NFL Awards Watch: Jalen Hurts Takes MVP Lead; Chris Olave Tops Offensive Rookies
Welcome to NFL Awards Watch, my weekly column that will take a look at the five major awards handed out in the NFL: MVP; Offensive and Defensive Player Of The Year; and Offensive and Defensive Rookie Of The Year.
JONATHAN HUTTON NFL AWARDS WATCH ARCHIVE
Week 4 featured quality comebacks, steady rushing attacks and impact players on defense. I’ll start with MVP, where a new leader emerged due to his consistency throughout the first four games. Let’s get to it:
NFL AWARDS WATCH WEEK 4
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
QB JALEN HURTS, Philadelphia Eagles
The former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback is my top player in the league through four weeks. It’s his emergence as a difference maker for the Eagles offense that has elevated him into a true MVP-caliber quarterback.
Hurts makes the playmakers around him better. And it's all within a system built around his valuable dual-threat skillset.
Hurts has stepped up in big moments in all four of undefeated Philly's games so far, leaving his biggest doubters without talking points to criticize his game in 2022.
He’s averaged a career-high 280 yards passing per game, and he’s also rushed for 205 yards and a touchdown. This is the first season of his professional career where he’s had the same play caller returning with him for a second year. It’s easy to see a difference in his confidence level, and even easier to notice the team’s confidence level in him.
Two More To Consider
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RB SAQUON BARKLEY, New York Giants
Barkley leads the NFL with 463 rushing yards and 570 total yards from scrimmage. His rushing total is out-pacing any New York Giants running back in franchise history through the first four games of season.
Saquon Barkley (26) of the New York Giants carries the ball in the first half of the game against the Chicago Bears at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 02, 2022, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
He carried the Giants to another victory this past Sunday even though both quarterbacks were injured. He finished with 31 carries for 146 yards against the Bears defense.
The Giants are 3-1 and have plenty of concerns throughout a banged-up roster, but in their backfield is one of the most outstanding players to begin the 2022 season.
Two More To Consider
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
DE NICK BOSA, San Francisco 49ers
He’s back to my top spot this week because he’s the best player on the best defense in the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) sacks Rams QB Matthew Stafford (9) during the first quarter of the game at on Oct. 03, 2022, in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
This past Monday he pressured Rams QB Matthew Stafford 14 times in the game, and his 30 QB pressures in four weeks leads the NFL.
DEFENDING SUPER BOWL CHAMPION RAMS NOT LOOKING LIKE REPEAT CANDIDATES
Bosa is relentless in his machine-like consistency of pressuring the QB, but he’s also not slacking in run defense. He’s a tremendous player who impresses me every time I watch him play.
Two More To Consider
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
WR CHRIS OLAVE, New Orleans Saints
Andy Dalton is now at quarterback in New Orleans but it didn’t factor in to Olave’s production.
New Orleans Saints' Chris Olave (12) makes a catch during the game against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 25, 2022. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Veteran wide receiver Michael Thomas’ toe injury increased Olave’s expectations last Sunday in London.
While the Saints lost to the Vikings, it wasn’t because Olave dropped off his productive rookie start. He ranks No. 9 in the NFL for receiving yards and caught his first career touchdown in Week 4. He’s currently averaging 16 yards on his 21 receptions this season.
Two More To Consider
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
LB DEVIN LLOYD, Jacksonville Jaguars
The rookie defender remains atop my list here because of how much he finds the football.
Trey Sermon (34) of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball against Devin Lloyd (33) of the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lincoln Financial Field on October 2, 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
He’s a playmaker and a difference maker for Jacksonville’s defensive group. Lloyd has 38 total tackles, six passes defensed, and two interceptions so far this season.
The Jags had been good at stopping the run until last week in Philadelphia, and this coming Sunday, Lloyd will face rookie RB Dameon Pierce, a bright spot for a Houston offense that lacks big playmaking ability.
Two More To Consider
Jonathan Hutton is the host of OutKick 360 and will write weekly about NFL awards.
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