Way-Too-Early 2021 NFL Awards Predictions

 With the start of the new NFL season officially under a month away and preseason beginning, we figured it would be a good time to release our 'Way Too Early' awards predictions for the 2021 season. This will be something to look back on and see how we did at the end of the year. We will also give a runner up and a third place for each award. We will start small and work our way up to MVP.

Coach of the Year

3. Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
Coach of the year might honestly be the hardest award to predict because it usually doesn't even go to the coach of the best team in football. Sean Payton is usually in the running year in and year out due to his wild success with the Saints but I think he gets an especially good chance at the award in 2021 because I think even with all the roster change, the Saints will be a playoff team. Payton gets a ton of the credit.

2. Ron Rivera, Washington Football Team
A previous winner of the award, Rivera I think has an amazing shot at winning his second coach of the year award. His second year on the job for Washington will be even more impressive (somehow) than last season. I see the Football Team winning the East again with over 10 or 11 wins and hosting another playoff game. Rivera gets a ton of credit for building up this roster to quickly go from trash to a contender in just 1-2 years since he got the job.

The Winner: Brandon Staley, Los Angeles Chargers
Coach of the year seems to often go to a first year head coach who leads his new team to the playoffs. That is exactly what will happen with Staley and the Chargers. Not only do I see a breakout year coming for the Chargers, but I think they have a chance to go to the AFC title game or even the Super Bowl. Staley is a defensive mastermind and will be a huge piece in revamping this defense but I think he will also oversee the Chargers offense becoming one of the very best in the league. Staley wins the award with flying colors.

Comeback Player of the Year

3. Derwin James, Safety, Los Angeles Chargers
I'm going to be quick on these third place finishers. After an amazing rookie season that instantly put James in the elite tier of safeties, we have not really seen him for the last 2 seasons since due to injury. Finally healthy again and on a breakout ready Chargers defense, I anticipate a massive season from James.

2. Nick Bosa, Edge Rusher, San Fransisco 49ers
After winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2019, the hype train was crazy for Bosa heading into 2020 but it was derailed quickly as Bosa tore his ACL within the first few series' of 2020. He is healthy coming into 2021 and is going to be hungry. The Niners were ravaged by injury in 2020 and will be a hungry squad overall. Bosa is going to go off and will give voters a tough choice for this award.

The Winner: Dak Prescott, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
This one isn't too tough to see coming. Prescott is one of the games young elite QBs and is coming off a gruesome injury. He was on pace to shatter yardage records and was definitely in the NFL MVP race before going down. All eyes will be on him in Dallas and if he continues to play how he did pre-injury, this award is his to lose. 

Offensive Rookie of the Year

3. Trey Lance, Quarterback, San Fransisco 49ers
A few weeks ago, I would not have had Lance in the top 3 for this award, but as of now, he's pushing for even higher. Early reports have been consistent in the fact that Lance has been tearing it up in 49ers training camp. Kyle Shanahan has been clear that Lance will not start week 1 but if he continues to impress like he has, that might not be the case when it actually comes down to it in a few weeks. Regardless, Lance is likely to start at some point this season and if what we have heard is true, Lance will be a problem.

2. Najee Harris, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
Generally a QBs or RBs award, Harris is easily in the thick of the race for the award. He is one of the better RB prospects coming into the league in awhile and the Steelers have a plan to have him very much involved. Right out of the gate we should see Harris pushing 20 touches a game minimum. His talent in the receiving game as well puts him in an amazing spot to dominate in year 1.

The Winner: Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars
You have to be crazy not to have Lawrence as the top dog in the race before the season. If things seem quiet on the Lawrence-front it's because everyone knows what we are getting with him. No one is going to be surprised to see him balling out at camp. Lawrence is such a sure thing that it isn't a topic to discuss. A guaranteed week 1 starter, Lawrence is likely to play all 17 games for the Jags this season and we have little reason to believe he won't be incredible. Like Prescott, this is Lawrence's award to lose.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

3. Jayson "Odafe" Oweh, Edge Rusher, Baltimore Ravens
With this year's defensive rookie class being the opposite of top heavy unlike recent years, the predicted candidates for DROY are all over the place. For our personal pick of third place, we love Odafe Oweh who was a late first round pick to the Ravens. He didn't have the production of most first round edge rushers in college, but he is an athletic freak and has a ton of untapped potential that the Ravens should be able to squeeze out of him. His unreal speed off the edge coupled with his size should make him a problem at the next level and he could have a ton of sacks right out of the gate.

2. Jamin Davis, Linebacker, Washington Football Team
Seemingly the odds on favorite to take home this award, Jamin Davis has a really nice path to success from day 1. The Washington Football Team may have the best defensive line in football which is a huge boon for Davis. He will be right there to clean up their work and tackle short passes that are forced from opposing QBs. He is the most likely rookie to have over 100 tackles right away in year 1. Davis is going to have a similar year 1 impact and statsheet as recent DROY winner Darius Leonard.

The Winner: Jaelan Phillips, Edge Rusher, Miami Dolphins
My stance on DROY hasn't changed since the draft. Dolphins mid first round pick Jaelan Phillips still seems like the heavy favorite to me. He would have been the first defensive player off the board if not for injury concern heading into the draft but when he's on the field, he simply dominates. Phillips joins an elite defense that he will feed off of and I think he could have 10+ sacks as a rookie, catapulting him to this award.

