Coming out of Week 10, the 2025 NFL season is now over halfway complete. There’s still a lot of football left to be played, but at this stage in the year, the top performers have made themselves known. It’s natural to begin wondering which players are the top contenders for major awards, so PFSN gathered its selections for each major honor the league has.
To limit subjectivity in these awards, we will primarily use PFSN’s positional Impact Scores to make these decisions. Our advanced analytical model assigns scores not only to every individual player in the NFL but also to teams and specific units. These metrics will be used to determine our model’s strongest candidates for the current betting favorites.
Most Valuable Player
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Could the NFL MVP go to a player that’s not a quarterback for the first time since Adrian Peterson in 2012? History suggests it could be difficult, but if any player is making a strong case this year, it’s Jonathan Taylor.
With a 95.9 RBi grade, Taylor is the highest-graded running back in the league so far this season. Not only that, but since PFSN started grading in 2013, Taylor trails only Alvin Kamara’s 2017 season as the most efficient season a running back has ever had in our grading period.
In the NFL, saying a player is the best at his position is usually a matter of opinion. That said, the numbers show that Taylor is undoubtedly the best running back in the league right now:
- 1,139 rushing yards (1st, over 200 yards more than second place)
- 6.0 yards per carry (1st)
- 15 rushing touchdowns (1st, four more than second place)
- 58 first-down conversions (1st)
- 113.9 rushing yards per game (1st)
- Longest run of 83 yards (1st)
Daniel Jones’ resurgence has played a big role in the Indianapolis Colts’ explosive offense, but make no mistake about it: this is Taylor’s team. He’s been one of the best running backs in the NFL for much of his time in the league, but he’s taken it to another level in 2025.
Should Taylor stay healthy for all 17 games this season, he’s on track to finish with nearly 26 rushing touchdowns and just under 2,000 rushing yards. For reference, Peterson had 2,097 rushing yards in 2012 but only scored 12 touchdowns on the ground in his MVP year.
In a season that’s seen a quarterback fail to separate from the rest of the pack, it could be a running back that takes home the most coveted award in the NFL.
Honorable Mentions: Drake Maye, Sam Darnold
Coach of the Year
Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks disappointingly ended last season, becoming the only team with double-digit wins to miss the postseason. It was a good year, all things considered, but the lack of a playoff appearance put a damper on the outcome. This year, though, they’ve looked undeniable.
Seattle is one of just two NFL teams with top-five OFFi and DEFi grades. Their offense ranks third in the league with 30.6 points per game, and their defense ranks fifth with 19.1 points allowed per game. Their defense is tied for second-most sacks and tied for fifth-most interceptions.
Mike Macdonald deserves a lot of credit for how the Seahawks have competed in just his second year as their head coach. Their +103-point differential trails only the Colts this season, and at 7-2, Seattle is well positioned for a playoff spot in a competitive NFC.
Some had questions about Sam Darnold and whether he could maintain the high level of play he showed in his breakout year in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings. After all, he had been a backup or a below-average starter for the entirety of his career to that point.
If anything, though, Darnold has looked even better since coming to Seattle. He’s second in QBi grading at 89.0 and leads the NFL with 9.9 net yards per attempt. His explosive play has led a dynamic offense, complemented by a defense featuring one of the deepest pass-rushing units in the game today.
Macdonald projects as a strong candidate for NFL Coach of the Year in 2025, especially if the Seahawks finish first in the loaded NFC West. He took a good team and made them great very early in his head-coaching tenure, and one could argue that no team is hotter than Seattle right now.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Vrabel, Shane Steichen
Offensive Player of the Year
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Speaking of the Seahawks, another key player in their outstanding season has been Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the third-year wide receiver who took the leap into WR1 territory in 2024. He’s not only built off of that in 2025, but he’s placed himself firmly in the discussion of the top wide receiver in the entire NFL.
At this point in the season, PFSN’s analytical model thinks Smith-Njigba has earned that title. He currently leads the league with a 98.8 WRi grade, which is not only the best grade among wide receivers, but it’s the highest grade of any offensive player this season at their respective positions.
Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 1,041 receiving yards through nine games, which is a full 230 yards more than the second-place Ja’Marr Chase. That vast degree of separation is made even more impressive when you consider the Seahawks have already had their bye week, while ten other teams in the league have yet to do so.
Among the top 32 players in receiving yards this season, JSN’s 16.5 yards per reception rank third. He’s fifth in the league with 63 receptions, he’s picked up more first downs than any other wide receiver this season, and his 18 receptions of 20+ yards are also the best in the game right now.
Smith-Njigba’s dominance comes down to two things in particular: his route-running ability and his reliable hands. He’s dropped just two of his 82 targets this year, giving him a minuscule drop rate of 3.1%. He’s also a crafty separator who disguises route concepts well, displaying impressive body control, stop-start acceleration, and ball skills to make plays.
The aforementioned Taylor could give JSN a run for his money, especially if the NFL MVP ends up being a quarterback again this season. However, Smith-Njigba is having far too good a season to ignore.
Honorable Mentions: Taylor, Puka Nacua
Defensive Player of the Year
Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland Browns
The competition for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year figures to be a tight one this season. In particular, there are a handful of talented edge rushers who stand out as worthy candidates for recognition. In the end, though, our model’s top candidate for the award is Myles Garrett, who would earn his second DPOY.
