Midseason awards expose the NFL’s deepest MVP debate

2026 Midseason Awards: Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, or Jordan Love?

The panel’s choices reveal how much midseason awards depend on value, team context, and the players carrying limited support.

3 key takeaways

1Jackson Smith-Njigba wins unanimous Offensive Player of the Year support despite poor quarterback play and limited offensive help.
2Fred Warner and Arvell Reese anchor a defensive awards slate built on versatility, instincts, and transformative impact.
3Josh Allen, Jordan Love, and Joe Burrow headline an MVP debate that also elevates load-bearing non-quarterbacks.

Don't miss

The panel’s MVP discussion expands beyond quarterbacks as Jackson Smith-Njigba and Kenneth Walker emerge as the league’s most load-bearing non-quarterbacks.

The brief

Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen, and Dave Helman open with an Oscars-inspired awards format, then make Jackson Smith-Njigba their unanimous Offensive Player of the Year.

Smith-Njigba’s case rests on efficiency, target share, air-yard dominance, and production despite poor quarterback play and limited support around him.

Fred Warner and Arvell Reese lead the defensive awards, while Brian Flores gets credit for building Minnesota’s effective unit largely from free agents and late-round picks.

The coaching debate splits between Kyle Shanahan’s injury-tested excellence and Clint Kubiak making the Raiders unexpectedly competitive, exposing competing definitions of overachievement.

The MVP discussion centers on Josh Allen, Jordan Love, and Joe Burrow before turning to whether Smith-Njigba or Kenneth Walker can challenge quarterbacks.

Weekly email

State of the Pod, every Monday

The week's most-discussed names and stories from podcasts, with the moments behind them. Free, five minutes, unsubscribe in one click.