Predicting all the NFL awards for the 2019/20 season

Comeback Player of the Year:

1. Jimmy Garoppolo

2. Le’Veon Bell

3. Earl Thomas

Just outside: David Johnson and Jameis Winston

I don’t want to give away too much about my playoff predictions a couple of paragraphs down, but I have the Niners winning the NFC West and Kyle Shanahan turning Jimmy G into a second-tier MVP candidate. Returning from a torn ACL, the former Patriot QB has a bunch of young skill guys around him now, such as Dante Pettis in year two, a couple of promising rookies in Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd, a YAC-monster at tight-end in George Kittle and Tevin Coleman reuniting with his former OC, which will probably lead to 50+ catches and more than 1000 yards on the ground for the season. I’m penciling Garoppolo in for 4000 yards and 30 touchdowns.

We haven’t really seen anybody do what Bell did last season since the franchise tag was introduced. The former Steelers star running back decided not to sign his tender in favor of waiting a year and getting a long-term deal on the open market. While the decision and its results can be questioned, from everything I’ve heard Bell is re-energized and excited to get to work in this Adam Gase offense. With a rising young QB in Sam Darnold, new weapons and most importantly an improved Jets O-line, Bell should return to form as one of the top RBs in all of football, while catching 80+ passes.

And finally, I went with a defensive player. Rarely does this award to go to a guy on that side of the ball, because you don’t see those kinds of drastic drop-offs or improvement in statistics as you can for quarterbacks or offensive skill player. Earl Thomas’ situation is a little different, however. Similar to Bell, the former Seahawks safety wanted some long-term financial security with just one year left on his deal, but decided to return for regular-season action after sitting out training camp. After looking like the best safety in the league for the first three weeks, Thomas broke his leg and flipped the double bird at his own sideline. He returns as part of one of the NFL’s elite defenses in Baltimore and should be motivated to prove he is far from done.

I have DJ just outside my top three because his comeback won’t be quite as dramatic after just having a down season, but I expect him to really improve his numbers and re-emerge as one of the top backs in football in a more space-oriented offense. Winston, on the other hand, has yet to prove he was worth the number one overall pick in 2015 and is coming off a season where he was suspended early on and split time with Ryan Fitzpatrick. With Bruce Arians at the helm, the Bucs will air it out and make Winston look like a different guy.