NFL Midseason Awards: The Best So Far

Through the first eight weeks of the season, it seems like the best of the best are already asserting themselves in an effort to capture NFL hardware at season's end.

With surprising play from unexpected rookies and reliable play from the steadiest of steady, a good portion of the awards seem to be shaping up pretty obviously.

I'll break down who I believe are the midseason award winners and give projected 16-game stats for each based on the pace they are on right now.

And so, it is my pleasure to present to you now the mid-season NFL award winners:

MVP: Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Projected 16-game stats: 427/601 (71%), 5,090 yards, 34 TDs, 9 INTs

Peyton Manning has been lights out this year, leading his undefeated Colts team to the top of most expert power rankings. His undefeated counterpart, Drew Brees, is his main competition for this award. Ultimately, it comes down to individual performance and who means more to their team, and Manning wins that competition hands-down.

Don't believe me? Let's check out the stats:

The Saints through seven games so far this year have 14 rushing touchdowns, twice as many as the Colts' seven.

The Saints defense has also helped out their QB by scoring six touchdowns themselves, whereas the Colts defense has scored only a single touchdown.

Simply put, Peyton Manning has carried his team, and is more valuable to the Colts than Drew Brees is to the Saints. He is right now the undisputed MVP.

Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans

Projected 16-game stats: 1,883 rush yards, 9 rush TDs, 313 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs

It's tough to believe that the Offensive Player of the year could come from a team that had to wait until week eight for its first win, but Chris Johnson has just been that good despite his team being that bad.

Johnson currently leads the league in rushing, total yards from scrimmage, and yards-per-carry among backs with over 50 carries, somehow averaging a ridiculous 6.9 per attempt.

Johnson is on pace for over 2,000 total yards and 11 total touchdowns, both of which are great totals. He is the ultimate weapon on offense and there are few players that could be put in the same discussion with him for this award.

Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Willis, LB, San Francisco 49ers

Projected 16-game stats: 153 tackles, 5 sacks, 4 INTs, 11 passes defended, 4 Forced Fumbles, 2 TDs

Patrick Willis has clearly established himself as the most dominant inside linebacker in football, and has been doing everything this season. If it weren't for him, there is no doubt the 49ers would not be ranked second in the NFL against the run.

Willis does things that linebackers simply shouldn't do. He already has two interceptions on the year, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He has also forced two fumbles and notched 2.5 sacks from the inside linebacker spot in a 3-4 defense, a very unfriendly position for sack stats.

Willis is a true defensive stalwart, and as a result he has his team's defense playing at a high level and is very deserving of the award.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Percy Harvin, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Projected 16-game stats: 738 receiving yards, 7 receiving TDs, 78 rush yards, 4 kick return TDs

Percy Harvin has been lightning in a bottle this year for the Vikings, becoming one of Brett Favre's favorite weapons.

And there's a reason for that. Harvin is a big play threat every time he touches the ball, as is evidenced by his six receptions of 20+ yards. He is scaring opposing teams as a rookie, something not easy to do in the NFL.

His dynamic kick returning is also a reason for the award. Harvin is currently the league leader in kick return average among player with 20 or more returns, posting an eye-popping 30.7 yards-per-return. He also has more returns than anyone of 40+ yards with five on the season, and is tied with Ted Ginn Jr. for the league lead in kick return touchdowns with two.

Harvin has become a legitimate weapon as a rookie and simply outshines the rest of his competition.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jairus Byrd, FS, Buffalo Bills

Projected 16-game stats: 64 tackles, 14 INTs, 18 passes defended

Obviously the 16-game stats are a little unrealistic, as Byrd's hot streak won't last for 8 more consecutive games, but this one is easy. Jairus Byrd, fresh off his third straight multi-interception game, has been lighting up the league since he was inserted into Buffalo's starting lineup.

Byrd is currently tied with Darren Sharper for the league lead in interceptions with seven, and is third in tackles among rookie defensive backs with 32.

He's a natural ballhawk and his rookie learning curve certainly hasn't looked very steep thus far. If he can keep up his flashy plays, he should be able to hold off fellow rookie phenom Brian Cushing for this award.

At the break of the season, those are the awards as I see them right now. Take the projections with a grain of salt, they are simply the current stats adjusted to a 16-game format. Never the less, don't let that take away from the astonishing nature of what these players have done so far in the 2009-10 season.

These players have outplayed the rest of their league and have been simply spectacular week in and week out, and they deserve to be rewarded for it.