In the NFL, there are nearly 1,700 players on an active roster, but it's the stars who make the world go 'round. They can lift good teams to great ones, lift middling teams to good ones or simply provide silver linings for bad teams. And while we may think we know who will be a star every season, there's beauty in the breakout stars, too.
Last year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba went from promising young receiver to Offensive Player of the Year and was a huge reason the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl. On the other end of the spectrum, team success-wise, the Cleveland Browns struggled again, but second-round pick Carson Schwesinger won Defensive Rookie of the Year and looks to be a pillar going forward in Northeast Ohio. These types of breakouts make predicting individual awards difficult but also incredibly fun -- an opportunity (and a challenge) to think outside the box.
With the 2026 NFL season just a day away, CBS Sports' team of NFL experts -- writers, editors, analysts and more -- made their individual award picks. Voters: Pete Prisco, Bryant McFadden, Emory Hunt, Leger Douzable, Garrett Podell, Josh Edwards, Jared Dubin, Jordan Dajani, Ryan Wilson, Tyler Sullivan, Doug Clawson, John Breech, R.J. White, Bryan DeArdo, Zach Pereles Also receiving votes: Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, Patriots QB Drake Maye, Lions QB Jared Goff, Chargers QB Justin Herbert, Packers QB Jordan Love, Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (1 each) Burrow is the top choice for the second year in a row.
While last year went off the rails for Burrow (and the Bengals) due to his injury, there are plenty of reasons to believe in a major bounce back. Burrow has been Comeback Player of the Year twice, including in 2024, when he led the NFL in passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43) and finished fourth in MVP voting. Moreover, the Bengals improved their defense this offseason, so if the team can be better, Burrow's MVP candidacy will get a big boost.
Also receiving votes: Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Colts RB Jonathan Taylor (1 each) Chase won the receiving triple crown with a healthy Burrow in 2024, but Offensive Player of the Year went to Saquon Barkley, who went for over 2,000 yards on the ground. The argument for Chase is similar to the one for Burrow: If Burrow and Chase are healthy, huge numbers await, and if the defense is much improved, the Bengals should be, too. Fair or not, a player's team being good gives him a leg up in award voting.
Chase's 6,837 career receiving yards are second-most ever through five seasons, only behind Justin Jefferson. Also receiving votes: Lions EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Broncos EDGE Nik Bonitto (1 each) Anderson Jr. was an overwhelmingly popular pick in what, hypothetically, could be a crowded race. In 2025, he was an absolute terror with 12 sacks, 93 pressures, 70 hurries and a 21% pressure rate.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
