NFL award rankings: Early leaders in race for MVP, rookie honors, and more

Six weeks of the 2023 NFL season are in the books, and several stars have already started to make strong cases for the league's most prestigious individual awards.

Here's a look at the best five candidates for the main honors:

Coach of the Year

5. Kyle Shanahan, 49ers

Sunday's ugly loss wasn't enough to kick Shanahan out of the rankings completely. After six weeks, the 49ers are 5-1 with a league-leading plus-97 point differential. Shanahan - who finished behind Brian Daboll for COY in 2022 - is one of football's premier play-callers and does a great job maximizing San Francisco skill-position players' potential and ability to gain yards after catch. Granted, the 49ers have an absurd amount of individual talent, so he isn't really overachieving like Todd Bowles and Sean McVay - who were also under consideration here. But making sure a star-studded roster stays sharp isn't as easy as it may sound.

4. DeMeco Ryans, Texans

This is why Ryans was the hottest coaching commodity in the offseason. First-year head coaches often struggle to build physical and competitive teams right away, but that hasn't been the case with the former San Francisco defensive coordinator. The 3-3 Texans - winners of three of their last four contests - have already tied their win total from last year and are on track to have their first campaign with five-plus victories since 2019. Houston's roster includes a rookie quarterback and big holes on both sides of the ball, yet Ryans has put together one of the league's most balanced teams.

3. Robert Saleh, Jets

There wasn't much optimism in New York after Aaron Rodgers went down with an Achilles injury in his Jets debut. However, Saleh's outfit is 3-3 despite playing a tough schedule that included meetings with the Bills, Chiefs, Cowboys, and Eagles. New York's offense doesn't turn heads often with Zach Wilson at QB, but Saleh has helped put together a defense that's "embarrassed" quarterbacks while forcing 13 takeaways, the AFC's third-best mark. Not many teams with subpar QB play can do what the Jets have done.

2. Dan Campbell, Lions

Campbell offers more than just viral interviews. The 2023 Lions illustrate how great a job the 47-year-old has done while changing the culture of a Detroit team that's not used to winning recently. After a 3-13-1 record in Year 1 and a 9-8 campaign last year, the Lions have one of the league's best records at 5-1 this season. One may say their schedule is easy, but good teams roll over easy opponents, and Detroit owns a top-three point differential in the NFC. Let's not forget that the Lions went to Arrowhead Stadium and handed the Chiefs their only loss so far.

1. Mike McDaniel, Dolphins

The man in charge of the NFL's best offense is our front-runner. Granted, the Dolphins already had high expectations entering 2023 after making the playoffs despite injuries at quarterback. But McDaniel's outfit has topped its preseason hype while writing history along the way. By using pre-snap motion more than any other team and perfectly designing his plays, McDaniel has maximized Tua Tagovailoa's full potential (despite the public's idea that Tuagovailoa wasn't even a quality starter at some point in his career) while creating football's fastest offense featuring Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert, and De'Von Achane. The 2023 Dolphins have scored 30 touchdowns against just 14 punts, and they're also averaging 498.7 total yards per game - 103.7 yards more than the second place (Eagles). That difference is the largest ever between the league's top offenses in a season.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

5. Christian Gonzalez, Patriots

The injured Gonzalez doesn't have a realistic shot at winning this award anymore, but he makes the cut here given how impressive he was before going down. The standout cornerback is a great fit for the Patriots, who posted a major steal by drafting him 17th overall. Despite missing the last two games with a season-ending shoulder injury, Gonzalez has 17 tackles, three pass breakups, an interception, and a sack while allowing an 86.1 passer rating when targeted. He's still PFF's sixth-best corner (minimum 100 snaps in pass coverage).

4. Brian Branch, Lions

Branch has been the best rookie in a standout 2023 draft class by the Lions. The Alabama stud was a projected first-round pick yet fell to Detroit at No. 45. Branch has missed the last two games with an ankle injury, but that's essentially the only knock on his spectacular Year 1. The versatile 21-year-old, who was drafted as a safety but has played mostly as a nickel corner, has made plays all over the field, registering 25 tackles (three for loss), four pass breakups, and a 50-yard pick-6. His seven stops against the run rank fourth among DBs.

3. Will Anderson Jr., Texans

Anderson hasn't stolen headlines - mostly because he's failed to translate his solid performances into sacks - but that doesn't mean he isn't one of the season's top rookies. The former Alabama star has amassed 25 tackles (two for loss) and one sack in six games to go along with 24 pressures, the second-most among first-year edge rushers. The 22-year-old, who's also blocked a field-goal attempt, is PFF's 19th-best edge. While the Texans need more game-changing plays from Anderson after trading up to draft him at No. 3, this is just the beginning. He'll continue to improve as he acclimates to Ryans' defensive system.

2. Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks

Seattle is great at drafting cornerbacks, and it landed another stud in Witherspoon. Since missing Week 1 due to injury, the Illinois product is the NFL's fourth-best corner, according to PFF. He's allowed a ridiculous passer rating of only 62 when targeted. Oh, and Witherspoon is responsible for one of the season's top performances after recording seven tackles, three QB hits, two sacks, one pass breakup, and a 97-yard pick-6 while playing every defensive snap in Week 4's Monday Night Football.

1. Jalen Carter, Eagles

No other rookie defender has been as dominant as Carter, who's the top-ranked interior lineman, according to PFF. Yes, he's ahead of the likes of Aaron Donald and Chris Jones. Donald leads the position with 30 pressures. Carter has generated 23 pressures despite playing 76 (!) fewer snaps as a pass-rusher. Remarkably, defenses have given Carter the Donald double-team treatment, but the No. 9 pick has had no problems wreaking havoc thanks to his 20.9% pass-rush win rate (the 11th-best among all defenders). The Georgia product, who was sidelined in Week 6, has also amassed 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

5. De'Von Achane, Dolphins

Achane has been inactive for two games and had just two touches in Week 2, so his NFL resume is essentially limited to three full appearances. However, what the Texas A&M product did on the field was so absurd that he had to be on this list. Achane put up high school numbers in the pros, averaging 12.1 yards per rushing attempt to go along with a league-high 115 yards per game. Before missing Week 6 with a knee issue that sent him to injured reserve - and will probably keep him out of OROY contention - the third-round running back had the second-most yards on the ground in the NFL (460) despite ranking only 37th in carries. His blazing speed is a great fit in Miami.

4. Sam LaPorta, Lions

LaPorta is on pace to finish the season with 82 receptions for 921 yards and eight touchdowns, which would stand as one of the greatest rookie seasons ever among tight ends. The second-round pick has been a big part of the Lions' offense - he's tied for a team high with three TD catches while posting a 115.7 passer rating in the 42 times he's been targeted. The Iowa product also leads all first-year players in contested catches (six).

3. Bijan Robinson, Falcons

Robinson is already one of football's most explosive and elusive running backs, having shown an incredible ability to break tackles and make jaw-dropping plays. It still feels like the Falcons haven't figured out an offensive system to maximize the No. 8 pick's full potential - that might explain why they rank 29th in scoring. But Robinson has still amassed 590 scrimmage yards (seventh-most in the NFL). His 13 runs of 10-plus yards rank second to only Christian McCaffrey.

2. Puka Nacua, Rams

The Rams' offense wouldn't have been able to hold its own in the first few weeks without Cooper Kupp if not for Nacua, a fifth-round pick who's been one of the league's most consistent receivers. The BYU product began his NFL career with a rookie-record 25 receptions in his first two games and topped 100 yards in three of his first four appearances. Nacua's numbers dropped with Kupp returning from IR in the last two games, but he's still been targeted 18 times since Week 5. Nacua's 50 catches and 598 yards place first (tied) and fourth, respectively, among all wideouts in 2023.

1. C.J. Stroud, Texans

There's no debate here. Stroud has given Houston consistency and poise at football's most important position despite being surrounded by a far-from-great supporting cast that includes a banged-up O-line. The No. 2 pick attempted a record 191 passes before tossing his first career interception in Week 6. He ranks fourth in passing yards and ninth in touchdown throws. Stroud is the main reason the Texans enter their bye week at .500.

Defensive Player of the Year

5. Fred Warner, 49ers

With Nick Bosa still getting back to his DPOY form after an offseason holdout, Warner has been San Francisco's most impressive defender. The All-Pro linebacker has had game-changing moments on every level of the defense - sometimes even on the same play. He's collected 48 tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble in six games. In pass coverage, he already tied a career high with two interceptions to go along with four pass breakups and a 65.8 passer rating allowed in 30 targets. It's hard to ask for more from an off-ball LB.

4. Aidan Hutchinson, Lions

We often talk about the Lions' offense, but since Hutchinson joined the team, the defense has been making plays, too. After a solid rookie campaign, the Michigan product has now taken his game to another level as he continues to make his presence known on the field. He ranks third in the league with 36 pressures to go along with 4.5 sacks, four pass breakups, one forced fumble, and an interception. The 5-1 Lions certainly wouldn't be where they are if not for the 2022 No. 2 pick.