As of this writing, Garrett is tied with Brian Burns for the NFL’s lead in sacks with 11.0 through nine games. It’s worth noting that Garrett has played in only nine games, while Burns has played in 10; the New York Giants haven’t had their bye week yet.
In addition to that lead, Garrett also has the most tackles for a loss with 17 coming into Week 11. He’s had his breakout DPOY-worthy game already this year, having finished with five sacks against the New England Patriots in Week 8. Despite there being eight more games left in the regular season, he has already reached a double-digit sack total. This marks the eighth consecutive year he’s surpassed ten sacks.
Among other categories, Garrett also ranks sixth among edge rushers with 16 quarterback hits, fifth with 34 tackles, and third in splash plays. The Cleveland Browns have had a season to forget in 2025, but the biggest bright spots they have right now are their future Hall of Fame edge rusher cementing his legacy even further.
Honorable Mentions: Aidan Hutchinson, Will Anderson Jr.
Comeback Player of the Year
Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Detroit Lions
Aidan Hutchinson was well on his way to being a serious Defensive Player of the Year front-runner in 2024, having tallied 7.5 sacks in his first five games of the season. Those plans were derailed, however, when he fractured both his tibia and fibula in Week 6.
Since that injury, Hutchinson has managed to come back and continue to look like one of the best pass rushers in the NFL today. He ranks 16th among edge rushers with a strong 85.0 EDGEi grade, and he’s tied for tenth in the league with seven sacks through nine games.
Hutchinson’s 17 QB hits also rank second in the NFL, trailing only Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos in that category. The Detroit Lions’ star edge rusher also ranks tenth with 13 splash plays so far this season, and his four forced fumbles lead the league going into Week 11.
The Comeback Player of the Year award adjusted its criteria to focus on recoveries from injury or illness, making Jones an unlikely candidate here. Though other NFL stars have since come back from injury to play at a high level this season, Hutchinson takes the cake as our model’s top choice.
Honorable Mentions: Christian McCaffrey, Dak Prescott
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The last two winners of the Offensive Rookie of the Year award were both quarterbacks, and it’s entirely possible that streak may continue in 2025. Jaxson Dart of the New York Giants has been playing at a surprisingly high level since taking the starting job over from Russell Wilson.
That said, Dart spending the first few games of the season on the bench hurts his OROY case a little bit. If it’s not Dart, the top choice would certainly be Emeka Egbuka, who’s become everything the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wanted and more when they took him in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
As of this writing, Egbuka ranks ninth in the NFL with 677 receiving yards through nine games. His six receiving touchdowns are tied for fourth in the league and are tied for third among wide receivers. He ranks fifth among rookies with 40 receptions, but he ranks first in his draft class in every other major receiving category.
Egbuka currently ranks 20th in the league with an 80.0 WRi grade, which is the second-highest of any rookie receiver. He’s been absolutely dynamic after the catch, as his 2.10 YAC per reception over expectation ranks fifth in the entire league.
The Buccaneers have been missing Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. for the majority of the 2025 NFL season. Luckily for them, Egbuka has stepped into their WR1 role and flourished. Though sometimes overshadowed by higher-profile prospects in Ohio State’s wide receiver room, the route-running refinement, agility, ball skills, and toughness were all there on tape with Egbuka. He’s not waiting in anybody’s shadows anymore.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Warren, Jaxson Dart
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Nick Emmanwori, CB, Seattle Seahawks
As previously mentioned, the Seahawks’ defense has been one of the top units in the NFL in 2025. Several key contributors have played a role in that high level of play, and rookie defensive back Nick Emmanwori shouldn’t be overlooked in that conversation.
Emmanwori was scouted by many as a safety prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft. He moved around a lot in South Carolina’s defense in college, having taken most of his collegiate snaps in the box. In the NFL, though, he’s served primarily as a slot cornerback for the Seahawks, and it’s been paying off so far.
Through the first ten weeks of the 2025 NFL season, Emmanwori ranks 14th among cornerbacks with five pass breakups. His 80.2 CBi grade ranks 31st in the league thus far, placing him in the top third among starting cornerbacks in his debut year. He’s also been an effective run defender and has only given up one touchdown in coverage this season.
There are a few other strong contenders for Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Emmanwori isn’t a runaway favorite for the award right now. He is playing at a high level for Seattle’s secondary, however, and if he can increase his interception production a little, that should be enough to secure him the victory.
Honorable Mentions: Jihaad Campbell, Carson Schwesinger
Executive of the Year
Jason Licht, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This was one of the most difficult choices, as there are several potential candidates for Executive of the Year. But in the end, we decided to go with Jason Licht, the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
For starters, the early returns on Licht’s draft class this season are extremely encouraging. In addition to Egbuka’s phenomenal rookie year, he’s gotten good contributions from the likes of Tez Johnson, Jacob Parrish, Benjamin Morrison, and Elijah Roberts in 2025. Licht also did a great job of retaining every major free agent the Buccaneers had on the books this past offseason.
The Buccaneers have dealt with injuries to several key contributors this season. The likes of Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin Jr., Calijah Kancey, Tristan Wirfs, Luke Goedeke, and Cody Mauch have all missed significant playing time due to injuries. Still, Tampa Bay sits at 6-3 in first place in the NFC South.
The strong play from the Buccaneers despite their bad luck with injuries speaks to how deep their roster is and how well-coached the group has been this year. Licht deserves significant praise for his team’s resilience in 2025, and that praise could come in the form of Executive of the Year honors.
Honorable Mentions: Les Snead, Brian Gutekunst