My predictions might be a bit different than most. I see a few intriguing names that have a good chance at taking home an NFL Honors award. I am not much of a betting man, but I do enjoy the occasional value when it presents itself. There are a few on here I would bet, but being in California I am unable to do so…yet. This is not a guide on how to bet. These are merely predictions based on the caliber of player and their fitment within the team. All odds are based on Vegas Insider.
Featured NFL Honors
The NFL Honors are given out at the end of each season, typically right before the Super Bowl is played. There are more honors given than what I have listed here, such as the Walter Payton Man of the Year. I only have the performance-based awards listed here as that one is pretty hard to predict. Plus, I am not sure the teams have even released their nominations yet. We touch on the offensive and defensive players, and offensive and defensive rookies. We also have the comeback player of the year picks and of course, MVP. Some of these players being highlighted can be found at a great value within your fantasy drafts and if they meet this expectation, they could be a league winner for you.
Offensive Rookie
Embed from Getty ImagesChris Olave, Saints WR (+800)
Olave might be in the best overall situation out of all the wide receivers. He (hopefully) gets to line up opposite Michael Thomas and (also hopefully) Alvin Kamara out of the backfield. Throw in a healthy Jameis Winston and this offense has the potential to be something. Olave has some tough competition on the Saints’ defense to practice against to get him ready for his first year. He has been churning out camp highlights all month long and it looks promising for the young rookie.
Dark Horse: Alec Pierce, Colts WR (+5000)
Alec Pierce has a strong chance to produce early and often in the Colts offense. New QB Matt Ryan is sure to look his way and give him a catchable ball. I don’t trust Perris Cambell to stay healthy for long and someone needs to produce outside of Michael Pittman Jr and Jonathan Taylor. Pierce was a second-round pick but was knocked for coming from a small school. At +5000, it’s worth considering.
Defensive Rookie
Jordan Davis, Eagles DT (+1400)
I feel the least confident about the defensive rookies. I have not seen a whole lot of highlights circulating Twitter, nor have I been able to sit down and pay attention to preseason games yet. Davis’s odds are tied for 9th overall, but this guy is a massive and absurdly athletic human. The Eagles have a scary defensive line and Davis has a chance to shine. If you have not seen this clip of one on one drills in camp, you have to right now.
Embed from Getty ImagesDark Horse: Sauce Gardner, Jets CB (+1100)
Sauce’s odds do not reflect a dark horse candidate, but a corner has only won DROY three times since 1998. I do not think this is much of a value nor a wise pick, hence why I listed him as my dark horse. Sauce would need to get 6-8 interceptions and return a couple for touchdowns to earn some consideration. This award is usually dominated by the defensive line and linebackers since they are usually closer to the ball. (those CBs were Charles Woodson, Marcus Peters, and Marshon Lattimore).
Comeback Player
Embed from Getty ImagesChristian McCaffrey, Panthers RB (+700)
Third time’s the charm? I would like to hope so. CMC is a top 5 back in the league and has been set back by two injury-riddled seasons. A strong 14+ game season with his talent and usual output when he plays would make him almost a lock for CPOY.
Value: Cam Akers, Rams RB (+2500)
Akers is not exactly a long shot, but this one is too much of value to not mention. The story is what intrigues me the most. Coming off of the achilles injury within five months to play in the playoffs is nothing short of incredible. Comeback player of the year requires a great story, and out of all of these candidates, Akers has one of the more impressive stories, along with the offense and supporting cast to help him thrive.
Offensive Player
Embed from Getty ImagesJustin Jefferson, Vikings WR (+1600)
Jettas is on the rise and primed to take on an even bigger role. This new offense churned out a triple crown-winning Cooper Kupp, and Jefferson is an even more explosive player. His yardage and touchdowns already increased from year one to year two, so expectations are high. I am sure he wants to outshine his LSU teammate and friend, Ja’Marr Chase, too. The latest news from camp also has him realizing why Cooper Kupp was open so much last year. He is in line for a HUGE year.
Dark Horse: Travis Kelce, Chiefs TE (+4000)
No Tyreek Hill? That means more Travis Kelce over the middle. Sure, the Chiefs signed JuJu, and MVS, and drafted Skyy Moore, but those are all new pieces that will take some time to acclimate. Kelce is one of the few high-caliber tight ends that are capable of taking home the honor. This out of all of the others is least likely to happen as Kelce would likely need either 1600+ yards or lead the league in touchdowns with something like 1400+ yards to gain real consideration for the OPOY from the NFL Honors.
Defensive Player
Embed from Getty ImagesJoey Bosa, Chargers DE (+2500)
You can make the case for Khalil Mack here as well, but my pick is Bosa because of his consistency over the past few years, while Mack is on his third team after a couple of years of underperforming. Mack will be better this year, but he will get that recognition because he is playing next to Joey Bosa. This Chargers defense is stacked with big names across the board. Let‘s hope the team can avoid the injury bug (looking right at you, Derwin James) and be better at stopping the run. The offense looks good. So if Bosa and company are gifted a lead, it is on.
The Biggest NFL Honors Long Shot: Chris Jones, Chiefs DT (+8000)
Jones is the next best interior lineman outside of Aaron Donald, and he has received his praise, but not enough. He is a large presence and the Chiefs play differently when he is out of the lineup. Last season, he also switched to defensive end and played outside a bit more. His best play comes from the interior where he can occupy blockers and bat passes with the occasional strip sack. Jones has the capability to lead the league in tackles for loss (TFL), and batted passes. If he tacks on a good number of sacks to go with that, he has a real chance.
The King of NFL Honors: MVP
Embed from Getty ImagesJustin Herbert, Chargers QB (+900)
Things are looking up for the Charges, who will be looking to respond to their fellow LA team’s Super Bowl Victory. They have no shortage of talent on both sides of the ball and are being led by a top young quarterback in Justin Herbert. When I think Chargers, I think of sloppy special teams, missed kicks, and questionable coaching. I hope that Herbert isn’t let down by the rest of his team this year because they have a real shot with this team around him to take home this NFL Honors award.
Dark Horse: Matt Ryan, Colts QB (+6000)
At +6000 odds, this is as good a value as it gets. Matty ICE has a great wide receiving corps and an all-star running back at his disposal. This whole Colts team I feel is getting overlooked because of the absolutely stacked AFC. It will be a tough season for all AFC teams, but the Colts have only the Titans to fear in their own division, so this gives them a strong advantage over teams like the Bills, Ravens, Bengals, Chiefs, etc. It is between Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson to be that QB on a new team to light it up after Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford did just that in their first year with a new team.