We’re almost in August, the month a football is “officially” thrown for the first time since the Super Bowl. Officially is in quotes because it’s only the preseason, but for those craving football (like I am), it’s great news. With the regular season closing in, we’re going to the final round of predictions, at least from my end. The idea is to predict most things, so individual awards, division standings, and possibly the All-Pro team.
This is a great opportunity to see how wrong I’ll be, and it’s always fun to read these after the season. This isn’t a guide or anything like that to NFL betting, especially because I don’t bet. I’ll say who I think will win, plus two others who should be favorites for that award and a longshot that may win.
Coach Of The Year: Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers
This award has been given to the coach with the most surprising season, or who did more with the worst QB. Since 2021, the winners have been Mike Vrabel with Ryan Tannehill, Brian Daboll with Daniel Jones, Kevin Stefanski with Joe Flacco, and Kevin O’Connell with Sam Darnold. The only one to win his division was Vrabel, who took the Titans to a 12-5 record and the first seed in the AFC.
Harbaugh fits neither of the two characteristics. The Chargers have a good roster and should fight for a playoff berth again, and Justin Herbert is a very good QB. But he gets the award because I think the Chargers will be a good football team in 2025, even if they can’t take the division away from the Chiefs. Year 2 is usually when Harbaugh’s teams take a huge leap forward, so watch out for the Chargers this year.
Could also win: Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions; Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
Campbell finished in the top 3 for the second year in a row, being the runner-up to O’Connell last season. If he can keep the Lions at the same level without Johnson, Aaron Glenn, and the many position coaches he lost, it’d be really hard for him not to win this award.
If Johnson wins Coach of the Year, it’d be the third time since 2020 that a first-time head coach wins the award (Kevin Stefanski, 2020, and Brian Daboll, 2022). He was the belle of the ball in this year’s coaching cycle, and he will be in an interesting situation. The Bears don’t have a bad roster by any means, but the NFC North is loaded, and he will also have the task of fixing any damage the previous coaching staff did to QB Caleb Williams.
Keep an eye on: Aaron Glenn, New York Jets
What I just said about coaches who overachieve with bad quarterbacks? The Jets should have a good-to-great defense, highlighted by Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. It all comes down to QB Justin Fields (as it always does). If Fields joins the Mayfield/Darnold arc and has a revival year, the Jets could fight for a playoff spot. The Jets haven’t had a winning season since 2015, and their last playoff appearance was in 2010. Break both marks, and Glenn will be in the conversation.
Comeback Player Of The Year: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings
Like every award a QB can win, they usually do. The last time a non-QB won the CPOY? Keenan Allen in 2017, so almost ten years ago. By this logic, we must find the starting QBs who had an injury last season. Besides McCarthy, Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence, and Cowboys’ Dak Prescott missed significant time.
I chose McCarthy mostly because of his surroundings. There aren’t many QBs with an elite WR duo, an (expected) great offensive line, a top-5 TE, a good RB duo, a top-10 defense, and an amazing HC/playcaller. If McCarthy is just a smidge above average, he could finish the season with 4000+ yards, somewhere near 30 TDs, and around 10 INTs. In his first year as a starter and coming off a season-long injury? He’d be the favorite for the award.
Could also win: Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers; Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
McCaffrey had over 2000 all-purpose yards in 2023, his first full season with the 49ers. He led the league with 1459 rushing yards and had 21 total touchdowns, also first in the NFL. He was amazing, winning the Offensive Player of the Year award and finishing third for MVP. If he can come back and play close to this level, McCaffrey could break the quarterback streak.
Just like CMC, Dak Prescott was an MVP candidate in 2023. He led the league in TDs (36), passed for over 4500 yards, and had his first season with fewer than 10 INTs since 2018. Prescott earned his 3rd Pro Bowl and was 2nd in the MVP voting. He got a new receiver in George Pickens, giving him a really good duo. If Dak and the Cowboys can bounce back, Prescott could be in play for the CPOY award.
Keep an eye on: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Detroit Lions
Hutchinson is the favorite to win the award, with +250 odds, tied with Dak Prescott for the lead. But, like the MVP award, defenders rarely win. The last time a defender won the CPOY award was in 2007, when Greg Eliss won after a 12.5-sack season. Hutchinson was on pace to be the DPOY before his injury last year, so he could absolutely be the Comeback Player of the Year, but other defenders have had great seasons coming from injury, and they still didn’t win.
