We’re back! It’s been a wild NFL season, so it is time to take a step back and hand out NFL Awards through Week 12. Obviously, the home stretch of games will have a big impact on these awards, but here is how I’d vote for them if the season ended today.

MVP – Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs

There are quite a few QBs worthy of MVP discussion, but so far this year Mahomes has been just a cut above the rest. Among QBs, he is first in passing yards, first in passing TDs, first in PFF Grade, and second in EPA per play. Despite losing OPOY candidate Tyreek Hill this offseason, the Chiefs comfortably have the league’s most efficient offense and Mahomes is the driving factor behind it. Kansas City are in line to again be the #1 seed in the AFC, and it wouldn’t feel right giving this award to anyone but Mahomes at the moment.

Honorable Mentions: Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa

OPOY – Tyreek Hill, WR, Dolphins

This award has pretty much become a “best non-QB offensive player” award, and Hill is my current selection. It felt bad leaving Justin Jefferson’s name off, but both players have plenty of time to prove their case over the rest of the season. I give the slight edge to Tyreek because of the way he has transformed Miami’s offense into one of the best in the NFL. He has won in so many different ways this season: Screens, slants, outs, go balls, contested catches. You name it, he has done it. He has been so good, Tua is in the MVP conversation and Miami is in the 1 seed conversation. Coach Mike McDaniel deserves plenty of credit for finding ways to use Hill and the rest of his weapons, but without Tyreek it is hard to see how Miami would be where they are in the AFC picture.

Honorable Mentions: Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs, Travis Kelce, Nick Chubb

DPOY: Micah Parsons, Game-Wrecker, Cowboys

Micah Parsons might be the best defensive player I’ve ever seen. He does things off the edge that I have never seen before. This was on full display on Thanksgiving. Giants LT Andrew Thomas was PFF’s highest graded Tackle this season. Parsons dominated him for 2 sacks. On the year, Micah has 12 sacks (2nd in the NFL), 3 forced fumbles (Tied 1st), and 13 TFLs (Tied 4th). Parsons leads a defense that is 1st in pressure percentage, 1st in sack percentage, and 1st in total sacks. There are other players having great seasons, but the impact Parsons has on the game makes him the leader in the clubhouse for me.

Honorable Mentions: Chris Jones, Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, Matt Judon

OROY: Chris Olave, WR, Saints

Per betting odds, Ken Walker is the clear favorite to win this award. Walker has been explosive (albeit a very boom or bust runner from play-to-play) and I would not have an issue with him winning, but my pick would be Olave. I was not the biggest Chris Olave fan coming out this year, but he has surpassed my expectations for him. He still wins the same ways he won at Ohio State. He is not gonna break tackles and be a huge YAC guy but the dude is fast and is always open. He runs every route in the tree well and has great hands. New Orleans really does not have any other weapons in the passing game and has rotated between three QBs this season. Olave has produced with all of them. His 822 receiving yards are 10th in the entire NFL and first among rookies. His 83.6 PFF grade also leads all rookie WRs. I do not like where the Saints organization is heading, but Olave will be a very good WR in this league for a long time.

Honorable Mentions: Ken Walker, Garrett Wilson, Dameon Pierce

DROY: Sauce Gardner, CB, Jets

I don’t need to explain this one too much. If you have watched Sauce this year, you know. As Jason Kelce put it: If you built a prototype Corner in a lab, he would probably look very similar to Sauce Gardner. Gardner has matched up with teams’ #1 WRs throughout the season and won most of the matchups. He is PFF’s #1 rated CB in the entire NFL this year. Not first among rookies, first among all Corners. This award should not be a debate, the only debate should be if Sauce is an All-Pro as a rookie.

Honorable Mentions: Aidan Hutchinson, Tariq Woolen, Kayvon Thibodeaux

COTY: Mike McDaniel, HC, Dolphins

This award is probably the most wide open of them all. Nick Sirianni is the Vegas favorite and for good reason. Hurts is playing great ball and they have the best record in the league. He deserves a lot of credit, but Howie Roseman also deserves a lot of that credit for building the most complete roster in the league. To me, Mike McDaniel has been the most impactful coach in football this year. The Dolphins do not have a good defense, they do not have a good OL, they have RBs they found on the street that other teams did not want, they have a QB that was already labeled a bust by many. And they are 8-3 with a top 5 offense in the NFL. McDaniel has changed both the culture of a broken locker room filled with scandals and lawsuits and changed the entire scheme that has Tua playing like a top 5 QB in the league. McDaniel uses his chess pieces better than any offensive coach in the league and does not need Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen to do it. He deserves this award.

1st Team All Pro

Offense

• QB: Patrick Mahomes
• RB: Nick Chubb
• WR: Tyreek Hill, Justin Jefferson, Stefon Diggs
• TE: Travis Kelce
• LT: Trent Williams
• LG: Joel Bitonio
• C: Jason Kelce
• RG: Chris Lindstrom
• RT: Tristan Wirfs

Defense

• EDGE: Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa
• DT: Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence
• LB: Fred Warner, Tremaine Edmunds
• CB: Sauce Gardner, Pat Surtain II, L’Jarius Sneed
• S: Derwin James, CJ Gardner-Johnson

Special Teams

• K: Justin Tucker
• P: Ryan Stonehouse
• KR: Kene Nwangwu
• PR: Marcus Jones