- Sam Darnold is your midseason MVP: Darnold’s 92.6 PFF passing grade and 9.1% big-time throw rate are the top marks among quarterbacks, while his 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate ranks seventh. There is still a long way to go in the season, and there are multiple quarterbacks who are very much in the mix at this point, but Darnold is the best of the bunch at the halfway point.
- Penei Sewell is on track for Protector of the Year: Sewell is still our pick at the halfway point due to his dominance as a run blocker. Over the first half of the season, he has notched a 97.4 PFF run-blocking grade, leading all offensive linemen.
Nine weeks into the season, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of who’s in contention for the NFL’s top awards and who would make up PFF’s All-Pro team to this point.
The selections and award choices were made by a panel of PFF senior analysts, using PFF grades and advanced metrics through the first nine weeks of the season.
Offense
QB: Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Second Team: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Darnold leads all quarterbacks in overall PFF grade (93.5), and his 92.6 passing grade also ranks first in the league. Through eight games, he’s tied for the league lead with 21 big-time throws. His 9.1% big-time throw rate is the best in the NFL, and his 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate ranks seventh at his position.
RB: Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Second Team: James Cook, Buffalo Bills
Through nine games, Taylor leads the NFL with 4.07 yards after contact per carry. For context, 16 running backs with at least 50 carries don’t even reach that mark in total yards per carry. Taylor also tops all running backs with 41 missed tackles forced and ranks fourth at the position in receiving yards.
FB: Reggie Gilliam, Buffalo Bills
Second Team: Adam Prentice, Denver Broncos
Gilliam has played 74 snaps at fullback so far this season, with his 69.1 PFF run-blocking grade leading all players at the position. He has also been used sparingly as a pass-blocker, with no pressures allowed from 12 pass-blocking snaps so far this season.
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WR: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
WR: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
WR: Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
Second Team: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions; Ja‘Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals; George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
What Smith-Njigba is doing at the wide receiver position this season is remarkable. Through nine weeks, his 4.41 yards per route run average is 0.89 higher than the next-best wide receiver with at least 20 targets.
Puka Nacua leads all receivers with a 93.4 PFF receiving grade and has yet to drop a catchable target this season. The same is true of Drake London, who rounds out the first-team trio — the Falcons’ top target ranks third among wideouts in PFF receiving grade (89.0).
TE: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
Second Team: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
Bowers’ counting stats may not match some of the league’s other top tight ends, but his 90.5 PFF receiving grade stands 7.6 points higher than any other player at the position. Through the first half of the season, his 2.33 yards per route run average is tied for the second-best mark among all tight ends.
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LT: Garett Bolles, Denver Broncos
Second Team: Andrew Thomas, New York Giants
Bolles leads all left tackles in PFF overall grade (87.3) and also tops all tackles in PFF pass-blocking grade (90.0). Through nine games, he’s allowed just seven total pressures across 381 pass-blocking snaps — none of which have resulted in a sack.
LG: Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
Second Team: Peter Skoronski, Tennessee Titans
Nelson has been the NFL’s best run blocker among guards this season, and it’s not particularly close. His 91.0 PFF run-blocking grade is 5.7 points higher than the next-best player at the position. While not flawless in pass protection, he’s allowed just nine total pressures on 342 pass-blocking snaps, none of which have resulted in a sack.
C: Creed Humphrey, Kansas City Chiefs
Second Team: Drew Dalman, Chicago Bears
Humphrey has once again been the NFL’s top center this season, ranking among the top two players at the position in both PFF pass- and run-blocking grades. His 88.6 PFF run-blocking grade trails only Tyler Linderbaum of the Baltimore Ravens, while his 83.6 pass-blocking grade leads all centers. He’s allowed just three total pressures across 395 pass-blocking snaps.
RG: Quinn Meinerz, Denver Broncos
Second Team: Kevin Dotson, Los Angeles Rams
Meinerz is the only right guard to rank inside the top five at the position in both PFF pass- and run-blocking grades. Through nine weeks, he’s allowed 13 total pressures across 383 pass-blocking snaps, while his 82.2 PFF run-blocking grade ranks fourth among all guards.
RT: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions
Second Team: Lane Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles
Sewell earns the first-team spot on the strength of his dominant run blocking, despite ranking second among right tackles in PFF pass-blocking grade behind Lane Johnson, who lands on the second team. The Lions’ top lineman has been outstanding in the run game, with his 97.4 PFF run-blocking grade sitting 10.1 points higher than any other tackle to play at least 150 snaps.
Defense
EDGE: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
EDGE: Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers
Second Team: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions; Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
The edge defender position remains the deepest in football in terms of elite talent, and it seems unfair to have only two on the first team. Garrett and Parsons are tied for second at the position, behind Aidan Hutchinson, in PFF pass-rush grade (92.6). However, both have earned higher PFF run-defense grades, and neither has missed a tackle.
