# Zachary Pereles: CBS Sports' panel of NFL experts published its 2026 individual award picks, with Joe Burrow the leading MVP choice, Ja'Marr Chase for Offensive Player of the Year, Will Anderson Jr. an overwhelming Defensive Player of the Year pick, Jeremiyah Love for Offensive Rookie of the Year, David Bailey and Rueben Bain Jr. tied for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Patrick Mahomes for Comeback Player of the Year, Penei Sewell for Protector of the Year, and a four-way tie for Coach of the Year. **Claimed:** Sep 8, 2026 **Pundit:** Zachary Pereles — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/zachary-pereles **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/cbs-sports-2026-nfl-award-predictions-mvp/ 22 checkable claims — 18 award picks and 4 coach award picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 33 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > Mahomes winning Comeback Player of the Year was the most popular pick across all of the categories. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Joe Burrow to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Lamar Jackson to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens - Verdict: not settled yet - **Puka Nacua to win Offensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jadarian Price to win Offensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brian Schottenheimer to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jeremiyah Love to win Offensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Myles Garrett to win Defensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Myles Garrett, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet - **Bijan Robinson to win Offensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: not settled yet - **T.J. Watt to win Defensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Penei Sewell to win Protector of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Caleb Downs to win Defensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys - Verdict: not settled yet - **Ja'Marr Chase to win Offensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals - Verdict: not settled yet - **Will Anderson Jr. to win Defensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jahmyr Gibbs to win Offensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **De'Zhaun Stribling to win Offensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: De'Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **David Bailey to win Defensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: David Bailey, New York Jets - Verdict: not settled yet - **Joe Brady to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jesse Minter to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Rueben Bain to win Defensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Rueben Bain, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Josh Allen to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Liam Coen to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Patrick Mahomes to win Comeback Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Joe Burrow — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/joe-burrow - Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals - Lamar Jackson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/lamar-jackson - Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens - Puka Nacua — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/puka-nacua - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams - Jadarian Price — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jadarian-price - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Jeremiyah Love — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jeremiyah-love - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals - Myles Garrett — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/myles-garrett - Bijan Robinson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bijan-robinson - Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/falcons - T.J. Watt — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/t-j-watt - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Penei Sewell — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/penei-sewell - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Caleb Downs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/caleb-downs - Dallas Cowboys — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cowboys - Ja'Marr Chase — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/ja-marr-chase - Will Anderson Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/will-anderson-jr - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Jahmyr Gibbs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jahmyr-gibbs - De'Zhaun Stribling — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/de-zhaun-stribling - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - David Bailey — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/david-bailey - New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets - Rueben Bain — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/rueben-bain - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - Josh Allen — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/josh-allen - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Patrick Mahomes — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/patrick-mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs ## What others said about the same people - Chris Simms on Kansas City Chiefs: Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 100) - Connor Rogers on Detroit Lions: Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 100) - Chris Long on Cincinnati Bengals: Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3df9ea25-e57f-4fd7-b20c-c910a1c3633a (scored 0) - Steven Ruiz on Houston Texans: Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a30ff469-4972-4c48-855b-ba984e4de9d0 (scored 0) - Nate Tice on Baltimore Ravens: Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b8378e16-ea5c-4107-a883-28aaf0e71134 (scored 100) - Sam Monson on Seattle Seahawks: Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0b810ffd-fd93-4ea2-a208-b1353dea5fb0 (scored 0) ## More award picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Brandon Sneide on Drake Maye: Snyder picks the Seahawks to beat the Patriots 31-23 in Super Bowl 60, believing Seattle pulls away late, and says Drake Maye will finish second in MVP voting behind Matthew Stafford. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1cf83e90-e59f-4c8f-941f-c732efcb4c03 (scored 0) - Eric Mangini on Drake Maye: Mangini picked the Patriots 23-20 with Drake May as Super Bowl MVP, and earlier named Kayshon Boutte ("Kaeshawn Booty") as his dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/332dce8c-f71c-4f26-a976-8f4615a9f9bd (scored 0) - Chris Broussard on Drake Maye: Broussard picked New England to beat Seattle 24-21, with Drake May winning Super Bowl MVP, and named Cooper Kupp as his dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1247ee30-3338-4940-8fc9-977cc215ff59 (scored 0) - Rich Eisen on Sam Darnold: Eisen reaffirms his pick of the Rams to win the NFC West despite Seattle's current lead, expects Buffalo to land as the 2 or 3 seed in the AFC, names Josh Allen as his MVP with Sam Darnold finishing top five, floats the Saints picking in the teens, and calls Puka Nacua possibly the best receiver in the league. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/6671cdd3-7a29-4dc8-a3a0-7b5702ef670b (scored 0) - Eric Mangini on Justin Herbert: Mangini's upset alert was Carolina beating the heavily favored Rams; he also confirmed he has Buffalo ultimately winning in Jacksonville, and noted he had picked Justin Herbert as his MVP after Joe Burrow's injury. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a0d45d98-1c40-47ec-9f79-7444727d076c (scored 0) - Brandon Carney on Christian McCaffrey: Carney made a full playoff bracket, picking the Bears, Niners, Rams, Patriots, Jaguars and Texans in the wild card round, then Seahawks and Rams in the NFC divisional, Broncos and Patriots in the AFC, with the Rams beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl. He also gave award picks including Stafford for MVP and Vrabel for Coach of the Year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/88101820-7344-4240-93f1-caa15fe95de9 (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=zachary-pereles