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Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books, and what a week it was to kickstart the season. A litany of high-scoring games, impressive offenses, and exceptional individual performances. The goal now is to find what feels real and what’s not. Week 1 of the NFL season can so often be a game of who’s lying the hardest. Which teams deliver performances that’ll be considered aberrational by the end of the season, and who really showed their hand?
Because of that, there won’t be too much movement in the awards watch. Overreacting is for the weak and fickle, and we’re trying to steer the ship to safe and considerable waters. It might not always be flashy, but hopefully it’ll be the right moves.
Most Valuable Player Power Rankings, Odds
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Business as usual for one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Josh Allen stepped into Week 1 with an astronomically tough task: work against one of the best defenses in the NFL, the Houston Texans. In reality, Allen and the Bills’ offense combed their way through with relative ease. Allen completed 69.0% of his passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns, with 23 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Allen was pressured on 43.8% of his dropbacks, per Sümer Sports, yet still pushed the ball downfield aggressively—and to great success. His 0.34 EPA per play was fourth among quarterbacks in the NFL. You can’t start much hotter than that.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Every time Lamar Jackson has had a new offensive playcaller, he’s won an MVP. That’s only been twice in his nine-year career, but it’s a telling stat nonetheless. Jackson started the season with a chip on his shoulder in a 41-23 win against the Indianapolis Colts. His 55.6% passing success rate was fifth among quarterbacks in Week 1 as Jackson completed 17-of-25 passes for 324 yards and a touchdown along with 40 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Jackson looked comfortable in the new offense and averaged a healthy 13 yards per pass attempt. He springboarded into the top three after a strong Week 1, and if this is the version of Jackson we see throughout the season, he’s not going anywhere.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Of all of the quarterback performances in Week 1, there wasn’t a better passing performance than the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence. The former number one pick looked at his best in the Jaguars’ 34-10 win against the Cleveland Browns. Lawrence tossed four touchdown passes while completing 78.3% of his passes for 245 yards. His 0.7 EPA per play led all NFL quarterbacks in Week 1, and Lawrence looks like he could take another step forward in his second year with Liam Coen. It’s early days, but Lawrence has always shown the real flashes.
Complete NFL Week 2 MVP Rankings & Markets
Offensive Player of the Year Power Rankings, Odds
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Jahmyr Gibbs was expected to get a major workload for the Detroit Lions this season. It took one week to decipher whether that would be the case or not. Gibbs’ Offensive Player of the Year campaign got off to a monster start with 29 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns. The fact that Gibbs had a 58.6% rushing success rate on that sort of workload is just as wild. His motor just never quit, and Gibbs consistently found ways to make plays happen. He also forced eight missed tackles and had seven rushes of 10 yards or more. Gibbs is going to win plenty of fantasy football leagues this season. He also might just win his first Offensive Player of the Year award.
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
It was a quiet Week 1 performance for the Rams’ offense, but if anyone covered themselves in any sort of glory, it was wide receiver Puka Nacua—even if it wasn’t the sort of performance we’ve come to expect. Nacua had five catches for 74 yards, and his 3.7 yards per route run was the 12th among wide receivers in Week 1. The big standout play for Nacua was a deep catch-and-run, bouncing off defenders and breaking tackles on the way. It’s a slower-than-anticipated start for Nacua and the Rams, but they’ll likely bounce back from defeat in Melbourne to the 49ers.
Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Death, taxes, and Derrick Henry being the man that Father Time forgot. The veteran running back entered his age-32 season looking to prove that he was still one of the league’s top running backs. Mission accomplished already. Henry was at his brutal best against the Colts, rushing for 144 yards and three touchdowns on 24 attempts, averaging 6.0 yards per attempt. His 0.29 EPA per rush was fourth among running backs in the NFL in Week 1, and the Ravens’ offense looks to be positioned to be one of the best units in the NFL in 2026. Henry hasn’t won Offensive Player of the Year since 2020; could he win the award once more?