Defensive Rookie Of The Year: Abdul Carter, EDGE, New York Giants
Six of the last ten players to win the DROY have been EDGE rushers. Of these six, four have been selected within the first three picks. The exceptions were Micah Parsons in 2021 and Jared Verse last season. Carter was a fantastic prospect and arguably the best player available in the Draft, next to Travis Hunter.
The Giants may have roles in their roster, but the defensive line isn’t one of them. Kayvon Thibodeaux will be facing a crucial season, having more than 5.5 sacks just once in three seasons. Brian Burns had a good, 8.5-sack season in his first year with the Giants. None of them is a sure-fire star, so Carter should get opportunities early and often. Add DT Dexter Lawrence, who will be the offense’s main focus, and Carter also should have a bunch of one-on-ones, at least early in the season.
Could also win: Jalon Walker, EDGE, Atlanta Falcons; Jahdae Barron, CB, Denver Broncos
Again, defensive awards are mostly about sacks. The Falcons doubled down in EDGEs, selecting Walker and James Pearce Jr. in the first round. Walker is a speedy player off the edge, winning usually with quickness. He played off-ball linebacker as well, and some analysts had him as an inside linebacker. Walker’s likely going to be a full-time EDGE who can drop into coverage a couple of times. The Falcons will rely a lot on their rookies, and whoever has the best season can win the award.
If six of the past ten winners are EDGE rushers, cornerbacks are responsible for three. The Broncos should have one of the best defenses in the league once again. Barron has the versatility to play anywhere in the secondary, and he showed a knack for making plays, intercepting five passes last year. Quarterbacks will look away from 2024 DPOY Pat Surtain, so Barron will have the opportunity to show his ball skills.
Keep an eye on: Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Hunter would be the favorite if he were a full-time cornerback. In my opinion, Hunter could be a special cornerback, but he’s probably going to be more of a receiver than a cornerback. Still, the Jaguars look committed to giving him a chance to be a two-way player in the league. If Hunter plays enough snaps as a CB and at a high level, he will be in play.
Offensive Rookie Of The Year: Travis Hunter, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Like the MVP and OPOY, this is a QB-driven award. A few years ago, when a QB didn’t win, it looked like it’d always be a running back. From 2001 to 2014, only three WRs won the award, while six RBs were named Offensive Rookie of the Year. In the 2020s, though, two wide receivers have won OROY already. And Hunter can make it three.
Brian Thomas Jr. will be the WR1, but new HC Liam Coen has experience scheming for two very good receivers. Hunter apparently will be more of a receiver than a cornerback, and if Coen can finally develop Lawrence into the QB we thought he’d be, this can be an explosive Jaguars’ offense. Get Hunter over 1200 yards and nearly 10 TDs, and this unicorn of a player will continue racking up awards.
Could also win: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders; Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
The 2024 Draft RB class was regarded as special. And Jeanty was a good part of that, running for over 2000 yards in his last year at Boise State. Jeanty is a pinball machine, bouncing off tacklers and racking yards after contact. There will be no committee in Las Vegas: Jeanty will carry the load. Twelve players had over 250 carries last season (14.7 per game), and it wouldn’t be crazy if Jeanty had something between 15-20 a game. If he manages an average of at least 4.5 a carry, he can have over 1300 yards, which would put him in the top 6 last season.
The Chargers’ QBs attempted 632 passes in 2023. In the first year with Jim Harbaugh, who loves a good running game, the number plummeted to 510. With what they hope is an improved offensive line, and after selecting Hampton in the first round, the Chargers should be a better team at running the ball. Hampton is a physical player who is hard to bring down, which should be especially helpful near the goal line.
Keep an eye on: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
At 6’5″, McMillan is a possible touchdown machine. And even though he’s that tall, McMillan is an agile receiver with position flexibility. The Arizona Wildcats deployed him all over the place, and he consistently delivered. I think he isn’t being hyped as much because there’s a disbelief in the Panthers as a team (and understandably so). But if Bryce Young can keep improving as he did in the back half of last season, this can be a much-improved unit. There’s also a strong possibility that McMillan is the WR1 right out of the gate, with Adam Thielen turning 35 before the season and Xavier Legette failing to impress as a rookie.
