The NFL Awards Race in 2023

We’ve already shined a little spotlight on the top five most likely candidates to win the Associated Press’ 2022-23 NFL MVP award ahead of the league’s rapidly-approaching postseason. As of this moment, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has quickly emerged as the decisive heavy favorite to be crowned the NFL’s most valuable player, with his odds favored particularly heavily on the DraftKings futures market. That said, four other underdogs stand a slim (albeit not entirely impossible) chance at overtaking his spot.

The AP doesn’t only shine the spotlight on the league’s overall bests, though. They like to shine the spotlight on the specialty areas where the league’s talent is performing at its best. From past underdogs who were able to turn the odds around, to coaches who led their teams to continual win streaks, to emerging new rookie talents starting to show early promise, the NFL and Associated Press annually vote on a multitude of award contenders to recognize forte on the field.

Ahead of the NFL’s Week 18, FanDuel Sportsbook has reopened its betting markets for season award futures. With such limited time left in the league’s regular season, each of these markets has narrowed down to only a few NFL award candidates left. We’re only starting 2023 just now, but other than the AP NFL MVP awards, let’s take a look at the 2023 NFL award odds to watch as the regular season comes to an end.

NFL Awards Categories/NFL Awards Markets

Since 1957, the Associated Press has handed out awards to recognize the NFL’s best and most talented performers each season. A panel of 50 professional sports journalists is selected from all around the country to vote on each award category. The longest-standing honor, and arguably, the highest, has to be the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award.

But the league and the AP both recognize more honors than the MVP; a lot more, as a matter of fact. Beyond the Most Valuable Player, the AP and NFL also take the time to recognize talent in a myriad of other areas, including:

• Defensive Player of the Year

• Offensive Player of the Year

• Defensive Rookie of the Year

• Offensive Rookie of the Year

• Comeback Player of the Year

• Assistant Coach of the Year

• Coach of the Year 

This year, the award winners are slated to be announced next month, on February 9th, 2023, right before the Big Game (you know the one) is slated to kick off. At the moment, FanDuel Sportsbook doesn’t have season award markets open for all of these award categories, nor do they have them open in all states with online sports betting markets.

But where available, you can currently place league futures bets on some of the most prominent season award categories, with plus money NFL award betting odds in all but one market. A number of coaches, comeback players, and offensive rookies are aiming to win big, and if they win, you could also stand to win. Here is where the top season award frontrunners currently stand in each of their respective markets.

NFL Awards Odds

Since we first spotlighted the contenders for the NFL’s most valuable player this year, we think it’s only fitting to first highlight the best candidates for this year’s comeback player. As the naming convention suggests, this award is commonly reserved for players who have managed to defy the odds and rebound with a better regular season performance than the season prior.

Players who manage to rebound from injuries, play at a much higher level, or overcome another sort of adversity are often favored to be recognized in this category of season awards. As of this moment, one month out from award time, FanDuel’s markets are currently favoring only four players to get the comeback. Let’s briefly run through the who’s who.

1. AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year 2022-23

• Christian McCaffrey, +150

• Geno Smith, +150

• Saquon Barkley, +300

• Jared Goff, +1000

Right off the bat, it might stand out to you that the top two out of four award contenders in this market are priced at the same +150 odds. Even though he switched teams in the middle of the season, Christian McCaffrey undeniably made an unforgettable first impression when he belatedly started for the San Francisco 49ers. 

Within his first two weeks on the team, McCaffrey became the first 49ers running back to effectively score a touchdown hat trick, recording passing, rushing, and receiving touchdowns all in the same game. Christian’s talents have already been highlighted by a number of awards throughout his NFL and NCAA career, and he’s got a decent shot at putting another under his belt.

Likewise, Geno Smith is another strong contender for this award. He struggled early in his professional NFL career as a starting quarterback, repeatedly sidelined by injuries and issues with inconsistent performance. But 2022 has widely been seen as Smith’s breakout year; he led the Seattle Seahawks in a soaring 23-6 win over the New York Jets, and his overall performance has been heavily credited for helping to keep the team’s playoff prospects alive.

Geno already got significant recognition for his comeback rebound by being selected for his first Pro Bowl, and at this point, there are only two other credible potential comeback challengers in the eyes of FanDuel’s oddsmakers. Saquon Barkely has played as a top-form running back for the New York Giants, going the distance and rushing the ball upwards of 1,312 yards this past year.

He rushed ten touchdowns over the end zone for New York this year, eight more than he rushed in the season prior. Quarterback Jared Goff has also gotten a likely nod in this award category, leading the Detroit Lions on a six-game winning streak at home, but the odds are longer on him getting this award.

1. AP NFL Coach of the Year 2022-23

• Nick Sirianni, +175

• Kyle Shanahan, +175

• Brian Daboll, +300

• Doug Pederson, +1000

• Sean McDermott, +2000

• Zac Taylor, +2000

• Dan Campbell, +3000

• Mike McCarthy, +10000

• Kevin O'Connell, +10000

• Andy Reid, +10000

• Pete Carroll, +10000

This market has a wide playing field of coaches vying to be recognized among the season’s best, but it’s really worth highlighting the top three here, as they’re the only picks priced below the range of +1000 odds. Nick Sirianni stepped in for Doug Pederson and helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to play in their best form since the 2017-18 NFL season where they would go on to win it all, and add to the solitary Eagles Super Bowl wins.

Even though the Eagles have recently struggled with losing Jalen Hurts, the team went undefeated through the first eight weeks of the regular season in 2022, which makes it obvious why Sirianni’s coaching is the frontrunner to be recognized by this award. He’s the strongest frontrunner in the NFC East, but Kyle Shanahan (priced at the same +175 odds) is the strongest frontrunner out west.

Shanahan’s coaching helped the San Francisco 49ers emerge as the decisive team to lead the NFC West standings, closing out the regular season with twelve wins and only four losses. Below Sirianni and Shanahan is Brian Daboll, head coach of the New York Giants, but he’s priced at longer +300 odds, as his team is only finishing at third place in the NFC East. Below that trifecta is the last coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, Doug Pederson, but he’s far more of a longshot pick to win this award, at +1000 odds.

1. AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year 2022-23

• Kenneth Walker, -120

• Garrett Wilson, +200

• Brock Purdy, +500

• Kenny Pickett, +2000

• Brian Robinson Jr, +2500

• Chris Olave, +2500

We’ve got a favorite and five underdogs on our hands. Kenneth Walker is rightly favored in this spot; he was already recognized as the Offensive Rookie of the Month this past October, and he helped elevate the Seattle Seahawks wins by rushing for 803 yards and nine touchdowns.

Garrett Wilson also had a standout rookie year as he rushed 1,014 yards for the New York Jets. The last pick below +1000 odds here, Brock Purdy, might be a strong dog at +500 odds. The rookie 49ers quarterback was selected as “Mr. Irrelevant” of the 2022 NFL Draft, but his performance has very much helped the 49ers stay relevant and dominate the competition.

Purdy played for nearly 1200 passing yards and 10 passing touchdowns in 2022. We’re a month out from seeing where these three season award markets will settle, but if you can find these futures in your local FanDuel market, you can use the sportsbook’s free bet promos to squeeze out more site credit and house money - on the house!

NFL Awards FanDuel Promo

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