2024 NFL picks, predictions for major individual awards this season
5. Offensive Rookie of the Year - Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
Yeah, I am going "chalk" here and picking Caleb Williams, who is coming into a great situation for a rookie QB, as the Chicago Bears offense doesn't have a clear weakness. At wide receiver, he's got DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Keenan Allen. He's got two receiving threats at tight end with Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett, and he's got a dual-threat running back in D'Andre Swift.
The Bears OL is also talented, so there isn't a lot of reason for Williams to not succeed in 2024 unless he's a historic bust, which doesn't seem likely. The Chicago Bears are going to surprise some people in 2024, and Williams will fuel that.
6. Defensive Rookie of the Year - Jared Verse, EDGE. Los Angeles Rams
Jared Verse gets to play along the Los Angeles Rams defensive line that won't have Aaron Donald, but is still incredibly talented. Verse is a high-floor, high-ceiling player, which is rare, and he'll get to play alongside former teammate Braden Fiske, and a pair of second-year studs in Kobie Turner and Byron Young. For Verse, it's a great situation to fill up the stat sheet in 2024.
And the LA Rams did also invest into their secondary, signing Tre White, Darious Williams, and Kamren Curl. The secondary being more stout is going to give the defensive front more time to get home, so everyone wins.
7. Coach of the Year - DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
It's going to be a banner year for the Houston Texans, as I am predicting them to win the Super Bowl this year. Well, if that is the case, it's hard to not think of DeMeco Ryans as being the NFL coach of the year. Ryans and the Texans went 10-7 in 2023 and made it to the Divisional Round. They got better in the 2024 NFL Draft and in free agency.
It's been an all-in offseason for Ryans and GM Nick Caserio, who has to be loving life right now. Ryans is going to lead this Texans team to another double-digit win season and a potential top seed in the AFC playoffs.
8. Super Bowl MVP - CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
Here we go. If the Houston Texans do win the Super Bowl, it'd be hard to pick someone other than CJ Stroud as the Super Bowl MVP. Both the regular season and Super Bowl MVP are essentially QB awards at this point for better or for worse. But Stroud should be extremely deserving if it happens. He's already a top-five QB and based on his rookie season, is firmly on pace to win some individual awards during his NFL career.
If the Kansas City Chiefs do not make it out of the AFC, it'll be the Houston Texans.