Sportsnaut
The 2025 NFL season is closing in and there is a lot of excitement for what’s to come. While the majority of focus is on team success, players will be the sources of a lot of the biggest storylines this season. From the class of top rookies to the best offensive and defensive players in the league, there are a lot of individual awards up for grabs this fall.
Let’s dive into our preliminary NFL Award predictions for the upcoming season, including the first-ever Protector of the Year, which is awarded to the best offensive lineman.
We’re leading off our NFL award predictions by highlighting one of the favorites: Ashton Jeanty, who holds the best odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Las Vegas Raiders running back will be the centerpiece of an offense orchestrated by Chip Kelly, a maestro at drawing up an effective ground game. Jeanty is expected to carry a sizable workload, projected to surpass 1,100 scrimmage yards with double-digit touchdowns. Those numbers, especially as a rookie, should make him the clear frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Related: Ashton Jeanty’s Preparation as a Rookie Compared to NFL Star
We’re taking the “chalk” picks for both Rookie of the Year honors. New York Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter is already impressing in his first NFL training camp, reminiscent of Jared Verse last season. Carter is also in a phenomenal situation. Offensive lines will be so focused on containing Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns that Carter will often get matchups on an island or come around the edge unblocked. There’s at least a chance Carter could become the first rookie since Micah Parsons to record double-digit sacks, but we’re more inclined to believe he’ll match Aidan Hutchinson’s rookie mark of 9.5 sacks.
Related: NFL Rookie of the Year Candidates 2025
There’s a very compelling case for Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson to win Comeback Player of the Year. Ironically, he shares co-favorite status with the quarterback he sacked when suffering a fractured tibia and fibula. Right now, our pick is Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Keep in mind that Eric Berry is the only defensive player to win Comeback Player of the Year since 2008, and he was returning from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In the last 17 years, quarterbacks have won the award 13 times. Returning from a season-ending hamstring tendon tear, Prescott is expected to deliver 30-plus touchdowns and lead the Cowboys into playoff contention to earn CPOY.
Related: Dallas Cowboys Schedule Predictions 2025, Game by Game Picks
We typically wouldn’t pick the person with the highest Coach of the Year odds to win, but there’s a reason why Mike Vrabel is the obvious choice. The New England Patriots have won just eight...
