The 3 Vikings in the Mix to Win Awards Right Now
The Minnesota Vikings have the league’s ninth-best odds to win the Super Bowl, situated around a +2500 moneyline after nine games and seven wins.
The 3 Vikings in the Mix to Win Awards Right Now
Multiple players are also in the mix for individual awards.
These are the three Vikings players and coaches who could realistically take home individual award hardware at season’s end. They’re ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = likeliest to win award).
3. Sam Darnold
MVP
Odds to Win MVP: +2800
NFL Ranking = 10th
Darnold ranks 11th per EPA+CPOE, an efficiency metric measuring expected wins added among all qualifying quarterbacks. The guy utterly excelled through the season’s first three games, only cooling off recently. His performance Sunday drew criticism, and rightfully so — the guy tossed three redzone interceptions and dimed no touchdowns.
He still has MVP odds, though, ranking 10th through 10 weeks and living in moneyline territory with Brock Purdy (+2200), C.J. Stroud (+2800), and Justin Herbert (+3500).
Darnold is on track for just 4,044 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and 19 interceptions. If he can clean up the final part of that stat line, he’ll be in good shape. He’ll basically have to avoid interceptions for the next eight games, a tall task after Sunday.
2. Justin Jefferson
Offensive Player of the Year
Odds to Win OPOY: +750
NFL Ranking = 4th
Only Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles), Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens), and Ja’Marr Chase outrank Jefferson for OPOY through 10 weeks.
He’s on pace for 1,570 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns on a 7-2 team. Of course, Jefferson has already won OPOY, so this would be his second achievement if he can oust Barkley and Henry, among others, for the trophy.
An injury is the only thing that would derail Jefferson from consideration. To win the award, he’ll probably need to rattle off some 150+ yard games or author a performance like Ja’Marr Chase’s in Week 10.
1. Kevin O’Connell
Coach of the Year
Odds to Win COY: +500
NFL Ranking = 4th
O’Connell led this race until last Week 8, overtaken by Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers, +400), Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs, +400), and Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders, +450)
The Vikings skipper has helped reclaim Sam Darnold’s career and is rapidly exemplifying the title “quarterback whisperer.” Meanwhile, his team has won seven games in a season where it was only “supposed to” win 6.5, per sportsbooks. And it has done so a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Impressive.
O’Connell has hit his groove as a head coach. His team would need a colossal collapse for O’Connell to fall out of this race’s Top 5. His COY cause will be greatly helped if his team takes care of business in the next two games against inferior opponents (Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears).
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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