Re-Ranking NFL Award Front Runners After Week 8

We’re basically halfway through the NFL Season, and the playoffs will be here before we know it. Some of our predictions for the 2025 season have come true. Other teams have totally surprised us one way or the other. Let’s revisit some of our preseason picks and re-rank NFL Award winners as of Week 8.

MVP Preseason Picks: Justin Herbert/Dak Prescott

Preseason, I was not alone in thinking this could be a breakout year for Justin Herbert. And in some ways, it has been. The Chargers’ offense has become much more pass-centric, and Herbert is showing off his skills. Dak Prescott is also playing the best football of his career. My prediction that the Cowboys’ offense would be very Dak-centric and allow him to flex his muscles turned out to be correct. Herbert currently leads the league in passing yards, with Dak Prescott coming in close second. Unfortunately, neither the Chargers (5-3) or the Cowboys (3-4-1) have a particularly impressive record. However, if either team wins their division, this prediction could end up looking pretty good. In fact, if both teams do turn it around, the battle between them on December 21st could end up defining the MVP race.

MVP Re-Rank: Daniel Jones/Drake Maye

After eight weeks of play, it’s impossible to deny the incredible year that Daniel Jones has put together. He’s actually third in passing yards, and the Colts are sitting at an impressive 7-1. If the Colts continue to reel off wins and take down their division due to Daniel Jones’ play, his MVP case would be very strong. Drake Maye is another player who wasn’t on my radar. I thought the Patriots rebuild might take a bit longer, and I certainly did not expect them to win 5 straight games. Maye sits at 4th on the passing yards leader, and only trails Lamar Jackson in passer rating. The Patriots sit at an impressive 6-2. They also hold a key tiebreaker over Buffalo, and winning the division would cement Drake Maye as a star in this league and establish him as a true MVP candidate.

OPOY Preseason Picks: Saquon Barkley/CeeDee Lamb

This is perhaps my worst pick of the year, as Saquon has struggled mightily so far this year. He only cracked 90 yards for the first time this Sunday and is averaging only 4.1 yards per carry. Perhaps this game bodes well as a turnaround for Saquon, but even so, with the start he had to the season, it’s hard to see him as the OPOY. Meanwhile, while CeeDee Lamb has had a pretty good season, setting aside injury, he certainly hasn’t popped off the screen in terms of stats. Dak is spreading the ball around more, and George Pickens has been the breakout star of the Dallas offense so far. While CeeDee is playing well, OPOY is probably way too ambitious for him this year.

OPOY Re-Rank: Jonathan Taylor/Jaxson Smith-Njigba

I’ve already mentioned how great the Colts’ offense has been, and the engine that drives it is Jonathan Taylor. He leads the league in rushing with an almost 100-yard lead over second place. He also has 14 total touchdowns, leading the league. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts that through 3 weeks, he is the best running back in the league, and arguably the best offensive player in the league. The Colts’ hot start is in no small part due to his incredible performance in 2025. The only player with a similar impact has been Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who also serves as the engine for his team’s offense. He also has almost 100 yards more than the next closest receiver (who just so happens to be Ja’Marr Chase). If the Seahawks keep winning and the Colts fall off, JSN has a chance to snatch the crown from JT.

DPOY Pre-Season Picks: Micah Parsons/Dexter Lawrence

I will admit that when I made this pick, I hoped that Micah would be doing it in a Cowboys jersey. But regardless of the team, Micah has maintained his status as a gamewrecker and a star in this league. He doesn’t have audacious tackle or sack numbers, but anyone who watches the games can tell he has a massive impact. He probably also deserves some amount of credit for his rushing mate Rashan Gary’s 7.5 sacks. Dexter Lawrence, meanwhile, represents me greatly overestimating the Giants defensive line. It looked like a strength of their team, and while they’ve been fine, Sexy Dexy has been just okay.

DPOY Re-Rank: Brian Burns/Myles Garrett

The real star on the Giants’ D-Line has undoubtedly been Brian Burns. He leads the league with 10 sacks, as well as 13 TFLs and 4 passes defended. The Giants’ defense as a whole has slightly underwhelmed, but Burns has been absolutely incredible. The only person in his universe is Myles Garrett, perennial DPOY candidate. Garrett earns every penny of his $40 million contract, yet again proving himself to be the class of the NFL. Obviously, neither the Browns nor the Giants are having the team success they hoped for. But these two players are two of the best in the league and would deserve the DPOY award.

