has taken a team that was at the bottom of the conference last year and made them not only the top team in the NFC East, but the NFC and even the entire NFL. With a rookie quarterback in Dak Prescott and a rookie running back in Ezekiel Elliott leading this team on a winning streak currently at a franchise record of 11 games and a record currently at 11-1 after it looked last year like any quarterback except for Tony Romo would be a recipe for disaster for this team, Dallas has come back this year and is dominating the NFL under the top-tier coaching by Jason Garrett. He is the top coach in the NFL right now, and he is the frontrunner for the Coach of the Year award because of it.
Rounding out the top 5:

2. i-15 Jack Del Rio, Head Coach, Oakland Raiders (10-2)

3. i Bill Belichick, Head Coach, New England Patriots (10-2)

4. KC Andy Reid, Head Coach, Kansas City Chiefs (9-3)

5. i-22 Jim Caldwell, Head Coach, Detroit Lions (8-4)

 

 

-Asher Fair