DI: Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
DI Maliek Collins, Cleveland Browns
Second Team: Derrick Brown, Carolina Panthers; Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans
What Heyward is accomplishing at almost 37 years old is nothing short of incredible. His 90.3 PFF overall grade leads all interior defenders, and he is the only player at the position to have earned 80.0-plus PFF grades both as a pass rusher and a run defender. Collins has been a force as an interior rusher through eight games, with his 90.4 PFF pass-rush grade trailing only Simmons at the position.
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LB: Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
LB: Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions
LB Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles
Second Team: Devin Bush, Cleveland Browns; Zach Baun, Philadelphia Eagles; Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville Jaguars
A season-ending injury will push Warner off this list by the end of the year, but he is the highest-graded linebacker in football through the first half of the season. Campbell’s year-to-year progression has been impressive, and his 91.8 PFF run-defense grade paces all linebackers. After considering snap counts, we gave the tightly contested third spot to Jihaad Campbell, who ranks third in the league in PFF coverage grade (83.3) and has missed just two tackles all season.
CB: Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CB: Trent McDuffie, Kansas City Chiefs
Second Team: Charvarius Ward, Indianapolis Colts; Sauce Gardner, New York Jets
Dean leads all cornerbacks in PFF coverage grade and has allowed a catch on just 48.4% of the passes thrown his way. He is also tied for first at the position in interceptions (three) and ranks fourth with a 60.61% lockdown percentage. McDuffie has been similarly sticky, ranking eighth in lockdown percentage (58.95%) and earning a 75.2 PFF coverage grade.
S: Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
S: Jalen Pitre, Houston Texans
Second Team: Jaylinn Hawkins, New England Patriots; Talanoa Hufanga, Denver Broncos
For the second season in a row, the Ravens have improved their defense by moving Kyle Hamilton, this time into a role that puts him closer to the line of scrimmage. His 86.1 PFF coverage grade is the best mark among safeties, and he has missed just 5.6% of his attempted tackles (13th best). Pitre’s 80.5 PFF coverage grade ranks second among safeties, and his 15 tackles resulting in a defensive stop are tied for the sixth most.
Slot CB: Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles
Second Team: S Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
DeJean, in just his second season, is having a tremendous season once again, earning an 80.0 PFF coverage grade through the first half of the campaign. He has given up just two receptions for more than 20 yards and has registered five pass breakups and 13 tackles resulting in defensive stops.
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Special Teams
K: Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys
Second Team: Chris Boswell, Pittsburgh Steelers
P: Daniel Whelan, Green Bay Packers
Second Team: Michael Dickson, Seattle Seahawks
LS: James Winchester, Kansas City Chiefs
Second Team: Mitchell Fraboni, Denver Broncos
ST: Elijah Hicks, Chicago Bears
Second Team: Juanyeh Thomas, Dallas Cowboys
KR: Myles Price, Minnesota Vikings
Second Team: Luke McCaffrey, Washington Commanders
PR: Chimere Dike, Tennessee Titans
Second Team: Marcus Jones, New England Patriots
Player Awards
Midseason NFL MVP: QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Darnold’s 92.6 PFF passing grade and 9.1% big-time throw rate are the top marks among quarterbacks, while his 2.0% turnover-worthy play rate ranks seventh. There is still a long way to go in the season, and there are multiple quarterbacks who are very much in the mix at this point, but Darnold is the best of the bunch at the halfway point.
Midseason Offensive Player of the Year: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
Smith-Njigba is on track to set a record for the most productive receiving season since PFF began collecting data in 2006. He is averaging 4.41 yards per route run — 0.89 yards more than Puka Nacua in second place among wide receivers and 1.81 yards more than any other player at the position.
Midseason Defensive Player of the Year: Edge Defender Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Garrett’s pass-rushing dominance is a given. He is tied with Micah Parsons for the second-best PFF pass-rush grade, placing behind only the Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson. He has thrived against the run, too, with his 86.7 PFF run-defense grade ranking first among edge defenders.
Midseason Offensive Rookie of the Year: RB Cam Skattebo, New York Giants
Skattebo ultimately won’t win this award due to his season-ending injury, but he has been the most impactful offensive rookie through the first half of the season. He earned an 81.0 PFF rushing grade, averaged 3.0 of his 4.1 yards per carry after contact and forced 22 missed tackles on 101 carries.
Midseason Defensive Rookie of the Year: LB Jihaad Campbell, Philadelphia Eagles
Campbell is making an impact in several ways, particularly in coverage, where he owns a third-ranked 83.3 PFF grade. He has missed just 4.3% of his tackle attempts, has earned a 76.6 PFF run-defense grade and has added nine pressures from 44 snaps as a pass rusher.
Midseason Protector of the Year: T Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions
If this award were solely about pass blocking, then Sewell would be an unlikely winner, although he has allowed just seven pressures so far this season. He is still our pick at the halfway point due to his dominance as a run blocker. Over the first half of the season, he has notched a 97.4 PFF run-blocking grade, leading all offensive linemen.
