My annual early awards survey was completed this week by high-ranking executives from 27 NFL teams, including 17 general managers. All 27 individuals participated on the condition of anonymity for competitive reasons and to provide an honest assessment.
Who are the big winners in seven notable categories? Here's a rundown, with help from statistics compiled by NFL Media researcher Zak Koeppel.
Most Valuable Player
Allen was the runaway winner, receiving a whopping 22 of 27 votes. Remember all the offseason talk about whether Allen and the Bills offense would struggle to replace Stefon Diggs, who was traded to Houston in April? Instead, Buffalo is averaging more points (31.8 per game) and yards per play (6.2) with a better red-zone TD percentage (68.9%) and fewer giveaways (0.5 per game) than a year ago, and Allen has accounted for 37 total touchdowns (tied with Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow for the NFL lead). His last three games have been virtually unprecedented: 14 total touchdowns, no turnovers and no sacks taken. With five more passing touchdowns, Allen would join Cam Newton as the only players in NFL history to throw at least 30 TDs and run for at least 10 in the same season; Newton was the nearly unanimous NFL MVP in 2015. And the Bills are 11-3 after Sunday’s shootout win at Detroit.
Jackson and Eagles running back Saquon Barkley each received two votes. Burrow received one.
Offensive Player of the Year
Another runaway winner, Barkley received 19 votes. He’s been worth every penny of the three-year, $37.75 million contract the Eagles gave him in March, signing him away from the NFC East-rival Giants. With three games to go, Barkley leads the NFL with 316 touches, a team-record 1,688 rushing yards and 1,964 yards from scrimmage -- 365 more than the next player (Derrick Henry, 1,599). He’s on pace for just the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history and has scored 13 touchdowns despite Philadelphia’s Brotherly Shove eating into his goal-line opportunities.
Josh Allen received four votes and Lamar Jackson got three. Joe Burrow received one.
Defensive Player of the Year
The numbers aren’t as big as they were in his DPOY season in 2021, but this has still been a typically dominant season for Watt, who received 13.5 votes. He leads the NFL with 18 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles. He’s also among the leaders in QB hits (27; second), sacks (11.5; third) and turnovers created by QB pressure (four, per Next Gen Stats; second).
Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, who continues to emerge as one of the NFL’s best defensive players, finished second with 3.5 votes. He’s the only cornerback in the league this season with at least four interceptions, a pick-six and 10-plus passes defended.
Packers safety Xavier McKinney, who is tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions, and Browns defensive end Myles Garrett received three votes each.
Receiving one each were Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, Vikings outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter and Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson -- a symbolic vote for his performance prior to his injury (7.5 sacks in less than five full games).
Offensive Rookie of the Year
This is often a quarterback award, but Raiders tight end Brock Bowers made it close, getting nine votes to Daniels’ 13.
The No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, Daniels leads all rookies with 3,045 passing yards and a 101.2 passer rating, and he’s tied for second behind Denver’s Bo Nix with 17 touchdown passes. He’s also fourth among all QBs in completion percentage (70.5), the highest by a rookie in the common draft era (since 1967). Along with coach Dan Quinn, a remodeled front office and new ownership, Daniels is a big reason one of the NFL’s most destitute franchises seemingly has been reborn overnight. The Commanders are 9-5 and can wrap up a playoff spot with a win and help this weekend.
Despite dealing with a quarterback carousel on a 2-12 Raiders team, Bowers leads all rookies with 968 receiving yards and is tied with Giants receiver Malik Nabers with 90 receptions -- both marks put Bowers tops among all NFL tight ends. The No. 13 pick has already broken Sam LaPorta’s rookie tight end record for receptions and needs 109 receiving yards to break Mike Ditka’s record for a rookie tight end, set in 1961.
Nix, the No. 12 pick, received three votes. Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (No. 23 pick) and Bucs running back Bucky Irving (fourth round, No. 125 overall) each received one.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
The 19th overall pick, Verse received 15 votes -- evidence of what a force he has been in the Rams’ recovery from a 1-4 start to regain control of the NFC West. He has 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He leads all rookies in tackles for loss (11) and QB hits (17).
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, who was taken three picks later, finished second with six votes. He has started all 14 games and been credited with 10 pass breakups.
Rams defensive end Braden Fiske (second round, 39th overall) received three votes. Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil (second round, 50th) and Texans safety Calen Bullock (third round, 78th) received one each. One executive abstained.
Coach of the Year
It was a landslide win for O’Connell, who received 16.5 votes -- 13.5 more than any other candidate. He has the Vikings in position to win the NFC North and potentially secure the No. 1 seed with a castoff quarterback, Sam Darnold, playing the best football of his life on a one-year contract. Only the Packers have led for more total game time this season than the Vikings, who also have seven comeback wins and seven one-possession wins. Few teams are as well-trained at situational football. O’Connell has built a culture that players want to be part of.
Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin -- whose bet on quarterback Russell Wilson has paid off, given that he has a chance to win the AFC North by beating Baltimore on Saturday -- finished second with three votes.
Other coaches receiving votes included Detroit’s Dan Campbell (two), Kansas City’s Andy Reid (two), the Rams’ Sean McVay (1.5) and Buffalo’s Sean McDermott (one). One executive abstained.
Executive of the Year
This was the tightest race of them all, with Holmes, the Lions' executive vice president and general manager, getting six votes to edge out Bills GM Brandon Beane (five) and Eagles EVP/GM Howie Roseman (4.5).
Holmes’ first three draft classes as GM (2021-23) formed Detroit’s young core: Penei Sewell, Alim McNeill, Aidan Hutchinson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Brian Branch, et al. The Lions have a clear vision of the type of players they want to fit Dan Campbell’s culture and aren’t afraid to go get said players wherever they see value. Acquiring quarterback Jared Goff as part of the Matthew Stafford trade in Holmes’ first month on the job continues to pay dividends, and Holmes has done work to fortify the roster amidst a seemingly unending series of injuries, particularly on defense. Even after Sunday’s shootout loss to Buffalo, the Lions are 12-2, in control of their fate in the NFC North and one win away from setting a franchise record for most wins in a season.
Beane’s offseason overhaul -- including the departures of veterans Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Mitch Morse, Leonard Floyd, Tyrel Dodson, Tre’Davious White and Jordan Poyer, among others -- had many observers predicting a down year in Buffalo. Instead, the Bills won their fifth consecutive AFC East title and Josh Allen is the MVP front-runner, throwing to a remodeled receiver corps led by Khalil Shakir, rookie Keon Coleman and veteran trade acquisition Amari Cooper. The Bills have just 32 starts this season from players acquired in 2024; Beane and coach Sean McDermott bet in part on their ability to grow from within. This might be their best team yet.
Roseman, who seems to make this list every year, hit a home run in free agency with Saquon Barkley and appears to have hit on top draft picks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. He avoided a contract standoff and landed a 2026 conditional third-round pick from the Jets for Haason Reddick, who didn’t report to New York until late October. He had replacements ready for center Jason Kelce and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who both retired after last season. The Eagles are headed to playoffs for a fourth consecutive season under coach Nick Sirianni, with hope alive to secure the NFC’s No. 1 overall seed.
Others receiving votes included Minnesota’s Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (2.5), the Rams’ Les Snead (two), Tampa Bay’s Jason Licht (one), Washington’s Adam Peters (one), Green Bay’s Brian Gutekunst (one), Pittsburgh’s Omar Khan (one), New England's Eliot Wolf (one) and Kansas City’s Brett Veach (one). One executive abstained.
