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The NFL season is halfway through, with the Giants and Commanders kicking off Week 10 of the 18-week schedule tonight.
As per usual, the first half of the season had plenty of surprises. The Rams entered the year as clear Super Bowl favorites but are now clinging to the outside of the playoff hunt while dealing with a bevy of injuries. The Giants lead the NFC East despite already using three different starting quarterbacks. The Chargers -- a 11-win team in back-to-back seasons -- are the league's only winless team.
So, to recalibrate where things stand, we asked our NFL staff -- writers, editors and CBS Sports HQ analysts -- for their updated award picks plus playoff and Super Bowl projections. Here's what they said:
Voters: Tyler Sullivan, JP Acosta, Josh Edwards, Leger Douzable, Michael Renner, Zach Pereles, R.J. White, John Breech, Garrett Podell, Jordan Dajani, Jared Dubin, Carter Bahns, Pete Prisco, Bryan DeArdo, Kevin Steimle
1. Bengals QB Joe Burrow (11 votes)
2. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (2 votes)
T3. 49ers QB Brock Purdy, Packers QB Jordan Love (1 vote)
Burrow is the clear choice here after a marvelous first half of the season that included at least four total touchdowns in each of his past four games. He leads the NFL in completion percentage (74%), passing touchdowns (23) and passer rating (114.8).
1. Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (6 votes)
T2. Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III (4)
3. Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase (1)
Smith-Njigba is the pick, but it's a close race. In his quest to become the first wide receiver to ever win Offensive Player of the Year twice, the Seahawks star leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,036) and receiving touchdowns (9) and is second in receptions (71). But Gibbs, who leads the NFL with 1,132 scrimmage yards and Walker, who is fourth in that category, are not far behind in our experts' eyes.
1. Texans EDGE Will Anderson Jr. (6 votes)
2. 49ers LB Fred Warner (5 votes)
3. Bears DT Jeffery Simmons (3 votes)
4. Bengals DT Dexter Lawrence (1 vote)
Anderson leads the NFL with 9.5 sacks, and his 12 tackles for loss rank second. After a runner-up finish last year, he's in strong position to earn his first Defensive Player of the Year, but he has some strong competition to hold off. Warner is tied for the NFL lead with five forced fumbles, and his 77 tackles are tied for eighth-most this season.
1. Browns WR Denzel Boston (7 votes)
2. Broncos RB Jonah Coleman (3)
T3. Titans WR Carnell Tate, Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza (2)
5. Browns WR KC Concepcion (1)
Boston leads all rookies in receiving yards (507) and receiving touchdowns (3), while Concepcion is tied for the rookie lead in receptions (37), giving the Browns two strong candidates. Mendoza could be the wild card here as he takes over as the Raiders' starter after Kirk Cousins got traded to Minnesota.
1. Giants LB Arvell Reese (9 votes)
2. Jets EDGE David Bailey (6 votes)
This race is truly neck-and-neck and could stay that way throughout the season. Reese is coming off a three-sack game, becoming the youngest player ever with a three-sack game. He's also the only player with 65 tackles, eight tackles for loss and an interception this year. Bailey, meanwhile, leads all rookies with 7.5 sacks and 31 pressures. His five forced fumbles are tied for the league lead as well.
1. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (9 votes)
2. 49ers LB Fred Warner (4)
T3. Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Texans WR Tank Dell (1)
Mahomes made it back for Week 1 after tearing his ACL and LCL in December 2025. The Chiefs star ranks top-10 in completion percentage, yards per attemp, touchdown-to-interception rate and passer rating.
1. Lions T Penei Sewell (12 votes)
2. 49ers T Trent Williams (2)
3. Bengals T Amarius Mims (1)
Sewell has made the transition from right tackle to left tackle almost seamlessly. In 298 pass-blocking snaps, he has allowed just one sack and three quarterback hits, and he remains a mauler in the run game. Pro Football Focus has him as the No. 1-graded tackle both overall and in run blocking; he is fourth in pass blocking.
1. Bears WR Luther Burden III (2 votes)
T2. 49ers QB Brock Purdy, Texans QB C.J. Stroud, Bears QB Caleb Williams, Packers WR Christian Watson, Bills DL Deone Walker, Packers S Evan Williams, Bills EDGE Greg Rousseau, Buccaneers CB Jacob Parrish, Steelers RB Jaylen Warren, Packers QB Jordan Love, Packers WR Matthew Golden, Bengals WR Tee Higgins, Vikings QB Kirk Cousins (1)
If there's one consensus here, it's that there are a ton of options. Though "Most Improved Player" is not an award handed out by the Associated Press like MVP and most of the other major awards are, it is given out by Pro Football Writers of America. Each of the least four winners have been a quarterback, but in the history of the award dating back to 2000, there have been winners from nearly every.
1. Giants coach John Harbaugh (7 votes)
2. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan (4)
3. Bears coach Ben Johnson (2)
T4. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, Jaguars coach Liam Coen (1)
In his first year in New York, Harbaugh has the 5-2-1 Giants on course for the playoffs, even after losing Jaxson Dart for the season in Week 2. His playing a big role in acquiring J.J. McCarthy certainly helps his candidacy. He has won the award once, back in 2019.
1. Vikings DC Brian Flores (11 votes)
2. 49ers DC Raheem Morris (2 votes)
T3. Packers DC Jonathan Gannon, Steelers DC Patrick Graham (1)
Flores dominates this vote, and for good reason. The Vikings are second in yards per game and yards per play, and first in sack rate and red-zone efficiency. Minnesota's 14.5 points per game allowed is also best in the league.
1. Jaguars GM James Gladstone (7 votes)
2. Bears GM Ryan Poles (6)
3. Browns GM Andrew Berry (2)
Gladstone's bold trade-deadline deals for defensive lineman Jordan Davis and safety Jessie Bates III could be what push the Jaguars to the top of the AFC, if not beyond. Poles, meanwhile, swung the biggest deal of the year, sending two first-round picks to the Titans for Jeffery Simmons. Both Gladstone and Poles lead teams that lead their divisions.
1. Jaguars (4 votes)
2. 49ers (3)
T3. Bears, Bengals, Broncos (2)
T6. Packers, Bills (1)
1. Bears (5 votes)
T2. Jaguars, 49ers (4)
T4. Bengals, Bills (1)
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