Midseason Awards and League Leader Updates
MVP
In the MVP race, Tom Brady and Carson Wentz are in a tight battle at the top of the list. Brady continues to defy logic and be the best despite his old age, while Wentz and the Eagles have been the biggest surprise of the season. If the season were to end today, I think voters would probably lean towards Wentz just because he’s doing something unexpected, whereas the Patriots have had an underwhelming season by their standards.
I wouldn’t sleep on Russell Wilson, though. We’re just halfway through the season and the three names above him all have potential downfalls. Brady is 40 and could easily deteriorate in the latter half of the season. Wentz is still young and although he appears to be developing into a franchise QB, he has no track record that we can rely on. And Alex Smith…well, he’s Alex freaking Smith. He’s never played this well before so why should we expect him to keep it up down the stretch?
Wilson and the Seahawks started the year off slow, but have been on a roll for the past month. Since the Seahawks lack a rushing game, Wilson will need to carry the team on his back à la Greg Jennings and I believe he can.
OROY
A two horse race has seemingly become a one horse race in recent weeks, with DeShaun Watson slinging TD passes like it’s his job (which it is.) He’s still a bit rough around the edges, as his eight interceptions are among the most in the league, but there’s no denying his talent. Definitely not a guy the Browns should have drafted or anything…
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Receiving Yards
Brady and Antonio Brown both have commanding leads in their respective categories and are understandably odds-on favorites at the halfway mark of the year. The rushing race is certainly much tighter, with Kareem Hunt holding just a three yard lead over Le’Veon Bell. I agree with the oddsmakers’ decision to put Bell ahead of Hunt, though, as Bell gets way more touches per game. Hunt’s 5.2 yards per attempt have allowed him to stay atop the leaderboard, but that should decline down the stretch.
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