NFL 2025: AP Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year favorites

The NFL and The Associated Press have announced the finalists for their annual accolades for the 2025 NFL season.

Award winners will be announced at NFL Honors presented by Invisalign, an Align Technology brand, on Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. NFL Honors, the league’s primetime awards special, will air at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on NBC and NFL Network, with streaming available on Peacock and NFL+.

The full list of annual awards include AP Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Defensive and Offensive Rookies of the Year, and Defensive and Offensive Players of the Year.

Below is my best pick for the Offensive and Defensive Player awards.

Offensive Player of the Year Pick

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks) JSN is a massive lock at -185 to -7000 odds, often near-unanimous in projections. He posted nearly 1,800 receiving yards (league-leading in several advanced metrics like yards after catch) as the centerpiece of Seattle’s explosive passing attack. Removing QBs from consideration, voters prioritize the most dominant non-QB performer, and his breakout as a true WR1 on a winning team (with All-Pro nods) makes this a no-brainer—far ahead of Puka Nacua or Christian McCaffrey.

Nominees

Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams

Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Defensive Player of the Year Pick

Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns) Garrett is essentially unanimous at -20,000 to -50,000 odds, the only player with realistic consensus. He shattered the single-season sack record (23+), led in pressures and TFLs, and was a First-Team All-Pro despite Cleveland’s record. AP voters reward game-wrecking edge rushers who dominate statistically and narratively—Garrett’s historic disruption level makes him untouchable, even on a non-contender.

Nominees

Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans

Nik Bonitto, LB, Denver Broncos

Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns

Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions

Micah Parsons, DL, Green Bay Packers

NFL Honors, hosted by Jon Hamm, will also feature the announcement of the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide, the newest Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Announcement presented by Novartis and the new Protector of the Year Award to honor the league’s best offensive lineman in 2025.

As the Official Timepiece Partner of the NFL, Breitling will unveil custom NFL Honors watches for the eight AP Award recipients, as well as the Protector of the Year and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide, with a special timepiece created exclusively for the MVP presented by Invisalign. Crafted for moments that define careers and designed to carry legacy forward, each watch stands as a lasting mark of achievement.

NFL Honors is an NFL Network production in association with Rock Garden Media. For more information about NFL Honors presented by Invisalign, fans may visit www.nfl.com/honors and follow the #NFLHonors conversation on X. 

NBC, Peacock, Telemundo and Universo will present Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.