2022 NFL midseason awards: Eagles' Jalen Hurts is the MVP; Seahawks' Geno Smith is Comeback Player of Year
Our picks for the top accolades halfway through the schedule
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4 min read
Eight weeks through the 2022 NFL season, we're at roughly the halfway point of the regular-season schedule. Some teams look like no-nonsense contenders (see: Bills, Eagles), and others look desperate for a spark (see: Buccaneers, Packers). A lot can happen between now and the end of Week 18, but we've gotten a pretty good picture of which clubs are primed to make some noise when it matters. But what about the individuals driving the best teams of the first half?
We're glad you asked. Here are our picks for major NFL awards at midseason:
MVP: Jalen Hurts
2022 stats: 1,799 passing yards, 10 TDs, 2 INTs, 67% completion, 105.1 QB rating, 303 rushing yards, 6 TDs
You wouldn't be wrong to suggest Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow or longtime betting favorite Josh Allen, each of whom buoy the AFC's elite with big-play production. But Hurts, the Eagles quarterback, is the heart, soul and steady hand of the NFL's lone undefeated team. Previously an elite runner and so-so passer, he's looked like an entirely different animal in 2022, also emerging as an authoritative downfield thrower. Besides being a bulldozer on the ground (his six rushing TDs easily leads all QBs), he's been more accurate, more efficient and just as explosive as Allen and Mahomes, with fewer turnovers.
Coach of the Year: Brian Daboll
2022 stats: 6-2 record, No. 4 offense (rushing), No. 9 defense (PPG)
Nick Sirianni deserves props for getting the most out of everyone in his sophomore season in Philly, and both Kevin O'Connell (Vikings) and Pete Carroll (Seahawks) have cultivated similarly positive environments for sneaky NFC contenders. But most people expected the Giants to maybe sniff six wins on the season with their financially handicapped roster. Instead, Daboll has leaned into his players' strengths, milking Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley for all they're worth, while allowing his feisty personality to rub off on an overperforming defense. They may be spoilers rather than true contenders, but he's given all of New York more reason to anticipate 2023 lineup upgrades.
Offensive Player of the Year: Tyreek Hill
2022 stats: 69 catches, 961 yards, 2 TDs, 75% catch percentage
There are lots of candidates here: all the star QBs, plus Stefon Diggs, Cooper Kupp, Justin Jefferson and ground-game centerpieces Barkley and Nick Chubb. No one has had a greater impact on his team's offense, however, than the Dolphins' No. 1 wideout. Paired with Jaylen Waddle in Miami, Hill has headlined a historic duo with so much raw speed, mid-route agility and catch-point physicality that even regular underthrows from Tua Tagovailoa are not an issue. Tagovailoa is noticeably more confident airing it out with No. 10 at his disposal, and you can see why every time he's targeted.
Defensive Player of the Year: Micah Parsons
2022 stats: 36 tackles, 8 sacks, 8 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles, 1 TD
Za'Darius Smith has really come on for the upstart Vikings, now leading the NFL with 8.5 sacks. Maxx Crosby (Raiders), Nick Bosa (49ers), Matthew Judon (Patriots) and Von Miller (Bills) have all starred off the edge, too. But Parsons' impact goes beyond his numbers as the free-ranging missile on Dallas' vaunted defense. He does it all thanks to unmatched athleticism, and every team, every play, is required to reroute its plans according to where he's at on the field.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kenneth Walker III
Stats: 85 carries, 461 yards (5.4 per carry), 5 TDs
The Texans' Dameon Pierce is just outside the top 10 in rushing, and he's been the focal point of an otherwise dismal Texans offense. But Walker has done just as much, if not more, on 36 fewer carries. His combo of power and speed has him primed to be a workhorse for the surprising Seahawks down the stretch, if not take over for the injured Rashaad Penny long term. Another alternative: Saints wideout Chris Olave, who's on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards as the most reliable target for the banged-up Saints.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sauce Gardner
2022 stats: 37 tackles, 12 pass deflections, 1 INT, 3 tackles for loss
This one's not particularly close. Tariq Woolen has been a revelation for Seattle, pacing the NFL with four interceptions at cornerback, and Jack Jones has made plays in New England's secondary. But Gardner has lived up to the hype as a flashy shutdown cover man in New York, helping Robert Saleh's "D" turn a major corner. His takeaway total isn't gaudy, but his impact on opposing receivers has been notable, and he's been as good as anyone about batting balls that come in his direction.
Comeback Player of the Year: Geno Smith
2022 stats: 1,924 passing yards, 13 TDs, 3 INTs, 72.7% completion, 107.2 QB rating, 158 rushing yards, 1 TD
Barkley has returned to form as the central weapon of the surprisingly competitive Giants, amassing almost 1,000 yards from scrimmage, and Derrick Henry has looked like his bruising self for the Titans after an injury-shortened 2021. But Geno's unexpected rise from overlooked backup has given Seattle even more life than Russell Wilson offered in his final days running the show. Not only is he protecting the ball as the NFL's most accurate starter to date (!), but the former Jets flop is moving, extending and creating plays with the kind of poise found in franchise signal-callers, leading the Seahawks' NFC West bid.