Protector Of The Year: Tristan Wirfs, LT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
For the first time ever, an offensive lineman will win an award at NFL Honors. The award created in 2025 will finally put them in the spotlight, something they deserved for a long time. Imagine how fun it’d be to see Joe Thomas win six or seven in his day. As it is new, we don’t have any historical data to help, but as the name suggests, it’s likely going to be given to the best pass blocker. The running game may be a factor, but how well the linemen keep their QB upright will be the deciding factor.
With that in mind, why not give it to the player who led the league in pass block win rate last season? Wirfs won 96% of his pass-blocking snaps, allowed zero sacks, and just one QB hit. He had a whopping 93.7 pass-blocking grade by PFF, also first in the league. Wirfs is a favorite for the award, even if he has to miss some time early.
Also could win: Penei Sewell, RT, Detroit Lions; Lane Johnson, RT, Philadelphia Eagles
Sewell has a strong case to be the best offensive lineman in the NFL. But he’s also a better run-blocker than pass-protector. In his four years in the league, he finished just once in the top 10 for pass block win rate and never had a pass-blocking PFF grade above 80.0. Still, he’s very athletic and technically sound, that’s why he’s the odds-favorite for the award.
Lane Johnson aged like fine wine. Since turning 30, he has finished three times in the top 5 for pass block win rate, being second in 2021 and first in 2022, both with a 95% win rate. We don’t know for how long he will still play, but winning the first Protector of the Year would be the final stamp on what could be a Hall of Fame resumé.
Keep an eye on: The inside players
The tackles were the biggest advocates for this award, but technically, it’s for offensive linemen. We don’t know if this will be a dynamic similar to MVP, and offensive tackles will win 99% of the time. If guards and centers also have a real shot at it, players like Creed Humphrey, Chris Lindstrom, and Quenton Nelson could be the first to win the award.
Defensive Player Of The Year: Micah Parsons, EDGE, Dallas Cowboys
I’ll start with this: there are six players I think can win the DPOY award. I picked Parsons first because Aaron Donald is the last player to win multiple DPOYs, so I’m taking Bosa, Garrett, and Watt off. The last defensive tackle not named Aaron Donald to win was Joe Greene in 1979, so Jalen Carter is at an enormous disadvantage. This leaves Parsons and Hutchinson from my six favorites.
Parsons has had at least 12.0 in every season and could’ve been the DPOY last year if not for a high ankle sprain. He also has more than 40 pressures every year and forced 9 fumbles in four seasons. He’s a monster off the edge, and he’ll either play this season happy and with a new, hefty contract, or in a contract year wanting to make Jerry Jones look more of a fool for not paying him. Either way, his motivation will be through the roof.
Could also win: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Detroit Lions; Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland Browns
Hutchinson was playing at an insanely high level before breaking his leg in 2024. The only reason I have Parsons over him is this injury, as we can’t be sure how he’ll be, but broken bones tend to heal better than ligaments and tendons. He’s the favorite, according to most sportsbooks, and if he returns to the 7.5 sacks and 27 pressures in five games he had last season, he’s likely getting the award.
Between the players who already have one DPOY, Garrett is my favorite to win it again. He had back-to-back 14.0 sacks, and the Browns just drafted Mason Graham, which should help against the run and give Garrett more pass-rushing opportunities. If he can have his third career season with 16 sacks (or more) and a few turnovers, Garrett can be the first EDGE to win multiple DPOY awards since J.J. Watt.
Keep an eye on: The young pass-rushers
If there are a lot of well-established pass-rushers in the league, we’ve seen a few young players coming onto the scene as well. In the spotlight are Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. and Rams’ Jared Verse, the last two DROY winners. Anderson has to share his sacks with Danielle Hunter, but this also means more one-on-one opportunities. Jared Verse had just 4.5 sacks but racked up over 30 pressures as a rookie. As they get older, they will keep honing their skills and getting stronger. Even if neither of them wins in 2025, they could finish as the DPOY soon.
