Every year the NFL honors the elite players of the league with its annual awards. Thanks to the level of speculation as to who will win the major accolades, you can make futures bets on most of them.
Below we take a look at who we think will win the awards this season as well as a long-shot candidate who could bring you a lot of money if he has the kind of season in which he is capable.
Note: All betting odds come from BetMGM Sportsbook.
NFL Most Valuable Player
Best Bet
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (+600)
When do you ever get 6:1 odds in anything related to Mahomes? He’s the gold standard in the NFL, and the NFL isn’t shy about letting a transcendent talent win back-to-back years.
Underdog Gamble
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers (+8000)
MVP typically goes to a quarterback, but what McCaffrey is capable of in this offense is immense. If his 2022 numbers were extrapolated over a full season, he would rush for 1,153 yards, catch 80 passes for 717 yards and score 15 touchdowns – bona fide MVP numbers.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Best Bet
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons (+250)
At a time when running backs are being devalued, the Falcons stepped up and paid up, using the eighth pick of the draft to land the Texas star. Atlanta rushed for 160 yards a game with lesser talent last year, so there’s no telling how many yards they’ll gain this season.
Underdog Gamble
Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings (+1600)
When the Vikings traded Stefon Diggs, they wasted no time in drafting Justin Jefferson, and we know how that has turned out. They released veteran Adam Thielen in the offseason and used their first-round pick on Addison. An elite route runner, he could catch 80 or more passes opposite Jefferson.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Best Bet
Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans (+400)
The third pick of the draft, a claim can be made he should have been taken first. More than a decade after Texans rookie J.J. Watt burst on the scene as an elite pass rusher who does a lot of things right, Anderson will make an immediate impact as Houston strikes gold again.
Underdog Gamble
Emmanuel Forbes, Washington Commanders (+1600)
A cornerback with explosive speed (4.35 in the 40), he holds the NCAA record for Pick-6 touchdowns with six. He has great instincts and will get his share of interceptions. Thanks to all the national attention the NFC East gets, a lot of eyes will be on him
Offensive Player of the Year
Best Bet
Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins (+1800)
Quarterbacks almost always win the MVP, so this award is effectively the non-QB MVP. Hill isn’t the favorite (he’s fourth in the rankings), but his explosiveness is so pronounced that he could approach 2,000 receiving yards in Miami’s offense.
Underdog Gamble
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans (+4000)
Running backs have been the story of the offseason, so it would be fitting if Henry wins this award. If he gets close to 2,000 yards, it will be hard not to make him a front-runner, and he is very capable of being the first back to rush for 2,000 yards a second time.
Defensive Player of the Year
Best Bet
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (+450)
It’s not exaggerating that Parsons may be the best young defender since Lawrence Taylor. The Cowboys are letting him play full time at defensive end, and his sack total could be staggering. In just his third season, he is already at the front of the line in terms of being the best defender in the NFL.
Underdog Gamble
Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers (+3500)
Injuries have dogged Bosa the last few seasons (he hasn’t played every game since 2019), which explains why his number is so high. The Chargers defense is built around getting Bosa in space and hunting quarterbacks. With four double-digit sack seasons in his career, if he stays healthy he could have 15 or more sacks this time around.
Coach of the Year
Best Bet
Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions (+800)
In the first 24 games of his coaching career, Campbell had a record of 4-19-1. In the final 10 games of 2022, Detroit went 8-2 and came within an eyelash of the playoffs. This year they win an admittedly weak NFC North and win their first division title since 1993 – when they played in the NFC Central.
Underdog Gamble
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins (+2000)
It’s hard to get noticed when you’re in a division with Bill Belichick, a Super Bowl contending Buffalo team, and the new-look New York Jets, who have gone all-in this season with the signing of Aaron Rodgers. With an explosive offense and an aggressive young defense, Miami has what it takes to be a dominating team capable of a playoff run.
Comeback Player of the Year
Best Bet
Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills (NL)
Considering Hamlin was technically dead for more than a minute last season, if he can merely return to the field, he is deserving of this award. The NFL isn’t sentimental very often, but this would be one for the books.
Underdog Gamble
Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Between mental health issues and a suspension for sports gambling, the odds against Ridley reclaiming his career seemed dim a year ago at this time. With a new outlook in Jacksonville, Ridley appears primed for a huge return after almost two years away from the game.
Conference Winners
Philadelphia Eagles (+300) and Buffalo Bills (+500)
It’s difficult to repeat in the NFL, but the Eagles have improved on a team that had the third-ranked offense and second-ranked defense last season. Armed with two first-round picks, the Eagles again went to Georgia to get defensive linemen (Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith) to mix in with 2022 first-rounder Jordan Davis.
The AFC has been a gauntlet for the last few seasons and a case can be made for the Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens to be the pick here, but the Bills have built a team for a Super Bowl run. The key will be to lock down the No. 1 seed and eliminate the potential of going to Kansas City (again). They’ve won at least one playoff game each of the last three seasons, and this should be the year they get over the hump.
Super Bowl Winner
Philadelphia Eagles (+800)
The Eagles dominated their way to the Super Bowl last year, outscoring their two opponents 69-14. If not for a critical fumble-turned-touchdown by Jalen Hurts as the Eagles looked to increase a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter, Philly had a chance to blow out the Chiefs instead of losing 38-35.
There is no team in the league that is as complete on offense and defense as the Eagles. If one side of the ball struggles, the other is there to pick them up. If they can play turnover-free football, they’re very difficult to beat and will win their second Super Bowl in six years.
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