With the postseason around the corner, the penultimate weeks of this season are shaping up to be must-watch. But as teams attempt to punch their ticket to compete for the Lombardi Trophy, players are trying to forge their own legacies.
At this point, all the award races are still tight, but who is leading their particular category? We broke it down so you didn't have to—here is the comprehensive ballot preview.
Predicting NFL major award winners approaching Week 14
MVP - Drake Maye (QB) - New England Patriots
Somewhere in the New England Patriots' ten-game win streak, the public has lost sight of how historic Drake Maye's caliber of play has become. Isolated from context, Maye's raw numbers make him an MVP front-runner—throw in the fact he's playing behind a shaky offensive line, with a middling rushing attack, and a lack of weapons on the perimeter, and this case becomes overwhelming. At 23 years old, this current run is simply unprecedented.
OPOY - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR) - Seattle Seahawks
Even with an uninspiring effort in his recent outing, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is still on pace for an all-time campaign. JSN has nearly 1,000 more yards than Seattle's second-leading receiver, Cooper Kupp, highlighting just how vital his contributions are to a top-ten passing offense in the NFL. Jonathan Taylor is still lurking, but JSN gets the slight lean.
DPOY - Myles Garrett (DE) - Cleveland Browns
It would take an act of God for Myles Garrett not to shatter Michael Strahan's single-season sack record. The moment that happens, Commissioner Roger Goodell needs to rappel from the rafters to hand him the award on the spot.
OROY - Tetairoa McMillan (WR) Carolina Panthers
After Emeka Egbuka and Tyler Warren's sizzling starts have faded in recent weeks, it's Tetairoa McMillan's body of work that jumps off the page. Despite struggling with consistency, he's eighth in the NFL in receiving yards and is finally using his size to dominate in the red zone. If the Carolina Panthers continue to make noise in the NFC, T-Mac will have the numbers and story voters crave to push his candidacy to the finish line.
DROY - Carson Schwesinger (LB) - Cleveland Browns
We have two Cleveland Browns defenders on this list? Surely that type of talent defensively is leading to some wins, right? All jokes aside, Carson Schwesinger's 106 tackles, pair of picks, and 1.5 sacks stand out in a class of players currently lacking high-end production.
CPOY - Dak Prescott (QB) - Dallas Cowboys
The spirit of this honor should always be about overcoming adversity following a devastating injury—not coming back from personal ineptitude. Sorry, Daniel Jones, the idea of a mini-career revival after failing to meet expectations in the Big Apple won't cut it. Dak Prescott has largely reclaimed his position as a top-ten signal caller in the sport and has kept Dallas afloat.