Predicting the 2023 NFL Awards

Cover Photo Courtesy of Michael Tipton

NFL honors won’t be given out until the end of the season, but here’s a look into some of the top awards and the candidates in contention.

Coach of the Year:

There seems to be a three-horse race for this award between DeMeco Ryan (Texans), Dan Campbell (Lions), and Shane Steichen (Colts). Both Ryans and Steichen are freshman head coaches after holding coordinator positions with previous teams last year. Campbell is in his third year with the Lions and has made Detroit a real threat in the NFC. Campbell appears to be slightly favored to win the award, as the Lions have won 11 games so far this year.  While it still could be either Steichen or Ryans who are currently competing against each other for an AFC South title.

Offensive Rookie of the Year:

This award looks to be all but locked up by sensational rookie QB CJ Stroud. Stroud, who missed a few games due to injury, has looked every bit the second-overall pick the Texans spent on him. He has shown great ability, and Texans fans hope he becomes their franchise guy for years to come. Other players in the running for the award are Zay Flowers, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Puka Nacua.

Defensive Rookie of the Year:

Defensive Tackle Jalen Carter is the favorite to win this award. He has been a force on a fantastic Eagles’ D-line. The former Georgia Bulldog has been showing the league that he was in fact the best player on a two-time national championship-winning defense. Along with Carter, Will Anderson Jr. and Devon Witherspoon round out the top end of all defensive rookies this year. Anderson and Witherspoon have been top-end players, but they have not been nearly as dominant as Carter.

Defensive Player of the Year:

The competition for this award is still very much open with the final few weeks of the season still remaining. Some names to look out for include Micah Parsons, TJ Watt, Myles Garret, Josh Allen, Daron Bland, and Nick Bosa. Bosa won the award last year, but he will most likely be dethroned. It is also interesting to note that Daron Bland stands out as the only non-pass rusher on this list. Sacks in the remaining games of the season may decide this award.

MVP:

The league’s award for Most Valuable Player is still very much up in the air. Normally, there are one or two clear favorites by this point in the season, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with this campaign. It is an award that normally goes to Quarterbacks. However, with Brock Purdy and Dak Prescott leading the MVP odds, some fans are calling for Running Back Christian McCaffrey or Wide Receiver Tyreek Hill to win the award instead of a QB. Another QB who has joined the running as of late has been 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson, who has brought his team to the top of the AFC standings with 12 wins so far this season. Question marks surround this MVP race, and it seems undecided for the first time in years.

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