We're officially at the halfway point of the 2026 NFL season, which means it's time to check the scoreboard, revisit those preseason predictions and perhaps admit where we got things wrong.
Week 10 kicks off Thursday night
, and while all 32 teams are still mathematically alive in the playoff hunt, some have a much better shot at hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl 61 than others. The same goes for the league's individual award races.Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy and Caleb Williams have all put together compelling MVP cases through nine weeks. Jahmyr Gibbs and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are making a serious push for Offensive Player of the Year, while the Rookie of the Year races and Defensive Player of the Year battle are still very much
up for grabs. In other words, there's plenty of football left to sort out.
Before the season, USA TODAY Sports' experts put their predictions on the record. Now, it's time to see who's in the driver's seat, who's eating crow and who's changing their tune.
Here's where our panel stands at the midway point, with picks for MVP, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Protector of the Year and more.
2026 NFL midseason award picks
Participating analysts: Jarrett Bell, Nick Brinkerhoff, Chris Bumbaca, Jack McKessy, Jacob Camenker, Adam Kaufman, Tom Viera
MVP
- 1. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals - 4 VOTES: McKessy, Camenker, Viera, Kaufman
- T2.) Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers - 1 Vote: Brinkerhoff
- T2.) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills - 1 Vote: Bell
- T2.) Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers - 1 Vote: Bumbaca
Offensive Player of the Year
- 1. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions - 3 VOTES: Brinkerhoff, Viera, Bell
- 2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks - 2 Votes: McKessy, Bumbaca
- 3. Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs - 2 Votes: Camenker, Kaufman
Defensive Player of the Year
- 1. Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans - 5 VOTES: McKessy, Brinkerhoff, Bell, Kaufman, Bumbaca
- 2. Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers- 2 VOTES: Camenker, Viera
Offensive Rookie of the Year
- 1. Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns - 5 VOTES: Camenker, McKessy, Bell, Viera, Brinkerhoff
- T2.) Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans - 1 Vote: Kaufman
- T2.) KC Concepcion, Cleveland Browns - 1 Vote: Bumbaca
Defensive Rookie of the Year
- 1. Arvell Reese, New York Giants - 4 VOTES: Camenker, McKessy, Viera, Bumbaca
- 2. David Bailey, New York Jets- 3 Votes: Brinkerhoff, Bell, Kaufman
Comeback Player of the Year
- 1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs - 5 VOTES: Camenker, Viera, Bell, Kaufman, Bumbaca
- 2. Tank Dell, Houston Texans - 2 Votes: McKessy, Brinkerhoff
Coach of the Year
- 1. John Harbaugh, New York Giants - 6 VOTES: McKessy, Brinkerhoff, Camenker, Viera, Bell, Kaufman
- 2. Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears - 1 Vote: Bumbaca
Protector of the Year
- 1. Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers - 4 VOTES: Brinkerhoff, Viera, Bell, Kaufman
- T2.) Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions - 1 Vote: McKessy
- T2.) Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears - 1 Vote: Camenker
- T2.) Amarius Mims, Cincinnati Bengals - 1 Vote: Bumbaca
Revisit our experts' NFL preseason award predictions here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL 2026 midseason awards: Joe Burrow or Josh Allen for MVP? Our picks for every honor
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