NFL Midseason Awards: A Sportz Nation Special Report

Zak Drapeau
23 hours ago
6 min read

by Zak Drapeau 10/25/2025 Sportz Nation

MVP: Baker Mayfield

Runner Up Patrick Mahomes

Oddsmakers have Mahomes as the run away favorite for the MVP award right now but that has to be about the league's biasness toward him. Mayfield has almost identical stats, a better team record and is doing it with a much more injured and inexperienced receiving core.

Mayfield has led his team to a 5-2 record and the #4 seed with his top options, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin only playing 3 and 2 games this season respectively. Emeka Egbuka has become an instant weapon in his rookie year but how much of that should be credited to Mayfield's ability to sling the rock?

Mahomes deserves a lot of credit as well, having his best statistical season in years but now all of a sudden team record doesn't count? I thought a big part of his 2022 MVP was because the Chiefs had the #1 seed in the AFC... Either way both players are playing out of their minds so far but Mayfield has my nod as of now.

Offensive Player of the Year: Jonathan Taylor

Runner Up Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Whether the Colts sudden emergence has been because of their new QB Daniel Jones or their perennial All Pro Jonathan Taylor, (or more likely their elite O-line) Taylor is having an amazing start to the season. Currently holding the Rushing Triple Crown 7 weeks in, Taylor is averaging 99.6 rushing yards per game and 26.4 receiving yards per game, over 1.5 total Touchdowns per game and has scored 3 TDs in a single game three times this season.

Taylor is also part of if not the focal point of the #1 offense in the league up to this point. After being forgotten about due to injuries and holdouts over the past two seasons, Taylor and the Colts' O-line are reminding everyone of who he is.

Even though Taylor is "running away" with this award, JSN is making the race very interesting. Obviously Sam Darnold's new favorite target, Smith-Njigba is averaging 117 yards per game and has hit the triple-digit milestone in 5 of his 7 games thus far. Also averaging over 7 catches per game, it's clear that the Buckeye is the Center of the Seahawks offense and has led them to 5-2 on the year.

Defensive Player of the Year: Nik Bonitto

Runner Up Brian Burns

A very tight race this year that for the first time doesn't center around T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett but the new breed of defense men.

Starting with Bonitto, he keeps getting better and better. 3rd in the NFL in Sacks with 8 in the first 8 games, Bonitto has also noticeably improved in run defense as have the Broncos who are currently ranked #3 in defense.

Behind Bonitto is a clogged race including Micah Parsons and Aidan Hutchinson but I'm going to show some love to Brian Burns who is leading the league in Sacks and TFLs. With Burns' most explosive season yet any bit of defense the Giants have mustered can be linked to him and with 1.3 sacks per game so far on the season, a possible 20-sack season could be on the horizon.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Emeka Egbuka

Runner Up Tyler Warren

Shoutout to Jaxson Dart: this isn't predicting the award it is just based on their first half performance and he hasn't played quite enough yet.

Tyler Warren may be making the race a bit closer but as of now Egbuka is clearly running away with this one. As recent as Week 5 saw Egbuka be 2nd in the league in receiving yards and as it stands he is 7th in receiving yards and tied for 5th in rec TDs.

With 439 yards and 3 TDs, the best rookie Tight End is making things way closer than it should be. Another big part in thrusting Warren to the top of his class has been the transformation of the Colts' offense in Warren's first year.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jihaad Campbell

Runner Up Nick Emmanwori

In my Final NFL Mock Draft of last year, I had Jihaad Campbell as my LB1 and my #10 pick, so when he fell all the way to #31 on Draft Day to the defending champion Eagles, I knew this could happen. Not that this race is very strong, Campbell is certainly the standout of his class on defense so far. With 8 pressures, 42 tackles, a forced fumble and being Top-20 in the league in snaps played Cambell has been a beast.

The next best would have to be the Seahawks DB Nick Emmanwori who is a Safety-Nickel cross that plays the run very similarly to Kyle Hamilton. Playing signficantly less snaps but being even more efficient when he is one the field, Emmanwori has been a swiss-army knife for the Seahawks who themselves have become one of the best pass defense in the league.

Protector of the Year: Penei Sewell

Runner Up Tristan Wirfs

Finally the Linemen get some recognition! There are four linemen that should be the first to win this prestigious award and it includes Trent Williams, Lane Johnson, Tristan Wirfs and my choice, Penei Sewell. The youngest on the list, Sewell is the best RT in the league and best run blocker but has shown improvement in his already elite pacc blocking this season.

Tristan Wirfs is the yin to Sewell's yang and is the (arguable) best LT in the league. Probably the best pass blocker in the league with significant lower run blocking, Wirfs could win the award if there is LT-bias but as of now should be a sstrong consideration.

Coach of the Year: Shane Steichen

Runner Up Mike Vrabel

Is there anyone that deserves an award more than Steichen and Vrabel for changing their team around so quickly. Steichen's Colts sudden change from a 8-9 team to 6-1 to start the year and atop the AFC with their #1 offense is a testament to his skill.

Vrabel's turnaround of the Patriots also needs some love after the Patriots start the year 5-2. Vrabel's ability to reshape this defense and allow guys like Drake Maye and Josh McDaniels to run the offense is the sign of a true leader the Pats have sorely needed.

Assistant Coach of the Year: Jim Bob Cooter

Runner Up Jeff Ulbrich

Jim Bob Cooter is the Colts' Offensive coordinator and the leader of one of the strongest units in the league. Ranking 1st in points, 2nd in total yards, 5th in pass yards and 7th in rush yards, Cooter's offense and play-calling has taken the Colts form a perennial medicore team to the best in the laegu so far this season.

Jeff Ulbrich should easily be the only other name for this award for his role in transforming the Falcons' defense in his first year on the job. For almost a decade, the Falcons' defense had been in the bottom-half of the league and often ranked dead last in Sacks as recent as last year. But as soon as Ulbrich came to town from the Jets, they now rank 2nd in yards and 8th in points while averaging over 2 sacks a game.

Comeback Player of the Year: Daniel Jones

Runner Up Christian McCaffrey

Okay so odds makers have Dak Prescott as the run away favorite for this award so they must be from Dallas or something. Prescott styarted 8 games last year before his injury which to me disqualifies him from this race.

Daniel Jones in my eyes is the clear favorite just as Sam Darnold was last year. In the same mold, Jones was cut from the team that drafted him in spectacular fashion, couldn't make it work in Minnesota then came to Indy where he has become an MVP front runner.

CMC should also be in the race for the award he's been in the race for 3 times. McCaffrey came into this season and we knew either he'd be healthy and a Top-5 player or he would miss time and be mediocre and BOY was he the former.

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