3. Micah Parsons, Cowboys

Monday's game showed how special Parsons is - he had a quiet night and didn't really fill the stat sheet until registering a clutch sack late in the fourth quarter to help the Cowboys seal the win. He always shows up when it matters the most. Parsons also finished the game with eight pressures, marking his fifth game this season with at least five. The 24-year-old, who finished second for DPOY in each of the last two seasons, has racked up five sacks, one forced fumble, and the second-most pressures this campaign (37).

2. T.J. Watt, Steelers

Watt remains a monster when it comes to consistency. The 2021 Defensive Player of the Year has amassed an NFL-leading eight sacks in five games this year while being PFF's third-best edge rusher. He now has 51 sacks in his last 45 games dating back to 2020. Watt's 27 pressures are only tied for the eight-highest among edges, but his impact isn't limited to getting to opposing QBs; he's also notched seven tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and a fumble return touchdown.

1. Myles Garrett, Browns

Garrett is the best player in a historically good Browns defense. The four-time Pro Bowler - owner of PFF's highest pass-rushing grade among edges - has generated 26 pressures in five games while boasting the highest pass-rush win rate in the NFL (29.8%). The former No. 1 pick has been so dominant that he's made an impact by just moving from one side of the line of the scrimmage to the other before the snap. Garrett most recently put on a show against Trent Williams in Cleveland's major upset victory over the 49ers. He won 31% of his pass-rushing snaps versus the All-Pro left tackle (the highest percentage Williams has ever surrendered).

MVP

5. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Sometimes, Mahomes' biggest competitor for awards is ... himself. After claiming the regular-season and Super Bowl MVP awards in 2022, the two-time winner is off to another good start. Good by his standards, which often means very solid (not to say great) for others. The Chiefs star is in the top six in EPA per play, passing yards, and TD passes. He's done that despite Travis Kelce being banged up and the team's struggles at wide receiver. Mahomes' 84.2% on-target throws rate tops the league, but a league-high 15 of his passes have been dropped, according to Football Reference. Mahomes hasn't been No. 1 in most categories like we expect him to be every year, but he's the only reason the Chiefs are 5-1.

4. Christian McCaffrey, 49ers

Not only has McCaffrey been the best running back in football, but he's also the best scorer in a 5-1 San Francisco team that leads the NFL in point differential. Despite facing eight-plus defenders in the box at the sixth-highest rate, McCaffrey has rushed for 553 yards (5 per carry) and seven touchdowns while catching 23 passes for 177 yards and two scores. The 27-year-old, who's now scored in 15 straight games, also tops the position in yards after contact and runs of 10-plus yards. Since McCaffrey joined, the 49ers have suffered two losses, including last week when he didn't finish due to injury. His spectacular season, combined with a wide-open MVP race, gives him a shot at becoming the first RB to earn this honor since Adrian Peterson in 2012.

3. Brock Purdy, 49ers

Say what you want about Purdy, but the second-year passer was having a near-perfect season until his abysmal Week 6. We normally expect the MVP to go to a player quarterback who often makes jaw-dropping plays, but no one has done that consistently enough to run away with this award. Meanwhile, Purdy leads the NFL in EPA per play. The last four passers who topped the league in EPA/play won the MVP. It's hard to give Purdy full credit for the Niners' success given how much talent they have around him, but he's shown he can elevate his team at times while being extremely efficient. That said, Sunday's loss to the Browns and the stellar supporting cast around him leave Purdy with no more margin for error in this race.

2. Tyreek Hill, Dolphins

119-2,306-17.

Before we hear the "Receivers have never won the MVP" argument, look above at Hill's projected numbers in a 17-game season. The seven-time Pro Bowler is having a campaign for the ages. Granted, it'll be hard for him to maintain that pace. But if there's one player who can become the first wideout ever to top the 2,000-yard mark and earn MVP, it's Hill in a historically great offense. There's also the fact that this race is wide open, as the usual contenders - Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson, among others - haven't separated themselves. Hill is a long shot to win the MVP given how quarterback-driven this award is, but he's on pace to do something we've never witnessed. One of his teammates might steal some votes, though.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins

Dolphins players being 1-2 in the MVP race shows how amazing they are. Tagovailoa has been in charge of the NFL's best offensive unit while being arguably football's most efficient passer. He's No. 1 in passing yards, touchdowns, yards per attempt, and passer rating. He's also second in EPA/play. Does Tagovailoa deserve full credit for what Miami has accomplished? Probably not. But QBs under center for historically good offenses are usually rewarded with the MVP. To name a few: Peyton Manning in 2013, Aaron Rodgers in 2011, and Tom Brady in 2007. Tagovailoa obviously isn't on the same level as those guys, but he's crucial for a system that's been unstoppable. With QBs like Mahomes and Allen not playing at the level that made them MVP contenders in the past, the door is open for essentially any player to take home the MVP, including the so-called system quarterbacks.