The 2026 NFL season is at the halfway point, and several players have already made strong cases for this year’s individual awards.
From MVP candidates putting together outstanding seasons to rookies making an immediate impact, the races are taking shape. With the second half of the season still ahead, players still have plenty of time to strengthen their cases or make a late push.
Most Valuable Player: Josh Allen
Josh Allen already has an MVP on his resume, winning the honor in 2024. The superstar quarterback is making a strong case to win the hardware again in 2026.
Allen has established himself as one of the NFL’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks, capable of making plays with both his arm and his legs. Through seven games, he has thrown for 1,793 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 270 rushing yards and nine scores on the ground.
In the offseason, the Bills acquired DJ Moore to give their offense a legitimate number-one receiver. Moore has been in and out of the lineup with injuries, but Allen has still produced at an elite level. The former top-ten pick has Buffalo currently sitting at a 6-1 record and first place in the AFC East.
Buffalo’s defense, however, has struggled, allowing 26 points per game on average. As a result, Allen has often had to shoulder an even greater responsibility to keep the Bills competitive.
His ability to produce through the air and on the ground has been instrumental in Buffalo’s early-season success.
With his impressive individual numbers and the Bills holding one of the best records in the AFC, Allen gets the edge for MVP through the first eight weeks of the season.
Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had an incredible 2025 season, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards and winning the Offensive Player of the Year award. He played a major role in helping the Seahawks go 14-3 and capture the Super Bowl.
The 24-year-old receiver hasn’t slowed down at all in 2026. Through eight games, Smith-Njigba leads the NFL with 985 receiving yards and nine touchdown receptions.
According to Next Gen Stats, he has accounted for 51.5 percent of his team’s total receiving yards. His production is particularly impressive considering the changes the Seahawks made during the offseason.
Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak left in the offseason to become the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach. There was concern about whether Smith-Njigba would be able to replicate his 2025 production. Quarterback Sam Darnold also got injured in Week 1 and missed the next game.
Despite the new scheme, Smith-Njigba has continued to establish himself as one of the NFL’s premier wide receivers.
He is currently on pace to surpass 2,000 receiving yards. No receiver in NFL history has reached that milestone. The closest was Calvin Johnson with 1,964 yards in 2012.
With his continued dominance and ability to produce regardless of the circumstances around him, Smith-Njigba is a strong candidate to win Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
If he maintains this pace, he could finish the year with one of the greatest receiving seasons in NFL history.
Defensive Player of the Year: Will Anderson Jr.
The Texans defense has not been the same elite unit they were in 2025. They allowed just 17.4 points per game and the fewest total yards per game. This unit has not been the same so far in 2026. Houston is allowing 24 points per game and especially struggling at defending the pass. They have surrendered 244 passing yards per game, the fifth-most in the league.
Despite the defense as a whole being underwhelming, Will Anderson Jr. has done his part. The young pass rusher is tied for the league lead with 7.5 sacks in eight games.
He had 12 sacks last season, so he is on pace to clear that number by a lot. Anderson’s overall 90.8 PFF Grade puts him second among all qualified edge rushers.
A former third-overall pick, Anderson has developed into one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen. Despite the Texans’ disappointing 2-5 start, Anderson has consistently produced at a high level.
His individual dominance, combined with his league-leading sack total, makes him a strong candidate to win Defensive Player of the Year.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Carnell Tate
Despite a slow start to his career, Carnell Tate has begun to show why the Tennessee Titans selected him fourth overall in the 2026 NFL Draft.
His breakout game came in Week 4 against the Baltimore Ravens. Tate hauled in nine of 12 targets for 145 yards. He followed that performance by scoring his first career touchdown in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Currently, Tate leads all rookie pass catchers in receptions (34) and receiving yards (413).
Although the Titans have struggled as one of the NFL’s worst teams, Tate has started to establish himself as a promising young playmaker. His recent production has demonstrated his ability to make an immediate impact at the professional level.
With the rookie leading his class in two major receiving categories, the former Ohio State standout has emerged as the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: David Bailey
It has been another rough season for the New York Jets, who currently sit at 2-6. One of the bright spots has been the play of 2026 second-overall pick David Bailey.
Through seven games, Bailey has 5.5 sacks, leading all rookies. That number also ranks him tied for ninth among the entire league. His best game came in Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns. In that matchup, the 23-year-old pass rusher registered three sacks. He became the first Jets rookie to record three sacks in a game since 1995.
Beyond his sack production, Bailey has also demonstrated an ability to create turnovers, forcing three fumbles this season. He has generated 26 quarterback pressures, consistently disrupting opposing offenses even when he doesn’t bring down the quarterback.
This could be a close race with other standout rookies like Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Jacob Rodriguez.
With a rookie-leading 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and 26 quarterback pressures, Bailey’s ability to consistently disrupt opposing offenses gives him the edge over the rest of the rookie class and makes him the pick for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Comeback Player of the Year: Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL and LCL late in the 2025 season, putting his availability for the following year in question.
The recovery timeline for that injury is close to a full year, raising doubts about whether the Chiefs would have their star quarterback to begin this season. After a long recovery process, Mahomes was cleared for training camp and returned to start the season opener.
Kansas City missed the playoffs last year, but is back in contention with the three-time Super Bowl champion under center.
Mahomes has the Chiefs sitting at 5-2 while throwing for 1,795 yards, 12 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. While none of those stats are league-leading, Mahomes has played well enough for Kansas City to compete and win games.
Considering the severity of his injury, his triumphant return for Week 1, and Kansas City’s early-season success, Mahomes has made a compelling case for Comeback Player of the Year.
His ability to return from such a significant injury and immediately help his team compete makes him the favorite for the award.
Coach of the Year: John Harbaugh
After 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, John Harbaugh was fired and became head coach of the New York Giants.
He was expected to lead a young team anchored by quarterback Jaxson Dart. However, Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, abruptly ending his sophomore season. As a result, 2026 has not been the season Harbaugh anticipated when he took the job.
Unfortunately, Dart is not the only key player to suffer a significant injury. Star pass rusher Brian Burns tore his ACL in Week 3. Additionally, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds was lost for the season due to a torn chest muscle.
Despite major pieces going down, Harbaugh still has New York leading the NFC East with a 4-2-1 record.
With the struggles of their division rivals, the Giants are in position to make the playoffs and win their division. It would mark the first time they take the NFC East title since 2011.
If Harbaugh can lead this team to the postseason despite the injuries and adversity it has faced, he would have a strong case for Coach of the Year. His ability to keep the Giants competitive while navigating significant roster challenges makes him the pick for the award.
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