Coach of the Year Preseason Picks: Mike Vrabel/Mike Macdonald

While I didn’t predict Drake Maye’s meteoric rise, I did know that Mike Vrabel would be a huge coaching upgrade for the Pats. The year they are having so far certainly gives him a case for coach of the year, and the way he’s turned around their culture is evident on the field. Mike Macdonald’s Seahawks have also been very successful, though there may not be quite the case for him. COTY usually requires either turning around a struggling team, exceeding high expectations, or overcoming significant adversity. The Seahawks don’t really fit into any of the three categories quite yet, but they’ve had a very good year, and if they run away with the NFC West, Macdonald could be a contender for the award.

Coach of the Year Re-Ranks: Shane Steichen/Kyle Shanahan

These coaches fit a bit more cleanly into the usual COTY archetype. No one expected Steichen and the Colts to be 7-1 and on fire, and he deserves credit for sorting out a very difficult QB situation. If the Colts stay hot, Steichen will be a strong choice for the best Coach of the Year. Kyle Shanahan, meanwhile, has dealt with more adversity than any team in the league. They’ve had injuries to Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Fred Warner, and Nick Bosa. Essentially, the top 6 paid and talented players on their roster. Yet they still sit at 5-3, with impressive wins over the Rams and the Seahawks in the division, and may still win the NFC West. The job Shanahan has done holding this roster together is admirable, and he could easily win the 2025 Coach of the Year award.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Cam Ward/Ashton Jeanty

Cam Ward was an extremely underdiscussed 1st overall pick, and perhaps that’s for good reason. In his own words, the Titans have been “a-s”. He has made some nice throws and demonstrated some talent, but let’s be honest, no one is watching. Ward will not win the offensive rookie of the year if the Titans keep losing, and they very likely will keep losing. Ashton Jeanty and the Raiders have also been a major disappointment. He’s shown flashes, but overall has had a very underwhelming year. I was off base picking these top picks to shine this year, but I do hope they can have successful careers.

Offensive Rookie of the Year Re-Ranks: Emeka Egbuka/Tyler Warren

Emeka Egbuka has been an absolute stand-out for the Bucs, and with their WR injuries, he’s already Baker Mayfield’s go-to guy. He leads rookies in both receiving yards and TDs, and leads the entire league in average yards per catch. Egbuka looks to be a star in this league, and many teams that drafted WRs over him will be kicking themselves. Tyler Warren was also not the first TE off the board, and the Bears probably regret that. He leads all TEs in yards and all rookie TEs in TDs. He also plays on one of the best offenses in the league, which can’t hurt his chances. Warren looks to be a star TE for the Colts, and could easily take home the OROTY if he continues at this pace.

Defensive Rookie of the Year Preseason Picks: Travis Hunter/Abdul Carter

I certainly thought Travis Hunter would be majoring much more in defense and playing a lot better overall. It seems that the Jags have focused him more on offense, and also that he’s been underwhelming overall. We knew Hunter would be a tough puzzle to solve for the Jags, but given what they invested in him, the return so far has been disappointing. Abdul Carter hasn’t jumped off the screen yet either, with only half a sack this year. Both of these guys are very talented, but neither seems to be capitalizing on their talent so far in their rookie years.

Defensive Rookie of the Year Re-Rank: Jihaad Campbell/Nick Emmanwori

These guys haven’t exactly stacked up the counting stats either, but Campbell does have an interception on the year. He also plays for a better and more televised team, which could work in his favor. If he starts to break out in front of the nation, he could make a late case. Emmanwori is another player with undeniable talent and yet underwhelming production. But he also has one of the best defensive coaches in the league, so he could be given a lot of opportunities to make plays as the year goes on. This is probably the award that’s the hardest to call as a rookie hasn’t really truly broken out yet this year, but these two guys have the ability to make waves.

Comeback Player of the Year Pre-Season Picks: Bryce Young/JJ McCarthy

Well, I was clearly way off here. Bryce Young is yet to truly establish himself, with just so-so stats and a .500 record. Meanwhile, JJ McCarthy has virtually no chance at the award, given his injuries and underwhelming play. Neither of these quarterbacks nor these teams has been up to expectations this year, and they probably won’t be competing for anything, including end-of-season awards.

Comeback Player of the Year Re-Ranks: Dak Prescott/Aidan Hutchinson

Both of these guys are coming back from horrific lower-body injuries last year that sidelined them for the season. Both are playing at an extremely high level. As previously mentioned, Dak leads one of the most explosive offenses in the league with the most touchdowns and the second most yards of any QB. He’s also moved fairly well, with 81 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Hutchinson has 6 sacks so far this year and has continued to lead a battered Detroit defense to victory. Both of these guys have well and truly returned to form after terrible injuries, making them prime candidates to claim the Comeback Player of the Year.