The 2023 NFL season was perhaps the worst season in all 123 years of the National Football League. Almost half of the league's starting QB's were out for the season before Week 10 even began. Perhaps the biggest storyline in the league headed into last year was Aaron Rodgers reviving the New York Jets franchise. That lasted four plays.
Last year was so atrocious that nobody deserved to win NFL MVP, maybe Christian McCaffrey, maybe Tyreek Hill, but certainly not Lamar Jackson. The NFL should change the MVP award to the best QB award, a QB has won the award every year since Vikings RB Adrian Peterson in 2012. Lamar did not have an MVP-type season at all, and to top it off, of course the Kansas City Chiefs win another Super Bowl. Yuck. Let's rewind and start from scratch! Cheers to a healthy, fun, and exciting season.
What are your NFL Season Predictions looking like?
NFL Season Predictions
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Prediction: Jared Goff, QB. - Detroit Lions (+2500)
Every year, I either pick Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or Joe Burrow to win the MVP award. This year, I had to change it up. Although I am very high on Joe Burrow's value, I believe Jared Goff is going to explode this year. He has gotten better and better each year with the Lions, but this is the year it all comes together. A stout offensive line, Amon Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and Co. is the formula for success. The Lions shocked people by making it to the NFC Championship game and nearly winning it, now they are a Super Bowl favorite. Big year coming up for Detroit.
Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY)
Prediction: CeeDee Lamb, WR. - Dallas Cowboys (+1100)
Throughout his career, Lamb has generally started out slow then explodes mid-way through the season. Lamb will explode starting Week 1 this year. Last year, CeeDee Lamb had 181 targets and caught 135 of those for 1,749 yards and 12 TD's in 17 games. Numbers like that will earn you the four-year $136 million contract Lamb just signed last week. 2,000 yards and 15 TD's for CeeDee this year is not out of the question.
Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY)
Prediction: Maxx Crosby, DE. - Las Vegas Raiders (+850)
Crosby was a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year last year, this year he will make sure he gets that hardware. His relentless play has earned himself respect all over the league, with some peers calling him the best defensive end in football. The 6-5 255 pound D-End racked up 90 tackles and 14.5 sacks last year, good enough for sixth in the league. His numbers have gone up each and every year. The Raiders added Christian Wilkins from Miami via free agency to the mix with Crosby which means less bodies doubling #99. Crosby will take advantage of that in a huge way.
Offensive Rookie of the Year (OROY)
Prediction: Marvin Harrison Jr, WR. - Arizona Cardinals (+650)
The value of Harrison Jr at (+650) is hard to pass up. By far the best WR coming out of college, Harrison Jr will make a name for himself immediately. He is the perfect target for QB Kyler Murray, this duo will be rock solid. I'm not sure Harrison Jr will have the rookie seasons Ja'Marr Chase and Puka Nakua had but it will be up there.
Caleb Williams is the favorite at (+120) but I am not sold on that value. There is a great chance Caleb has a rocky rookie season, it doesn't take much for the odds to change.
Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY)
Prediction: Jared Verse, DE. - Los Angeles Rams (+700)
With Aaron Donald retiring this past offseason, the Rams had to make moves on the defensive line as soon as they could. They nailed the opportunity the draft a replacement. Arguably the best D-End in College Football for a top 5 team, Verse recorded 41 tackles and 9 sacks in 12 games played last year. The Rams have done a fabulous job drafting their 2021 Super Bowl Champion replacements. The Rams lost nearly their entire Super Bowl winning D-Line after winning in 2021. Over the years they've drafted Kobe Turner, Braden Fiske, and now Jared Verse. The LA front line will be a force to be reckoned with over the coming years.
Comeback Player of the Year
Prediction: Joe Burrow, QB. - Cincinnati Bengals (+250)
Sadly, this award is a huge toss-up because of so many injuries last year. You could make a strong arguement for a lot of players, there are 5-6 players who have a legit chance. Those players are Aaron Rodgers, Joe Burrow, Kirk Cousins (+430), Anthony Richardson (+750), Nick Chubb (+1500), and Daniel Jones (+1800). All are coming back from early season ending injuries.
With this award having so many potential recipients, it will now come down to who simply has the best season and stats. While Aaron Rodgers is the favorite at (+175), he is 40 years old coming off a ruptured achilles tendown. Kirk Cousins is nearly in the same boat. It is not a given that he comes back as the same old Aaron Rodgers we all know. If you don't bet on Joe Burrow, my second best bet would be Anthony Richardson at (+750).
Burrow and the Bengals have the best chance out of anyone on this list to have a successful season. Burrow is out to remind people who he is, a top 2 QB in the league when healthy. This would be Burrow's second comeback player of the year trophy, hopefully he stays healthy and won't be a finalist for this award ever again.
Coach of the Year
Prediction: Raheem Morris, Atlanta Falcons. (+1200)
The Atlanta Falcons have been looking for a head coach since 2017 (If we're being honest). Arthur Smith was not what Falcons fans were hoping for, as a football fan, it was frustrating to watch Smith not play star rookie Bijan Robinson last year. The team fits under Raheem Morris much better than Smith, the culture change will be noticable quickly. The Falcons have done a great job improving the team this offseason, adding Justin Simmons, Kirk Cousins, Matt Judon, Rondale Moore, Darnell Mooney and more. As usual, the season result depends on the health of the QB. Many people think Atlanta made a mistake drafting QB Michael Penix with the 8th pick in this year's draft, but they needed and wanted insurance behind Kirk Cousins. The Falcons solved a problem a lot of teams wish they could solve, and that is finding the QB of the present and the QB of the future.
Division Predictions
AFC East:
Miami Dolphins (12-5)
New York Jets (10-7)
Buffalo Bills (10-7)
New England Patriots (3-14)
AFC North:
Cincinnati Bengals (12-5)
Baltimore Ravens (11-6)
Cleveland Browns (9-8)
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-10)
AFC South:
Jacksonville Jaguars (10-7)
Houston Texans (9-8)
Tennessee Titans (9-8)
Indianapolis Colts (6-11)
AFC West:
Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)
Las Vegas Raiders (9-8)
Los Angeles Chargers (7-10)
Denver Broncos (6-11)
NFC East:
Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)
Dallas Cowboys (11-6)
Washington Commanders (7-10)
New York Giants (4-13)
NFC North:
Detroit Lions (13-4)
Green Bay Packers (10-7)
Chicago Bears (9-8)
Minnesota Vikings (5-12)
NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons (10-7)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8)
New Orleans Saints (7-10)
Carolina Panthers (4-13)
NFC West:
San Francisco 49ers (15-2)
Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
Seattle Seahawks (8-9)
Arizona Cardinals (6-11)
Super Bowl Prediction
Dallas Cowboys def. Miami Dolphins 21-13.
Super Bowl MVP: Micah Parsons, LB/DE.
Super Bowl 59 will be very reminiscent of Super Bowl 50. Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill take the league by storm this season, only to be stopped in the biggest game by a dominant Cowboys defensive line. Both offenses will be stagnant throughout the Super Bowl, suffocating from the pressure of the big game. Tagovailoa tosses a costly Pick-6 to Trevon Diggs early in the 4th, giving Dallas a lead they don't choke away for once. Congrats Cowboys fans, it finally happened. Poor Stephen A. Smith.
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