By Marvin Moore August 3, 2023
With the 2023 NFL season just around the corner, it’s time to predict who will win some of the league’s most prestigious individual awards. Although a pair of quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, are the favorites to win the Most Valuable Player Award, an array of offensive and defensive standouts will compete for a variety of league trophies.
Mahomes is the reigning league Most Valuable Player and will be gunning for his third MVP award. The five-time Pro Bowler is only 27 but already has two Super Bowl titles. Burrow won the Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2021 after rebounding from a season-ending knee injury. The top overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft has led the Cincinnati Bengals to back-to-back AFC Championship games and is primed to win his first Super Bowl this upcoming season.
Let’s take a look at our picks to win the NFL’s top prizes in 2023:
Most Valuable Player: Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
The 2019 Heisman Trophy winner has reached the AFC title game in the last two seasons, a remarkable feat for a three-year veteran whose rookie season ended prematurely due to a torn ACL and MCL. Burrow is 3-1 in four games against Mahomes and has a distinct advantage with two stud receivers in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The 26-year-old will become the league’s highest-paid player before this year’s season-opener, and the Bengals pose the biggest threat to the Kansas City Chiefs’ hopes of repeating as Super Bowl champions.
Offensive Player of the Year: Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
The reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year tallied 83 receptions for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns despite catching passes from Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, Mike White, and Chris Streveler. This season the former Ohio State product will partner with four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers, who targeted All-Pro receiver Davante Adams 614 times over their last four seasons together. The Jets have a solid running game and a stout defense that will provide the Rogers-to-Wilson connection with a ton of big-play opportunities. Pencil in Wilson for 100+ catches as the go-to guy for the future Hall of Fame quarterback.
Defensive Player of the Year: Micah Parsons, DE, Dallas Cowboys
The 2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has bulked up to 255 pounds this season and is eyeing his first Defensive Player of the Year Award. The third-year pass rusher has 26.5 career sacks and has established himself as one of the best defensive players in the game. Parsons is transitioning from linebacker to defensive end this season, and the 24-year-old has made no secret of his desire to lead the
league in sacks this season. The two-time All-Pro is on a mission to bring a Super Bowl title to Dallas for the first time in 27 years.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
This year’s top overall pick has already been tabbed as the Panthers’ Week 1 starting quarterback. A two-year starter at Alabama, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner posted a 23-4 record with the Crimson Tide while throwing for 8,356 yards, 80 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The Panthers added free agent running back Miles Sanders and drafted Ole Miss wideout Jonathan Mingo in the second round. Young possesses a championship pedigree and will have enough offensive weapons to make Carolina competitive in a weak NFC South.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans
The second overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Anderson will switch from linebacker to defensive end for his maiden NFL season. The two-time Unanimous All-American finished his collegiate career at Alabama with 34.5 sacks and 58.5 tackles for loss. The 21-year-old has been impressive during training camp with a relentless motor and a physical mindset. The Texans have high expectations for Anderson, and the two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year is primed to deliver a record-setting rookie campaign.
Comeback Player of the Year: Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos
One of the greatest dual-threat quarterbacks in league history, the “haters” were brutal last year as Wilson suffered through a dismal campaign during his first season in Denver. The nine-time Pro Bowler will look to rebound with new head coach Sean Payton taking over for an incompetent Nathaniel Hackett. The 34-year-old tossed a career-high 40 touchdowns in 2020 and should thrive this season with one of the league’s top offensive minds drawing up the plays for the Broncos.
NFL Coach of the Year: Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
Payton is an offensive guru who takes over a Denver squad with a solid defense, a future Hall of Fame quarterback, and a dynamic wide receiver corp. The 59-year-old has won 161 career games, including nine playoff victories. The Broncos compete in a rugged AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, but Payton will rebuild Denver into an annual playoff squad.