Offensive Player Of The Year: Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Call me a homer, I don’t care, but Justin Jefferson will remind everyone why he’s the best. Surprisingly enough, just three QBs have won it in the past ten years, and the last one was when Mahomes had his 5000/50 season. Receivers and running backs have alternated in the last six years, with each position winning it three times.
Jefferson was second in the league with 1533, and his 90.2 yards per game were his worst since 2020. But he also had 10 touchdowns, his second season with double-digits and first since 2021. The Vikings committed resources to the offensive line, which should help the running game and give more time to J.J. McCarthy in the pocket. If Jefferson is almost unguardable already, imagine if his QB can hold the ball for more than three seconds consistently.
Could also win: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions; Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Gibbs has a great chance to win the OPOY, as he led the league with 20 total touchdowns and had almost 2000 all-purpose yards. But he has to share the backfield with David Montgomery, who had 12 touchdowns last season (imagine if half were to Gibbs), lost OC Ben Johnson, who was a wizard calling plays, and has a question mark in the iOL after Frank Ragnow’s retirement. Gibbs has the talent, but his surroundings took a hit in the offseason.
Chase was third in the OPOY voting last season, finishing behind RB Saquon Barkley and QB Lamar Jackson. The triple-crown winner in 2024, there’s little reason to believe he can’t put up the same type of numbers in 2025. He has played with Joe Burrow for so long that they have a tremendous synergy on (and off) the field, and the Bengals’ defense didn’t get any better in the offseason, so the offense will probably have to put up big numbers every week.
Keep an eye on: Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
Collins is extremely underrated. He played in 15 games (just 10 as a starter) and had almost 1300 yards with 80 catches and 8 touchdowns. Collins averaged 113.4 yards per game before a hamstring injury sidelined him for five games. He didn’t come back at the same level, with just one game over 100 yards in the last seven weeks of the season. Collins bounced back in the playoffs, with 7 catches, 122 yards, and 1 TD against the Chargers in the Wild Card. If he’s fully healthy again, Collins will continue to be C.J. Stroud’s best friend on the field.
Most Valuable Player: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
There’s no player in the league more dynamic than Lamar Jackson. He improved a lot as a passer since coming to the league, and his threat as a runner is as big as ever, even if he hasn’t rushed for more than 1000 yards since 2020. In my opinion, Jackson should’ve earned his third MVP last season, passing for 4172 yards, 41 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions. The Ravens have a great team and are one of the most well-coached franchises in the NFL, but Lamar Jackson is the one who makes it all come alive.
It goes without saying that MVP is a QB award, as the last non-quarterback to win it was Adrian Peterson in 2012. Unless something catastrophic happens to the top QBs in the league, Peterson will remain as the last non-QB MVP.
Could also win: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills; Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Although I disagree with Allen winning MVP last year, he has been an MVP-level quarterback since 2020. With Allen as the signal-caller, the Bills have taken control of the AFC East, winning 10+ games since 2019 and being division champions five years in a row, their best in franchise history. They will continue to do so until Allen stops being so dominant, something that shouldn’t happen for quite some time.
Burrow could’ve been the MVP last season, but the only player to win MVP and his team not getting into the playoffs was O.J. Simpson in 1973. As I said with Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals will need Burrow to replicate his 4918 yards and 43 touchdowns in 2025. If he does it, and the defense helps just a little, the Bengals could sneak into the playoffs, and Burrow would be a front-runner to win the most prestigious award.
Keep an eye on: The second-year QBs
The last QB to win MVP in his second season was Lamar Jackson back in 2019. But he was also the second in a row, after Patrick Mahomes did the same in 2018. Is almost unfair to ask a QB heading to their second season to dethrone Jackson, Allen, Mahomes, and Burrow, so I won’t. But the 2024 QB class has the potential to be special, and a few of them can be MVP candidates in the near future.
Jayden Daniels is the favorite to be the first, as he had the best rookie season of the bunch. But Caleb Williams will have a much-improved coaching staff, with Ben Johnson at the helm, and a revamped offensive line. J.J. McCarthy is in arguably the best situation for any QB in the league, with Kevin O’Connell and Justin Jefferson by his side. And don’t sleep on Drake Maye, Michael Penix, and Bo Nix.
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