Complete NFL Week 2 OPOY Rankings & Markets
Defensive Player of the Year Power Rankings, Odds
Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
The major change in our awards watch is the disappearance of Myles Garrett. The Los Angeles Rams edge defender will miss the next four weeks, at the very least, which punts him off the board and moves everyone else up a space. Will Anderson wasn’t his game-breaking best against a game Buffalo Bills’ offense, but he still finished the game with four pressures and half a sack. Despite the 36 points allowed, the Texans soundly held the Bills to a 33.3% rushing success rate, 28th in the NFL, and Anderson had a poignant role to play in that success. The defense will bounce back, and Anderson will be at the face of it.
Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
Aidan Hutchinson was a force to be reckoned with against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1. Hutchinson started the season third in our Defensive Player of the Year awards watchlist, but has swiftly moved up to second. Even with the injury to Garrett, it’s hard to ignore Hutchinson, who had 10 pressures and two sacks in the 31-30 win. The former first-round pick had a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2025 and finished the year fifth in voting for the award. An emphatic performance in Week 1 will get all of the right attention. Hutchinson continues to ascend.
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
If Anderson and Hutchinson continue to grow in stature, T.J. Watt is now the grizzly veteran still looking to prove that he can play at an elite level. If his Week 1 performance against the Falcons is anything to go by, he absolutely can. Watt had four pressures and two sacks against the Falcons, and added a tremendous pick-six in the fourth quarter. The Steelers’ defense might have to carry their fair share of the load in 2026, and if Watt is able to put together a string of performances like that, they’ll be one of the better defenses in the league.
Complete NFL Week 2 DPOY Rankings & Markets
Offensive Rookie of the Year Power Rankings, Odds
Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals provided the upset of the week in Week 1, besting the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 to start the season 1-0 for the first time since 2021. It’s hard to say how many more games the Cardinals will win, but rookie running back Jeremiyah Love will be at the center of everything they do. The 2026 first-round pick had 11 rushes for 41 yards and a touchdown in his first career game, and Love had 4.36 yards after contact per attempt, fifth among running backs in Week 1. The Offensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner gets off to a positive start.
Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans
Unlike Love, the Titans’ fourth-overall pick wide receiver Carnell Tate had a decidedly understated start to his NFL career. Tate was featured in the Titans’ offense, catching four passes for a team-high 38 receiving yards, but the lack of real punch from the offense as a whole limited Tate’s impact. That’ll hopefully change as the season progresses, but there is a chance the wheels fall off early. For now, Tate remains second in the rankings. He’s too good of a receiver to suddenly give up on after one week. And until another offensive rookie really steps up, he’ll remain in and around the top three.
Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks kickstarted their Super Bowl defense with a win against their Super Bowl opponents from a season ago, defeating the Patriots 13-10 on Wednesday night. A big part of their game plan was handing the ball off to rookie running back Jadarian Price. The first-round pick carried the ball 10 times for 52 yards in his NFL debut, and could see a lot of work moving forward. His 50% rushing success rate was 17th among running backs in Week 1, and Price had two runs of 10 yards or more—tied for the seventh-most in the league. He could rise up the rankings.
Complete NFL Week 2 OROY Rankings & Markets
Defensive Rookie of the Year Power Rankings, Odds
David Bailey, New York Jets
The second overall pick had a promising start to his NFL career with a sack and a tackle for loss. David Bailey and the Jets got off to a winning start with a 23-10 effort against the Titans in Week 1, and Bailey is now the odds leader for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Bailey started the season second behind Rueben Bain Jr., but the Week 1 performance flashed his explosive speed and power. The schedule will get noticeably harder for the Jets over the next few weeks, but Bailey has enough talent to keep the train rolling. He could be a special player.
Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys’ defense didn’t show up against the New York Giants in Week 1. That’s a concern for a team that has real aspirations in 2026—but a large part of that equation was the defense stepping up after a disastrous season in 2025. They started the season 28th in EPA per play allowed, but rookie first-round pick Caleb Downs still flashed. The versatile defensive back had his first career sack on a blitz, as well as eight tackles and two run stops. A safety winning Defensive Rookie of the Year remains a tall task, but Downs is second in the odds.
Rueben Bain Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Anyone who had real concerns with Rueben Bain’s arm length and build will feel a serious level of vindication right now. The Buccaneers’ first-round pick struggled in his NFL debut against Amarius Mims of the Cincinnati Bengals. Bain couldn’t find his way past the Bengals’ tackle and into the backfield, which will leave a certain amount of doubt for those willing to be overcome by the overreaction bug. Bain will likely be fine, but this wasn’t the ideal start for someone so polarizing in the draft process.
Complete NFL Week 2 DROY Rankings & Markets
Comeback Player of the Year Power Rankings, Odds
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
It was by no means a perfect return to the field for Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes—his 38.9% success rate was 24th among quarterbacks per Sümer Sports—but the main selling point is that the Chiefs picked up an impressive win against the Denver Broncos in Week 1. Mahomes completed 55.6% of his passes for 173 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, while adding a rushing touchdown. Mahomes and the Chiefs offense now have an electric running game to fall back on, which could make life easier for the franchise quarterback.
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
The first half of the Commanders-Eagles game must have left a lot of Commanders fans sweating. Jayden Daniels struggled mightily against the Eagles’ defense, and completed just 37.5% of his pass attempts for 43 yards, averaging 2.69 yards per attempt. The second half was a different story, even if the Commanders couldn’t come up with the win. Daniels completed 12-of-18 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns and looked more comfortable in the offense. He’ll continue to grow into the season in a pivotal third season in the NFL.
Malik Nabers, New York Giants
Malik Nabers’ status for Week 1 was a true game-time decision, and the Giants will feel relieved and delighted that they had their star receiver back on the field in his first game back from a torn ACL. The 2024 first-round pick looked like he hadn’t missed a beat, catching six passes for 69 yards as the Giants blew away the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 in the season opener. Nabers’ 2.88 yards per route run were 19th among all receivers in Week 1, and his connection with Jaxson Dart showed real promise. Winning Comeback Player of the Year will be tough, especially against Mahomes, but Nabers is back.
Complete NFL Week 2 Comeback Player Rankings & Markets
Coach of the Year Power Rankings, Odds
Complete NFL Week 2 Coach of the Year Rankings & Markets
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
Ben Johnson narrowly missed out on winning the NFL’s Coach of the Year award in 2025, and though he may not be the betting favorite early in 2026, he and the Bears got off to the perfect start, with a 59-37 win against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1. The Bears’ offense was exactly as advertised, finishing the game with a 50% success rate. Winning the NFC North for the second-straight year will be a tough task, but if the Bears can do it, Johnson will remain a steady favorite for Coach of the Year.
Jesse Minter, Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens arguably made the hire of this year’s coaching cycle by bringing in Chargers’ defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to replace John Harbaugh. Minter brought in a young and ambitious coaching staff that paid dividends in Week 1, with a dominant 41-23 win against the Indianapolis Colts. The offense looked electric, and the defense showed up with some important plays. If Week 1 is anything to go by, the Ravens are going to be serious Super Bowl contenders in 2026. Minter is going to be the guy in Baltimore.
John Harbaugh, New York Giants
The word on the street is that the Giants needed someone to change their culture in the building. They needed a leader. John Harbaugh is a leader, and it already shows. The Giants stepped up to the plate under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football and hit a home run. The offense played keep-away for the majority of the second half, with Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo, and co. putting together a really well-rounded performance. Hope finally exists in New York. Hopefully, for Giants fans, they’re not one of the big liars of Week 1. Harbaugh is already imprinting his vision.
Photo Credit: REUTERS
