# Eric Williams: Heading into Week 4 of the 2026 season, Williams submitted a top-three ballot for each major NFL award, headlining Brock Purdy as their MVP leader, Kenneth Walker III for Offensive Player of the Year, Greg Rousseau for Defensive Player of the Year and Kevin O'Connell for Coach of the Year. **Claimed:** Oct 1, 2026 **Pundit:** Eric Williams — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/eric-williams **Outlet:** Fox Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fox-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-awards-ballot-bijan-robinson-we-trust-brock-purdy-mvp-frontrunner 18 checkable claims — 15 award picks and 3 coach award picks — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call. It names 29 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > But Brock Purdy's numbers largely stand alone to start the season. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Genesis Smith — Defensive Rookie of the Year: 3rd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Genesis Smith, Los Angeles Chargers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Patrick Mahomes — MVP: 3rd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kevin O'Connell to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brock Purdy to win MVP** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Klint Kubiak to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Josiah Trotter — Defensive Rookie of the Year: 2nd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Josiah Trotter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Verdict: not settled yet - **T.J. Watt — Defensive Player of the Year: 3rd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Kenneth Walker III to win Offensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs - Verdict: not settled yet - **Will Anderson Jr. — Defensive Player of the Year: 2nd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans - 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 - **Kenyon Sadiq — Offensive Rookie of the Year: 3rd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jared Goff — MVP: 2nd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions - Verdict: not settled yet - **Jaxon Smith-Njigba — Offensive Player of the Year: 3rd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Denzel Boston — Offensive Rookie of the Year: 2nd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns - Verdict: not settled yet - **Todd Monken to win Coach of the Year** - Kind: Coach Award Picks - Verdict: not settled yet - **Hezekiah Masses to win Defensive Rookie of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Hezekiah Masses, Las Vegas Raiders - Verdict: not settled yet - **Greg Rousseau to win Defensive Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Greg Rousseau, Buffalo Bills - Verdict: not settled yet - **Bijan Robinson — Offensive Player of the Year: 2nd on ballot** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Genesis Smith — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/genesis-smith - Los Angeles Chargers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chargers - Patrick Mahomes — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/patrick-mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/chiefs - Brock Purdy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brock-purdy - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Josiah Trotter — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/josiah-trotter - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/buccaneers - T.J. Watt — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/t-j-watt - Pittsburgh Steelers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/steelers - Kenneth Walker III — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kenneth-walker-iii - Will Anderson Jr. — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/will-anderson-jr - Houston Texans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/texans - Jeremiyah Love — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jeremiyah-love - Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals - Kenyon Sadiq — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kenyon-sadiq - New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets - Jared Goff — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jared-goff - Detroit Lions — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/lions - Jaxon Smith-Njigba — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jaxon-smith-njigba - Seattle Seahawks — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/seahawks - Denzel Boston — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/denzel-boston - Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns - Hezekiah Masses — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/hezekiah-masses - Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders - Greg Rousseau — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/greg-rousseau - Buffalo Bills — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bills - Bijan Robinson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/bijan-robinson - Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/falcons ## What others said about the same people - Nate Gosney on Daiyan Henley: After the Broncos rescinded the trade, Gosney expects Daiyan Henley to remain with the Chargers for the rest of the 2026 season, but believes the awkward fallout has effectively killed any chance of them signing a new contract with Los Angeles after the season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/60272861-4ad0-4749-b36a-dcdf09b9213f (scored 0) - Parker Hurley on Khalid Kareem: Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/5a729417-69ee-493a-9bec-d905fd1a7082 (scored 0) - Gilberto Manzano on Josh Downs: Previewing the trade deadline, he expects Justin Herbert to stay in Los Angeles despite the Chargers' 0–7 start, thinks the Jets will keep Garrett Wilson and pair him with their young weapons, expects a receiver-hungry Kansas City to be aggressive with Josh Downs the likeliest target, and suggests expiring Eagles contracts Moro Ojomo and Riq Woolen could be dealt for mid-round picks. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/67d5af78-94ea-4ee2-a277-5e68347022de (scored 100) - Joshua Poniatowski on Josh Downs: Poniatowski names several trade targets, predicting Malik Willis underperforms this week against New England, that Omarion Hampton could become a viable RB2 if Adam Gase takes over play-calling, that Josh Downs gets traded (ideally to Kansas City, where they'd be a top-24 WR), that Brian Thomas Jr. could be dealt to the Rams or 49ers, and that Travis Kelce remains a consistent weekly TE. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d1752582-a799-48b9-984b-39bf7cb8b709 (scored 100) - Andrew Erickson on Josh Downs: Erickson floated Kansas City as the landing spot for Josh Downs and said a trade there would make them at least a WR3 rest of season; they also expect Rashee Rice to leave the Chiefs after this season as a free agent. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e97e28f2-31fc-4702-915c-63c38477e97d (scored 100) - Jordan Dajani on Josh Downs: After reporting that Colts receiver Josh Downs requested a trade, they identify five clubs as plausible landing spots for them: the Rams, Patriots, Falcons, Chiefs and Raiders, and suggests Las Vegas could also give them a long-term extension. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f5af1657-8608-4071-a63e-0e7d6124e627 (scored 100) ## More award picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - 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 their 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 their dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1247ee30-3338-4940-8fc9-977cc215ff59 (scored 0) - Willie Colon on Hunter Henry: Willie (Kyle Brandt's colleague, the panelist who argued Hunter Henry would be the key) predicted a 28-21 result and floated Hunter Henry as a possible Super Bowl MVP with two or three touchdowns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d9547f0f-2af4-40b0-90c3-73901fdd165f (scored 0) - Manti Te'o on Lamar Jackson: Picked a Rams–Ravens Super Bowl with Baltimore winning, and Lamar Jackson taking both season MVP and Super Bowl MVP. They also picked Jalen Carter as Defensive Player of the Year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/51e93aac-f0be-4bce-98a7-5f7449f3edf2 (scored 0) - Chris Brockman on Saquon Barkley: Brockman picked the Eagles to beat the Chiefs 31-23 with Saquon Barkley as Super Bowl MVP, and said Barkley has a chance to reach 3,000 total yards of offense. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cd1faf91-f6b5-4e48-b8c8-608235188d87 (scored 0) - Seton O'Connor on Jalen Hurts: Picked the Eagles over the Chiefs in a close game, 31-28, with Jalen Hurts as MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/59584637-a46a-4023-81c0-9bd5bfaa6e24 (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=eric-williams