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2025 NFL predictions: Picks for MVP & seven other top awards

NOTE: All odds -- listed alongside each player's name -- are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook and were current as of 11 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Rank
1
Baltimore Ravens · QB · +550

(11 votes: Band, Bhanpuri, Carr, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Filice, Okada, Parr, Reuter, Ross, Shook.)


2) Joe Burrow (+650) | 9 votes: Andrade, Baca, Battista, Blair, Gonzales, Jones-Drew, Kownack, Patra, Zierlein.

3) Patrick Mahomes (+700) | 4 votes: Abdoo, Gordon, Holzman-Escareno, Rosenthal.

4) Jalen Hurts (+1700) | 2 votes: Bergman, Koplowitz-Fleming.

T-5) Jayden Daniels (+750) | 1 vote: Florio.

T-5) Baker Mayfield (+2500) | 1 vote: Edholm.

T-5) Bo Nix (+3500) | 1 vote: Rank.


Most Valuable Player notes:

  • Leading vote-getter Lamar Jackson is the only QB with multiple MVP awards not to appear in a Super Bowl. He currently is tied with the reigning MVP, Josh Allen, for the best odds (+550) to take home this year's trophy, while the Ravens are tied with Allen's Bills (+330) as the most likely AFC representative in Super Bowl LX.
  • Allen, a top contender for this year's prize but absent on all of our analysts' ballots, could become just the fifth player in the Super Bowl era to pull off a repeat (joining Joe Montana, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers).
  • If Joe Burrow were to win the 2025 MVP, he'd join Peyton Manning (five) and Cam Newton (one) as the only QBs drafted No. 1 overall to win the award in this millennium. He'd be just the seventh top selection to do so in the Super Bowl era (along with Terry Bradshaw, Earl Campbell, John Elway and O.J. Simpson).
  • Jayden Daniels could become just the second player ever to win MVP the year after earning OROY honors. Hall of Famer Earl Campbell accomplished the feat in the 1978 and '79 seasons.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Rank
1
Cincinnati Bengals · WR · +850

(11 votes: Abdoo, Andrade, Battista, Bhanpuri, Chadiha, Edholm, Gonzales, Jones-Drew, Parr, Ross, Zierlein.)


T-2) Jahmyr Gibbs (+1000) | 5 votes: Band, Bergman, Filice, Gordon, Rosenthal.

T-2) Bijan Robinson (+1400) | 5 votes: Blair, Holzman-Escareno, Koplowitz-Fleming, Kownack, Rank.

T-4) Saquon Barkley (+750) | 2 votes: Carr, Reuter.

T-4) Derrick Henry (+1200) | 2 votes: Cersosimo, Patra.

T-6) Amon-Ra St. Brown (+3000) | 1 vote: Baca.

T-6) CeeDee Lamb (+2000) | 1 vote: Okada.

T-6) Patrick Mahomes (+10000) | 1 vote: Shook.

T-6) Malik Nabers (+3500) | 1 vote: Florio.


Offensive Player of the Year notes:

  • Despite winning the receiving triple crown in 2024 -- and becoming the only player in NFL history ever to produce at least 100 catches, 1,700 receiving yards and 17 TD receptions in the same season -- Chase finished third in last year's Offensive Player of the Year voting. Of the five triple-crown winners in the Super Bowl Era (Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe, Steve Smith Sr., Cooper Kupp and Chase), only Kupp took home the coveted award at season's end.
  • Saquon Barkley could become just the third player in NFL history to go back-to-back as Offensive Player of the Year, joining fellow running backs Marshall Faulk (1999-2001) and Earl Campbell (1978-1980), who both three-peated.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Rank
1
Houston Texans · DE · +1300

(6 votes: Cersosimo, Filice, Parr, Patra, Rank, Zierlein.)


2) Micah Parsons (+750) | 5 votes: Blair, Florio, Gordon, Holzman-Escareno, Rosenthal.

