NFL midseason awards watch

Smith's story is well-documented. He suffered a catastrophic leg injury in 2018 that could have become fatal after infection, resulting in 17 surgeries. He returned to the field two years later, and has seen playing time due to Dwayne Haskins' poor play and Kyle Allen's injury. No matter how his season goes in the second half, Smith's improbable comeback at age 36 is deserving of an award.

Roethlisberger suffered an elbow injury early last season that required surgery, and there were questions about if he could still be effective. He's answered those questions by helping the Steelers to an 8-0 start, with 18/4 TD/INT.

Chubb had a great rookie season with 12 sacks in 2018, but he played only four games last year due to a knee injury. With Von Miller absent, the Broncos have put more pressure on Chubb to perform, and he's been up to the task with 5.5 sacks in eight games.

Verrett made the Pro Bowl in 2015 with the Chargers, but he's been completely unable to stay healthy since then. So it's bizarre that on the most injury-plagued team in the league in 2020, Verrett has not only stayed healthy but flourished with 25 tackles and one pick as a lockdown cornerback.

Stafford played only nine games last season due to a back injury. While he's been unable to match last year's great start, Stafford has performed well for the Lions with 2,127 yards and 14 touchdowns in eight games.

Tomlin led the Steelers to an 8-8 season in 2019 despite terrible quarterback play. With Ben Roethlisberger back healthy, the Steelers needed only eight games to match that win total from last season, and have their sights set on a Super Bowl.

Vrabel has dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak this season, but somehow the Titans have remained on a nice path. Tennessee leads the AFC South at 6-2 through Week 9, showing that last year's playoff success wasn't a fluke.

Reid finally got his Super Bowl ring last year, and the Chiefs are the favorites to win a championship again this season. Reid continues to lead the team's offense, and KC is 8-1 heading into their bye week.

The Colts had a disappointing 2019 season, but have bounced back this season with an elite defense and Philip Rivers at quarterback. They have an excellent chance to make the playoffs after a 5-3 start.

Coming from 5-10-1 in his first season as Arizona's head coach, Kingsbury's team has been 5-3 in the first half of the season and in arguably the league's toughest division. Kyler Murray has continued to develop under Kingsbury's watch, as well.

Winfield has looked like a steal as the 45th overall pick in the draft, showing the do-everything ability that his father had in his long NFL career. He has 51 tackles, two sacks, and one interception in nine games.

The Ravens have been searching for middle linebacker help since losing C.J. Mosley in free agency last year, and Queen has proven to be the answer. The first-round pick had 52 tackles, two sacks, and a touchdown in eight games.

The Bears have done well drafting defensive backs in the draft, and Johnson is their newest high performer. The second-round pick has yet to get his first career interception, but he has 12 passes defensed to go along with 28 tackles.

The much-hyped Young has been relatively quiet since an early-season injury, but he does have 3.5 sacks in seven games played. Washington expects a bigger second half of the season as Young gets healthier and more comfortable.

Chinn has helped the young Panthers defense perform better than expected early this season. The second-round pick has 67 tackles, one interception, and five passes defensed in eight games.

Herbert got on the field earlier than expected after Tyrod Taylor suffered a rib injury and subsequent punctured lung in Week 2. While Herbert is just 1-6 in his first seven starts,  he's impressed by completing 67 percent of his passes for 2,146 yards and 17/5 TD/INT. Certainly, the team's struggles haven't been his fault.

The first overall pick in the 2020 draft, Burrow has been as advertised. The Bengals are 2-5-1 in the first half of the season, but Burrow has 2,272 yards and 11 touchdowns over that time with a very respectable 60.3 QBR despite playing behind a bad offensive line.

The Vikings were hoping Jefferson would fill the shoes of the departed Stefon Diggs, and he's been up to the challenge. The former LSU star has 34 catches for 627 yards and three touchdowns in his first eight games.

Robinson impressed the Jags in training camp enough that they released Leonard Fournette, and the undrafted rookie has been terrific in the team's first eight games. He has 580 yards rushing, 225 yards receiving, and seven touchdowns for the one-win Jacksonville squad.

The only running back drafted in the first round, Edwards-Helaire has been yet another weapon for the Chiefs. Through nine games, he has 810 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns, now sharing playing time with Le'Veon Bell.

Garrett netted a contract extension before the season started, and is looking worth the price. He leads the NFL with nine sacks and four forced fumbles in eight games after returning from a suspension last year.

Watt has made two Pro Bowls, and would love to join his brother with a Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Steelers star is in contention with seven sacks, six passes defensed, and 26 tackles in eight games.

Donald has already won three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and could be on the way to his fourth. He's tied for the league lead with nine sacks and also has 26 tackles and three forced fumbles.

The Defensive Player of the Year in 2016, Mack is back in form this year and leading the Bears defense. He has 6.5 sacks and 33 tackles in nine games.

Tampa Bay's defense is vastly improved this season, and Davis is a big reason. The third-yard corner leads the league with 13 passes defensed, and also has four interceptions and 40 tackles in only nine games.

Cook is on a pace far better than his breakout 2019 season, leading the NFL with 858 yards rushing and 12 rushing touchdowns in only seven games played. If he can stay healthy, Cook isn't far off a 2,000 yard rushing pace.

Metcalf dropped in the second round of last year's draft due to health concerns, but he continues to be a steal for the Seahawks. He's emerged as a No. 1 wideout with 43 catches for 788 yards and eight touchdowns in eight games.

Adams has missed two games due to injury, but is still among the league leaders in most receiving categories. He's averaged a league-best 112.5 receiving yards per game, and has 53 catches for 675 yards and eight touchdowns over his six games played.

Kamara got a contract extension as the season began and has looked like a smart investment in the first half of the season. He has a league-high 1,036 yards from scrimmage, adding eight touchdowns for the first place Saints.

Henry led the NFL with 303 carries last season, and he's on a much higher pace this year with 182 carries in eight games. He has 843 yards rushing and eight touchdowns with that huge workload.

While he's made the Pro Bowl six times, Wilson has yet to win an NFL MVP. He's on pace to change that in 2020, completing 71 percent of his passes for 2,541 yards and a league-leading 28 touchdowns in eight games. Wilson has also rushed for 265 yards and one score.

Mahomes is well in contention for his second MVP, particularly with his recent performances. The Chiefs superstar has led the team to an 8-1 record with 2,687 yards passing and an incredible 25/1 TD/INT. His 9.6 adjusted yards gained per pass matches his 2018 number and leads the NFL.

Rodgers has looked young again in his second season with head coach Matt LaFleur. The two-time MVP has 2,253 yards passing and 24/2 TD/INT in eight games, with the Packers off to a 6-2 start.

Allen is having a breakout campaign in his third NFL season, completing nearly 69 percent of his passes for 2,587 yards and 19/5 TD/INT, as well as 241 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in nine games.

Brees has received criticism for his lack of air yards this season, but the 41-year-old has propped up the Saints offense despite multiple wide receiver absences. He's completed 74 percent of his passes for the third straight season, and has 2,120 yards passing and 17/3 TD/INT in eight games.