The April edition of crazy predictions featured one per division. The May edition of crazy predictions featured one per team. This edition will feature some award predictions.
MVP: Andrew Luck
With Luck, he has been near the top of MVP discussions in years that he has been healthy. In 2019, he requires a 16-game slate with the Colts winning 12, maybe 13 games on the season. Luck has plenty of weapons at his disposal with the likes of TY Hilton, Eric Ebron, Devin Funchess, Marlon Mack, and Nyheim Hines, but it is up to Luck to put all of the pieces together and churn out between 35 and 40 touchdowns and win the MVP.
Darkhorse: A non-QB
All 32 quarterbacks have a reasonably simple path to winning the MVP. While it is much easier for the likes of Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Matt Ryan, and other quarterbacks of that tier, any of the 32 starters has an argument of being the most valuable player in the league if their team is the best team in the league.
For example, you’d be hard-pressed to find many people who predicted Mahomes would win MVP last season, but the situation was ripe for the taking as the Chiefs finished with the best record in the AFC and Mahomes posted an elite stat line. 50 touchdowns really help though.
MVP, with the exception of Adrian Peterson in 2012, has devolved into the award of the best quarterback on the best team. It is incredibly difficult for any non-quarterback to come anywhere close in most MVP races as the quarterback impacts the play on nearly every snap while the running back has a limited time to make progress in a game. Even the most unlikely of quarterbacks to win MVP still have more feasible arguments than players such as Aaron Donald, Ezekiel Elliott, or Saquon Barkley.
Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey
McCaffrey has been one of if not the single most impactful offensive player for his team over the last two seasons. In 2019, there is little doubt that McCaffrey‘s two-way play as a runner and receiver will continue to grow, and he could assert himself as the best running back in football. He will have the statistical fortitude to compete for offensive player of the year, but if the Panthers return to form, McCaffrey could find a serious argument as the best offensive player in the NFL in 2019.
Darkhorse: Tarik Cohen
This one is a little out there. For Cohen to win Offensive Player of the Year, he would be required to have a dominant campaign between the tackles as a runner and a dominant campaign as a receiving threat out of the backfield.
Cohen would have to break 2,000 yards from scrimmage and would probably have to approach the current record of 2,509 held by Chris Johnson. It would also help if Cohen had a dominant year as a returner, although his stats wouldn’t impact his candidacy, it would just improve the media hype surrounding the diminutive running back out of North Carolina A&T.
Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald
Rinse, wash, repeat. Donald is clearly the best defensive player and football and the best overall player in football. Donald impacts a game like no other in the passing game while being rather average against the run. Donald recorded 20.5 sacks in 2018, rivaling the best numbers from anyone across the history of the NFL, and this came from the interior of the defensive line. Donald is certainly capable of registering another 20 sack season and Michael Strahan’s record of 22.5 may be flattened in the wake of Aaron Donald.
Darkhorse: Chris Jones
Chris Jones, similar to Aaron Donald, enjoyed a dominant 2018 season. While he was overshadowed by other members of the Kansas City defense, both good and bad, Jones engineered his breakout campaign of 15.5 sacks and put himself in the discussion as a top-five defensive tackle in the league alongside Donald, Fletcher Cox, and Akiem Hicks.
Jones will not replicate the shock value of what he did in 2018, but the Chiefs will have better personnel around him and he could dominate statistically yet again.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Josh Jacobs
Really the cop-out selection here, Jacobs projects to be a first option for the Raiders in terms of running the football. If the Raiders experience any sort of ground success, it probably comes through the hands or rather the legs of the former Alabama running back.
Jacobs presents a high upside and will certainly be on the field early due to his presence as a first-round pick. If Oakland isn’t bad, or if Oakland just gives Jacobs enough opportunities to shine, Jacobs might run away with the OROY in a similar fashion to 2018 Saquon Barkley.
Darkhorse: N’Keal Harry
It is incredibly difficult for a player to shine in the Belichick system, however, N’Keal Harry might be the most talented young receiver the Patriots have had in the Tom Brady era.
While Brady might experience statistical regression, which would enhance the running game, Harry might be the No. 1 outside option for the Patriots during the season. With the loss of Gronkowski and the aging of Julian Edelman, Harry should have ample targets during his first season in Foxboro, which may be enough to secure an Offensive Rookie of the Year award victory.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Nick Bosa
Nick Bosa probably could have been on any defensive line in football last season. However, he had to play one more year at Ohio State in which he subsequently played just one month before ending it prematurely based on injury. Bosa has a high enough floor in the NFL, but he might be an elite-level pass rusher right out of the gate. While Bosa doesn’t project to reach the heights of Von Miller, J.J. Watt, or Khalil Mack, Bosa should have a floor of double-digit sacks, which could handily give him the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Darkhorse: Devin Bush
Bush faces an uphill challenge as a linebacker, but a linebacker did win the defensive rookie of the year last year with Darius Leonard. Bush, the heir apparent to Ryan Shazier, looks to solidify the linebacking position for the Steelers in 2019.
The former Michigan Wolverine should be electric in stuffing the stat sheet as a linebacker and make eye-popping plays all across the field throughout his rookie season. He has a solid chance of being named Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Contrary to the first two installations of the crazy predictions, these have a reasonable chance of happening.
Please check back come January and February to add these to the worst predictions in the history of sports.
