MVP – Patrick Mahomes (2nd Drew Brees)
Patrick Mahomes has taken the league by storm, throwing a ridiculous sounding 41 touchdowns in the first 12 games of the season. He’s on pace to having to the 5th greatest season in terms of passer rating (with the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and … Nick Foles…). He’s only 77 yards short of 4,000 (2nd in the league only behind Ben Roethlisberger), is completing 2/3rds of his passes, all the while only 9th in attempts. He’s averaging 9.15 yards/attempt, and none of these stats feels like a fluke. The only thing that is of concern are his 17 turnovers (10 interceptions and 7 fumbles), but that includes a 3 interception day trying to will the Chiefs back against the Rams (he had 6 touchdowns, in case you were wondering). Even when he’s bad, he’s good. Brett Favre with a better offensive scheme.
OPOY – Drew Brees (Patrick Mahomes)
He’s old as dirt and has a noodle arm, yet is on pace to break the all time passer rating record. Sean Payton has undoubtedly been a significant reason why, doing a masterful job of mixing play action, power, zone, and deep shots. With a strong running game anchored by Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram, the Saints have called the 3rd lowest percentage of pass plays this season, making the play action calls that much more devastating. Pairing Drew Brees with that running game, along with Michael Thomas, has the league searching for answer that might be as simple as what’s always been true: stop the run.
DPOY – Aaron Donald (2nd Khalil Mack)
You have to go back to John Randle (15.5) in 1997 to find a true defensive tackle atop the sack leader board. Aaron Donald already has (16.5) more in 4 less games player. Not only is Donald going to lead the league in sacks this year (4 more than 2nd place), he has a legit chance of beating the passing the sack record (6.5 more sacks in 4 game). That doesn’t even take into account his 20 tackles for loss. The defending defensive player of the year has the inside track for his 2nd in a row, and depending on what happens in the last 4 games, could steal MVP votes from Jared Goff.
COY – Andy Reid (2nd Frank Reich)
Andy Reid took the 6th highest scoring offense in 2017 (25.9 pts/game) into the workshop and came out with a smooth humming machine that spits out points at will. Averaging 37 points a game, the Chiefs look as unstoppable as an offense has looked since Peyton Manning traded in his baby horses for some wild ones. While the change at quarterback was a leap way bigger than anyone could have imagined, it’s worth noting that Andy Reid traded up to draft Mahomes the same year Alex Smith had his greatest season. With a mix of traditional and new school play calling, the Chiefs have been able to consistently fill the point jar to the very brim. The craziest part is that the Chiefs rank in the bottom quarter in time of possession, along other great offenses such as the Vikings and Jets, but that’s only because the Chiefs score so efficiently and quickly that it doesn’t matter. This doesn’t help the defense of course, but as the 00’s Rams proved; a truly great offense is better than any defense.
OROY – Saquon Barkley (2nd Baker Mayfield, 3rd Philip Lindsay but it’s not even close)
Generally considered the “best” player in the draft, Saquon Barkley has lived up to the hype. 3rd in rushing yards, Barkley has emerged as a threat anytime he’s on the field. Averaging 4.9 yards/carry, Saquon is in the workhorse category shared by Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliott. While he’s lagging behind in carries, he makes those touches up in the passing game. Already at 74 catches, Saquon is almost on pace to match Matt Forte’s single season reception record (102) for running backs.
DROY – Leighton Vander Esch (2nd Derwin James)
The Thad Castle has gone better than anyone could have expected thus far, helping stabilize the Cowboys defense in Sean Lee’s absence. Vander Esch has been all over the field this season, showing his smooth movements and lateral speed in both the passing and running game. Already with 2 interceptions and 7 pass defensed, Vander Esch has not only been able to keep up with NFL tight ends but has outright become a weapon in the pass defense. Combine that with 102 tackles already this season, and Vander Esch looks to be a stalwart in the middle of a young and aggressive defense for years to come.
Comeback POY – Andrew Luck (no one is a close 2nd)
Back from the dead, Andrew Luck wasn’t even guaranteed that he’d play again. Luck tore his right labrum in 2015 and tried to play through it, finally opting for surgery in 2016. Unable to throw a real football for what felt like years, Luck was relegated to whispers and rumors, with a seemingly new story or quote about when he was coming back. That patience has paid off, however, with Luck reverting back to his MVP form from 2015. Already at 32 touchdowns, Luck has the Colts at .500 and contending for a wild card spot in a crowded AFC playoff picture. His offensive line deserves a lot of praise, seemingly being transformed from a turnstile pre-injury to a top 10 unit
Air POY – Jared Goff (2nd Philip Rivers)
Admittedly, it’s a little crazy to have Jared Goff win Air Player of the Year when I’ve already had Mahomes winning MVP and Brees winning OPOY. But it wouldn’t feel right if we didn’t recognize the year Jared Goff is having. After his lone Jeff Fisher season, a lot of analysts and pundits weren’t sure if Jared Goff was even good. Two years later, Goff has shown the arm strength and touch that made him the 1st overall pick in 2016. Goff is top 5 across the board for all significant passing stats this season, firmly cementing his place for the years to come.
Ground POY – Todd Gurley (2nd Ezekiel Elliott)
Todd Gurley has been the most consistent and effective running back this season, fantasy owners be damned. For the 2nd straight year, Gurley looks to be the leagues most complete back. Atop the leaders boards for rushing yards, yards/game, total yards from scrimmage, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns, Gurley would have to get injured at this point to actually lose the award. With Melvin Gordon done for at least the next couple weeks, Ezekiel Elliott is the only other back even close to Gurley. Gurley still has him beat in all counting stats, except touches, which helps Gurley’s case even more. Combine Gurley with Jared Goff, and you get an offense that scores 35 points a game.
