The arrival of a new coaching staff could unlock the offenses in Atlanta and Carolina, and Tampa Bay and New Orleans have young stars on the verge of superstardom. These coaches and athletes have the best shots at winning an award on each NFC South team in 2024.
This includes Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
Every NFC South Team’s Best Shot at an Award This NFL Season
Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson, Offensive Player of the Year
New head coach Raheem Morris has brought in offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, who’s implementing the Los Angeles Rams’ offense with the Atlanta Falcons.
While that system is known for turning Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua into 1,000-yard receivers, it also helped lead to Kyren Williams’ Pro Bowl 2023 campaign. The second-year back scored 12 rushing touchdowns and racked up 1,350 total yards last year.
This bodes well for Bijan Robinson, especially with Morris making it expressly clear the No. 8 overall pick from the 2023 NFL Draft is getting the rock.
Carolina Panthers: Dave Canales, Coach of the Year
Rookie head coach Dave Canales has a tall task in Charlotte, N.C. He’s trying to boost the confidence of Bryce Young after a rough rookie start, all while operating with a young, questionable roster. But if Canales manages to turn Carolina into a playoff team, he’ll emerge as the leader for Coach of the Year.
New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave, Offensive Player of the Year
The New Orleans Saints continue to churn out stellar wide receiver play, and Chris Olave took over as the WR1 even while sharing the field with one-time Pro Bowler Michael Thomas.
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Olave, though, improved his receptions, yards, and touchdowns while playing with multiple quarterbacks in 2024. A full season with Derek Carr, especially if he hits 100 catches or more, could make Olave OPOY.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Antoine Winfield Jr., Defensive Player of the Year
While Baker Mayfield could spark MVP or OPOY talk, Antoine Winfield Jr. is emerging as a threat to end the league’s current streak of edge rushers winning the top defensive honor.
Winfield is fresh off a league-high six-interception season while proving his worth on blitzes by totaling three sacks and six tackles behind the line. He could be the first safety since Troy Polamalu in 2010 to win DPOY.