Offensive Player of the Year

3. Derrick Henry, Running Back, Tennessee Titans
The reigning winner of this award comes in 3rd this year. Recency bias is definitely a thing and with Henry winning this award in 2020, it lowers his chances of winning it twice in a row. Still, even with the addition of Julio Jones, expect another crazy season from Derrick Henry. One of the most consistent players in the game, Henry will probably have 300+ touches and maybe another 2000 yards. He is certainly making his case for Canton and if he has another 2000+ season, his spot could be locked up in the Hall.

2. Travis Kelce, Tight End, Kansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce continues to break records and change the way we think of the Tight End position. Already probably the best to ever play the position, Kelce is going to be hungry again this year to do another thing a Tight End has never before...win OPOY. No TE has ever won the prestigious award but we think Kelce has a crazy good chance to do it this season. His consistency has been just crazy and his rapport with Pat Mahomes continues to get better. Do we see another 1400+ receiving yard season from Kelce. If he can get over 100 catches and 1500 yards, he could be a shoe in for the award. Travis Kelce is simply just different.

The Winner: Alvin Kamara, Running Back, New Orleans Saints
This could come as a shock to some, but we have Kamara winning OPOY. With so much turnover on the Saints roster, Kamara seems to be pretty much the only constant. Former OPOY winner teammate Michael Thomas is dealing with injury and now seems to have some kind of beef with the Saints organization. Kamara is going to touch the rock almost more than the QB. He is going to get all the carries and probably even be the team's top receiving threat with the murky Michael Thomas situation. Kamara is going to push for 2000+ yards and 20+ TDs. He is gearing up for the potential best season of his career.

Defensive Player of the Year

3. Jamal Adams, Safety, Seattle Seahawks
The third place vote getter may surprise some people, but if Jamal Adams stays healthy and can play like he did when he was last season, he should be here. In just 12 games last season, Adams had a whopping 9.5 sacks from the Safety position. Most sacks in a single season by a DB ever. And it only took him 12 games. He has a chance to play 17 this year. His numbers could be unlike anything we've ever seen. Adams wasn't bad in coverage but he certainly has room for improvement and we expect him to improve there as well with health. Especially if he's fresh off a big contract extension, he's going to want to prove his worth.

2. Myles Garrett, Edge Rusher, Cleveland Browns
It was a toss up for me, but I ultimately have Garrett coming in second for DPOY. I wanted to give it to him badly but I leaned the other way this time. Garrett has been nothing but elite ever since being drafted no. 1 by the Browns. Injury and suspension at times have had him off the field, but when healthy there is no denying Garrett. Garrett had 12 sacks last year and will probably have even more this year due to progression and the help of Jadeveon Clowney joining him off the other edge. It is going to be hard to deny Garrett of this award there is just one player I see outdoing him...

The Winner: TJ Watt, Edge Rusher, Pittsburgh Steelers
I anticipate Watt FINALLY gets his well deserved DPOY. I still get confused when I realize he didn't win DPOY last season. He was just so unblock-able and had so many sacks and somehow still lost the award almost purely off name value to Aaron Donald just because he's freaking Aaron Donald. Watt losing the award is essentially the same thing as giving Brady or Mahomes every MVP just because of who they are, regardless if somehow happened to outplay them that year. Watt has improved in the sacks area each year of his career and hit a massive 15 sacks last year along with 2 forced fumbles. If he keeps going like he has been, he might increase those numbers even more this season. It's Watt's award to win and he deserves it.

MVP

3. Josh Allen, Quarterback, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen came out of nowhere last season and became one of the league's best QBs. Literally one off-season was all it took. Allen was probably not a top 15 QB heading into the off-season and started week 1 of 2020 with a bang and never looked back. Allen finished second in MVP voting last season off the heels of his incredible breakout. The big armed, big bodied, elusive running passer lead the Bills to the AFC title game. This season, Allen and the Bills want to make it a step further. I think Allen will be right in the thick of the race the entire season and there probably will be an argument that could be made at the end of him to win it but ultimately I see two slightly better candidates.

2. Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback, Kansas City Chiefs
Every year that Mahomes is healthy, he's going to be in the MVP conversation. His numbers are always there. The highlight plays are always there. The wins are always there. Just like Tom Brady and from another sport prospective (LeBron or MJ), there can be a case for Mahomes to win MVP every year. The league simply just won't have him win it every year. Let's be honest, Mahomes definitely has another 2 or more MVPs coming at some point in his career, but I'm not going to be like everyone else and predict him to win it. That's again, like just putting in a Brady or MJ or LeBron to win it. It could happen easily, but I'm going a different way...to a player that has never won the award.

The Winner: Russell Wilson, Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks
The last two seasons, Wilson has flirted with MVP for the first half of the season and then completely fallen out of the race in the second half. Third time is a charm for Wilson here. The Seahawks had a really good off-season for Wilson. They brought in a super innovative new OC in Shane Waldron from the Rams. They got him some more playmakers (Everett and Eskridge) and some more blocking (Gabe Jackson). Wilson has quite possibly the best receiving core he's ever had, the best o-line he's ever had, and the best offensive play calling he's ever had. The Seahawks are going to be good once again and Wilson is gearing up for his best year yet. We know he's frustrated and wants to win. He's going to be hot this season and keep it up past 8 weeks. Wilson will finally get his MVP!