3) Myles Garrett (+850) | 4 votes: Battista, Okada, Reuter, Ross.

T-4) Aidan Hutchinson (+700) | 3 votes: Chadiha, Edholm, Koplowitz-Fleming.

T-4) Jared Verse (+1500) | 3 votes: Band, Bergman, Carr.

T-6) Jalen Carter (+2200) | 2 votes: Abdoo, Andrade.

T-6) Maxx Crosby (+1300) | 2 votes: Gonzales, Kownack.

T-6) Kyle Hamilton (+5000) | 2 votes: Baca, Bhanpuri.

T-9) Derek Stingley Jr. (+6000) | 1 vote: Shook.

T-9) T.J. Watt (+950) | 1 vote: Jones-Drew.


Defensive Player of the Year notes:

  • The Texans have dominated the defensive award categories over the past 25 seasons, winning an NFL-best six combined DPOY and DROY awards. Their individual defensive prowess has been so pronounced that when factoring in OPOY and OROY, too, Houston still ranks second overall with seven total winners since 2000 (the Rams have 11) -- all for a franchise that didn't even play its first game until 2002.
  • Nine of the 11 most recent Defensive Player of the Year winners were pass rushers, with cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II (2024) and Stephon Gilmore (2019) being the outliers.

PROTECTOR OF THE YEAR

Rank
1
Detroit Lions · OT

(9 votes: Andrade, Blair, Carr, Florio, Gonzales, Gordon, Parr, Patra, Zierlein.)


T-2) Joe Alt5 votes: Band, Battista, Bhanpuri, Chadiha, Okada.

T-2) Lane Johnson5 votes: Abdoo, Baca, Edholm, Koplowitz-Fleming, Shook.

4) Jordan Mailata4 votes: Bergman, Holzman-Escareno, Reuter, Ross.

T-5) Trent Williams 2 votes: Jones-Drew, Kownack.

T-5) Tristan Wirfs 2 votes: Filice, Rosenthal.

T-7) Christian Darrisaw1 vote: Cersosimo.

T-7) Joe Thuney1 vote: Rank.


  • A new annual award joining the NFL Honors rundown in the 2025 season, Protector of the Year will be decided by a panel of six former offensive linemen: LeCharles Bentley, Jason Kelce, Shaun O'Hara, Orlando Pace, Will Shields and Andrew Whitworth.
  • The honor will be given to the O-lineman who performs best against five specific criteria: skill metrics (e.g. pass-block win rate), impact on the team's offensive success, leadership, durability and success against top defenders.

OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Rank
1
Las Vegas Raiders · RB · +275

(7 votes: Carr, Chadiha, Gonzales, Kownack, Okada, Reuter, Zierlein.)


2) Travis Hunter (+1000) | 6 votes: Battista, Filice, Florio, Jones-Drew, Parr, Rosenthal.

3) Cam Ward (+350) | 5 votes: Abdoo, Blair, Edholm, Holzman-Escareno, Patra.

4) Emeka Egbuka (+1800) | 4 votes: Baca, Band, Bergman, Koplowitz-Fleming.

T-5) Omarion Hampton (+850) | 2 votes: Bhanpuri, Cersosimo.

T-5) TreVeyon Henderson (+1200) | 2 votes: Andrade, Ross.

T-7) Matthew Golden (+2000) | 1 vote: Gordon.

T-7) Colston Loveland (+3000) | 1 vote: Rank.

T-7) Tyler Warren (+3000) | 1 vote: Shook.


Offensive Rookie of the Year notes:

  • This year's preseason favorite for OROY, Ashton Jeanty, could become the first running back to claim the honor since Saquon Barkley in 2018 and just the second Raider in the franchise's history to win the award (Marcus Allen, 1982).
  • Nineteen QBs have been selected No. 1 overall in the NFL draft since 2000, with the latest being Cam Ward in April. Of the 18 who preceded Ward, just three (Sam Bradford in 2010, Cam Newton in 2011 and Kyler Murray in 2019) went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.

DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Rank
1
New York Giants · LB · +225

(17 votes: Abdoo, Band, Battista, Bergman, Bhanpuri, Blair, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Gordon, Holzman-Escareno, Kownack, Okada, Parr, Patra, Ross.)


2) Travis Hunter (+1000) | 4 votes: Florio, Jones-Drew, Reuter, Rosenthal.

3) Malaki Starks (+1800) | 3 votes: Baca, Carr, Koplowitz-Fleming.

4) Mason Graham (+1600) | 2 votes: Gonzales, Rank.

T-5) Jihaad Campbell (+1400) | 1 vote: Shook.

T-5 Mike Green (+1200) | 1 vote: Zierlein.

T-5) Will Johnson (+3000) | 1 vote: Andrade.


Defensive Rookie of the Year notes:

  • Abdul Carter -- our analysts' overwhelming choice, and the heavy favorite for this year's award -- could become just the second Giant to win DROY. Lawrence Taylor, arguably the greatest defensive player in NFL history, earned the honor in 1981.
  • Although this achievement is considered a long shot (+10000), Travis Hunter could become the first NFL player to win both Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year. He currently has the same odds in both categories (+1000). Even winning one of the two would be historic, though, as no Jaguar has claimed either prize since the franchise's inaugural season in 1995.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Rank
1
Detroit Lions · Edge · +275

(15 votes: Abdoo, Baca, Band, Battista, Bergman, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Holzman-Escareno, Kownack, Patra, Reuter, Rosenthal, Ross, Zierlein.)


T-2) Christian McCaffrey (+300) | 5 votes: Andrade, Carr, Gordon, Jones-Drew, Shook.

T-2) Dak Prescott (+275) | 5 votes: Bhanpuri, Florio, Koplowitz-Fleming, Okada, Rank.

4) J.J. McCarthy (+1000) | 4 votes: Blair, Cersosimo, Gonzales, Parr.


Comeback Player of the Year notes:

  • Quarterbacks have owned CPOY of late, representing 13 of the last 17 winners. In fact, by taking home the honor last year, Joe Burrow became just the second two-time winner of the award in its history (following Chad Pennington in 2006, '08).

COACH OF THE YEAR

Rank
1
Ben Johnson
Chicago Bears · +700

(8 votes: Abdoo, Andrade, Blair, Carr, Chadiha, Holzman-Escareno, Okada, Rank.)


2) Mike Vrabel (+600) | 5 votes: Baca, Band, Edholm, Florio, Ross.

3) Sean Payton (+1600) | 4 votes: Battista, Bhanpuri, Filice, Patra.

T-4) Dan Campbell (+2200) | 3 votes: Gonzales, Gordon, Parr.

T-4) Pete Carroll (+1600) | 3 votes: Bergman, Koplowitz-Fleming, Shook.

6) Aaron Glenn (+1600) | 2 votes: Cersosimo, Rosenthal.

T-7) Brian Callahan (+2200) | 1 vote: Reuter.

T-7) Liam Coen (+1200) | 1 vote: Kownack.

T-7) Jim Harbaugh (+1800) | 1 vote: Zierlein.

T-7) Raheem Morris (+3000) | 1 vote: Jones-Drew.


Coach of the Year notes:

  • Ben Johnson could become the fifth Bears head coach to receive the award during the Super Bowl era, and the fourth since 2000. The Bears are currently tied with the Patriots (Bill Belichick) as the only franchise with three COTY winners in this millennium.
  • Just three active head coaches have won a Super Bowl and appeared in at least one other but have not won the league's top coaching honor: Pete Carroll, Nick Sirianni and Mike Tomlin.
  • Since 2015, just two coaches have followed up their Coach of the Year wins by leading their team to the playoffs the next season (Sean McVay and John Harbaugh). Will reigning COTY winner Kevin O'Connell become the third?


How did each analyst vote?