The NFL season has reached its midway point, with the Giants and Commanders opening Week 10 of the 18-week schedule on Thursday night. To take stock of where things stand, CBS Sports polled 15 of its NFL writers, editors and CBS Sports HQ analysts for updated award picks along with playoff and Super Bowl projections.
The first half of the season delivered its usual share of surprises. The Rams entered the year as clear Super Bowl favorites but are now clinging to the outside of the playoff hunt while battling injuries. The Giants lead the NFC East despite already starting three different quarterbacks. The Chargers, an 11-win team in back-to-back seasons, are the league's only winless team.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is the runaway midseason MVP pick, earning 11 of the 15 votes. Burrow produced at least four total touchdowns in each of his past four games and leads the NFL in completion percentage (74%), passing touchdowns (23) and passer rating (114.8). Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence received two votes, while 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and Packers quarterback Jordan Love each got one.
Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba took Offensive Player of the Year with six votes in a close race. He leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,036) and receiving touchdowns (9) and is second in receptions (71) as he chases becoming the first wide receiver to win the award twice. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, the league leader with 1,132 scrimmage yards, and Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III, fourth in that category, each drew four votes.
Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. edged 49ers linebacker Fred Warner six votes to five for Defensive Player of the Year. Anderson leads the NFL with 9.5 sacks and ranks second with 12 tackles for loss after finishing as the runner-up last year. Warner is tied for the league lead with five forced fumbles and tied for eighth with 77 tackles.
Browns receiver Denzel Boston leads the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting with seven votes; he tops all rookies in receiving yards (507) and receiving touchdowns (3), while teammate KC Concepcion is tied for the rookie lead with 37 receptions. Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who took over as the starter after Kirk Cousins was traded to Minnesota, was named a wild card. On defense, Giants linebacker Arvell Reese (nine votes) and Jets edge rusher David Bailey (six) are in a neck-and-neck race. Reese recently became the youngest player ever with a three-sack game, while Bailey leads all rookies with 7.5 sacks and 31 pressures.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned nine votes for Comeback Player of the Year after returning for Week 1 from a torn ACL and LCL suffered in December 2025. Lions tackle Penei Sewell was nearly unanimous for Protector of the Year with 12 votes after allowing just one sack and three quarterback hits in 298 pass-blocking snaps following his move from right tackle to left tackle. Bears receiver Luther Burden III topped a wide-open Most Improved Player vote with just two of the 15 ballots.
Giants coach John Harbaugh leads Coach of the Year voting with seven votes after guiding New York to 5-2-1 in his first season there despite losing Jaxson Dart for the season in Week 2. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores dominated Assistant Coach of the Year with 11 votes, with Minnesota ranking first in sack rate, red-zone efficiency and points allowed per game at 14.5. Jaguars general manager James Gladstone edged Bears counterpart Ryan Poles seven votes to six for Executive of the Year; Gladstone traded for Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates III at the deadline, while Poles sent two first-round picks to the Titans for Jeffery Simmons.
In the Super Bowl projections, the Jaguars drew the most votes to win it all with four, followed by the 49ers with three, while the Bears, Bengals and Broncos each received two. Five voters picked the Bears to lose the Super Bowl. The Bills, Bengals and Jaguars were unanimous picks to win their AFC divisions, while the 49ers were a unanimous choice in the NFC West.
