My Best Bet For 5 Major NFL Awards For The 2025 Season

As this marks the final week of July and the calendar is about to flip to August, it also means that football is so very close! With a new season approaching, it also means it's about the time of year when people will look to dive into the futures markets to place their wagers for the upcoming season. This article will not feature my official predictions in terms of award winners for the 2025 NFL season but rather the individuals who I think present the best value for the following five awards: MVP, Offensive Rookie of the Year,  Defensive Rookie of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Let's get into it!

MVP: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens (+500)

While I do hate betting favourites for these awards so early on, I think this is the rare year where the favourite for MVP presents the best value.

When healthy, Jackson is almost assuredly in the conversation for this award every year, which is a huge part of this exercise, and I expect things to be no different this season. Last season had one of the tighter MVP races we have seen in a while between Jackson and Josh Allen, where the latter took home the award for the first time in his career.

While I feel Allen was the rightful winner, it did have some shades of the 2023 NBA MVP race between Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who had already won the award multiple times, and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who ultimately won the award. A lot of people have stated since then that they believe the reason Embiid beat Jokic that year was due to voter fatigue, and all I am saying is, I wouldn't be shocked if that is what swung some media members votes last season with the NFL MVP award.

This year, voters could be looking for a reason to "make it up" to Jackson, especially if he continues to get better like he has almost every year starting. The Ravens are a legitimate Super Bowl contender and clearly the best team in the AFC North. If they lock up a top-two seed in the conference, Jackson would have a great shot at winning the third MVP award of his career.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (+1000)

With Najee Harris not being able to participate in training due to an eye injury that he suffered on the Fourth of July weekend, a real opportunity has emerged for Chargers first-round running back Omarion Hampton to be inserted as the bell cow early on in this offence, as Jim Harbaugh will look to crap out the football yet again to develop the play-action for quarterback Justin Herbert.

Hampton, the North Carolina product, will line up behind one of the best offensive lines in football, unlike his fellow first-round running back Ashton Jeanty, who will have to in Las Vegas with the Raiders. Not to mention, I just simply believe that the Chargers will be one of the best teams in all of football this season, meaning Hampton's production could have a real impact on winning for a likely playoff team in his rookie season.

Given those facts and my expectations, +1000 for Hampton to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year feels like the best value on the board.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Nick Emmanwori, S, Seattle Seahawks (+4000)

I acknowledge that this might be the moment when my bias for the Seahawks begins to influence my judgment. But I do believe it is for good reason.

Throughout the entire draft process, we heard scouts rave about Emmanwori's athleticism and how special his traits are. It was because of that why the Seahawks felt the need to trade up in the second round to add him to this defense.

Because the Seahawks secondary is so stacked, coach Mike Macdonald has stated that he plans to move Emmanwori all over the field, though safety will be his primary spot.

I expect the Seahawks defense to be one of the better ones in all of football this season, and if Emmanwori can be a game-wrecker for Macdonald's Seahawks, I think the value at +4000 is absurd.

Offensive Player of the Year: Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams (+1600)

Injuries derailed Puka Nacua’s 2024 season, but when he was on the field, his production was outstanding. In just 11 games, he finished just shy of 1000 yards with 990 on 79 receptions while also hauling in 3 touchdowns.

I think 2025 could be Nacua's best season to date and one prediction I do have for him is that I truly believe he will lead in the NFL in targets this season even with Davante Adams paired up with him in the Rams receiving room.

The Rams I believe are legit contenders to win the Super Bowl this season, and if both Nacua and Matthew Stafford can stay healthy, I believe there’s an outside shot Nacua could pull off the receiving triple crown.

At +1600, Nacua I think is a great play for the Offensive Player of the Year award.

Defensive Player of the Year: T.J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers (+1000)

Sometimes, it's just not complicated. Every week, the Steelers can count on T.J. Watt to make his presence felt and at times he can single handedly win his team a game. Having recently signed a new deal to make him the highest paid defensive player in NFL history, he is totally invested and prepared to lead the Steelers defense as they look to get back to the playoffs.

At 10/1, it’s simply great value for one of the league’s most dominant forces on the defensive line.