Winning individual awards in the NFL is an insane accomplishment. Let's make some way too early predictions for the individual honors in 2024. Could this be the year that a new era of players and coaches put themselves on the map? I think so. For the second time in the last five seasons, the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs met in the Super Bowl.
And I think it's about time that other teams make their mark. Well, this could also mean that different players come away with some of the league's individual awards. Let's make some way too early predictions for the award winners in the 2024 NFL Season.
2024 NFL picks, predictions for major individual awards this season
1. MVP - CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
Yes, CJ Stroud. The QB proved he was elite during his rookie season, helping lead the Houston Texans to the Divisional Round of the 2023 NFL playoffs. It was quite the magical year for Houston, who also had a rookie head coach in DeMeco Ryans. How could you not be high on Stroud for 2024?
He was careful with the football but also was not afraid to take shots down the field if necessary. New additions in Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon should make life that much easier for Stroud in 2024.
2. Offensive Player of the Year - Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Being an elite wide receiver and catching passes from Matthew Stafford is a great gig. Both Calvin Johnson and Cooper Kupp had historic seasons with Stafford, both eclipsing 100 receptions and 1,900 receiving yards. Puka Nacua seems to be Stafford's next great target, and he caught over 100 passes and had nearly 1,500 yards in 2023.
Doing that as a rookie was just flat-out insane, so his potential in 2024 is out of this world. Nacua is going to rack up receptions and yards in 2024 and win the Offensive Player of the Year.
3. Defensive Player of the Year - Danielle Hunter, EDGE, Houston Texans
Maybe one of the more consistent players in the NFL, Danielle Hunter will suit up for a team other than the Minnesota Vikings for the first time in his career. He'll now get to play in a DeMeco Ryans defense, and this comes after having a career-year in 2023. Hunter had 83 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss, which led the NFL, and 22 QB hits.
He's also played and started in all 34 regular season games over the last two seasons, so he seems to have put the injury history behind him. The Houston Texans also added Denico Autry along the DL, and second-year pass rusher Will Anderson figures to have a huge impact as well.
Danielle Hunter is going to have a monster season in 2024.
4. Comeback Player of the Year - Aaron Rodgers, QB, New York Jets
Aaron Rodgers played a handful of snaps in 2023, so this award is his to lose. I think as long as he is not atrocious in 2024, he'll easily win this award. Winning two-straight MVPs in 2020 and 2021, Rodgers did regress a bit in 2022 and was traded to the New York Jets in 2023. The second Rodgers went down, so did the Jets season.
But with an improved WR room and clearly better offensive line, Rodgers and the Jets could find themselves in the AFC playoff picture in 2024, with a clear path at the Comeback Player of the Year award.