NFL Awards Watch: Lamar Jackson Emerges In MVP Race; Micah Parsons Still Unblockable
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 3 produced great performances by some of the best young talent in the league. I’ll start with MVP, where each of my three contenders are beating defenses through the air and on the ground. Let’s get to it:
NFL AWARDS WATCH WEEK 3
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
QB LAMAR JACKSON, Baltimore Ravens
The former MVP is the best player in the league through three weeks. Not a surprise, Lamar Jackson ranks fourth in the league in rushing with 243 yards, and that’s after barely running with the ball in Week 1.
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson scrambles out of trouble. The Ravens beat the New England Patriots, 37-26. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman now has a QB who can stand and deliver from the pocket. Jackson has thrown 88% of his passes from the pocket, completing 66% of those passes for nine touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s locked in. He’s thrown seven touchdown passes in the last two games and has had back-to-back 100-yard rushing games.
I love how Jackson bet on himself instead of taking the guaranteed money the Ravens offered him three weeks ago. While he’s been ridiculed for representing himself in the negotiations, he’s played it perfectly as long as he stays healthy. That’s the big risk, but it comes with a massive reward if he continues to play at this rate moving forward.
Two More To Consider
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RB SAQUON BARKLEY, New York Giants
Barkley sits atop the offensive category this week because his team is 2-1 and he's the biggest reason why. The Giants RB leads the NFC in rushing and is averaging 105 yards per game.
New York Giants' Saquon Barkley (26) rushes for a TD against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 26, 2022. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
In the loss to the Cowboys, Barkley took off for a 36-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter to give the Giants a lead, packing a punch for the New York offense no one else on the roster can offer.
His 14-carry, 130-yard performance stands out from Monday night, but it’s flashing in neon when you consider he’s putting up those numbers against a loaded box and behind a bad offensive line.
Two More To Consider
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DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LB MICAH PARSONS, Dallas Cowboys
Parsons is the best thing going for the Cowboys right now.
Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons (11) runs against Hayden Hurst (88) of the Cincinnati Bengals at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 18, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
He’s routinely wrecking plays. I believe he’s the most dominant player in the league right now because he’s a mismatch for any player on any offense trying to slow him down.
Two More To Consider
ROOKIE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LB DEVIN LLOYD, Jacksonville Jaguars
The first-round pick out of Utah covers a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Lloyd plays the run well, but also can drop and cover intended wideouts or tailbacks.
Devin Lloyd (33) of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs the ball during the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 25, 2022, in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
He picked off his second pass of the season last week, something we should expect to continue. Lloyd is a difference maker for the Jacksonville defense despite missing the majority of training camp and preseason games due to a hamstring injury. He leads all rookies in total tackles with 17.
Two More To Consider
ROOKIE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WR CHRIS OLAVE, New Orleans Saints
He’s already being used as a top option in the Saints offense and I expect to see him targeted even more due to Michael Thomas’ foot issue.
Chris Olave (12) of the New Orleans Saints catches a pass against CJ Henderson (24) of the Carolina Panthers in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 25, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
Olave caught 9-of-13 targets for 147 yards Sunday against the Panthers, and he’s in the Top 10 for receiving yards for all NFL wideouts.
I love when a team uses a top pick on a wide receiver and then actually gets him the football. It doesn’t happen across the league, but Pete Carmichael has Olave producing even in games where the rest of the offense struggles to find momentum. Pay attention to Olave if the Saints decide to make a quarterback change in the near future.
Two More To Consider
Jonathan Hutton is the host of OutKick 360 and will write weekly about NFL awards. Follow Hutton on Twitter and email him here.