National Football League

NFL Midseason Awards: Fans choose their MVP, Rookies of the Year, more

Updated Nov. 12, 2022 6:15 p.m. ET

The 2022 NFL season has reached its halfway point, and with it comes a time for fans to look back and recognize the standout players and games from the first nine weeks. We at FOX Sports asked fans on social media to vote for your midseason winners in six categories: Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Game of the Year and Most Valuable Player.

Here is who you picked as your NFL on Fox fan vote midseason award winners!

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Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks (49% vote share on Twitter)

Walker played a big role in Michigan State's stunning resurgence last year after transferring to the Spartans from Wake Forest. In his first NFL season, he is playing another huge part in a shocking turnaround, this time in the suddenly explosive Seahawks offense (more on that in a moment). Walker has 570 rushing yards and 5.1 yards per carry heading into Seattle's matchup Sunday with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Germany, and his seven rushing touchdowns are fourth-most in the NFL.

Runners-Up: Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans (23.3%); Garrett Wilson, New York Jets (14.4%) Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints (13.2%)

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sauce Gardner, Jets (59.6%)

The fourth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has lived up to the hype and then some. Gardner has become the cornerstone of a Jets defense that has performed much better than expected, leading Gang Green to a surprising 6-3 record in a tough AFC East heading into the bye week. Gardner only has two interceptions, but his 13 passes defensed is highest in the NFL despite having to face top opposing receivers like Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill. Gardner also has 44 total tackles so far in his young NFL career.

Runners-Up: Tariq Woolen, Seahawks (23.8%); Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions (8.5%); Jack Jones, New England Patriots (8%)

Defensive Player of the Year: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (54.1%)

Parsons has built upon a standout rookie season to become a force for the Cowboys' defense, helping Dallas to a 6-2 record heading into their marquee America's Game of the Week matchup with the Green Bay Packers at 4 p.m. ET on FOX. The second-year linebacker out of Penn State has shown a knack for making a difference all over the field but especially in the passing game, where his eight sacks are good for fourth-highest in the league.

Runners-Up: Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers (21.8%); Matthew Judon, Patriots (17.1%); Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns (7%)

Comeback Player of the Year: Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (59.5%)

Many left the 2022 Seahawks for dead after their offseason trade of longtime star quarterback Russell Wilson, and Smith's ascension to becoming Wilson's successor in Seattle changed few minds initially. But here Smith is, leading the Seahawks to a 6-3 record and first place in the NFC West through the seasons' first nine weeks and earning glowing praise from head coach Pete Carroll. Smith is already a yard shy of 2,200 passing yards and has a 15-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also has a 107.2 quarterback rating and an eye-popping 73.1% completion percentage.

Runners-Up: Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (27.5%); Christian McCaffrey, 49ers (7.3%); Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans (5.7%)

Game of the Year: Week 2 Miami Dolphins vs. Baltimore Ravens (56.8%)

The first few weeks of the 2022 season brought some instant classics, but the Dolphins' incredible comeback behind a breakout Tua Tagovailoa performance won this poll in a landslide. Tagovailoa threw for 469 yards and six touchdowns — including four in the fourth quarter — as Miami erased a 21-point halftime deficit to beat Baltimore while Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle established themselves one of top wide receiver duos in the NFL with 11 reception, two touchdowns and over 170 years each. The game looms large nearly two months later as the 6-3 Dolphins have built upon their thrilling win to become playoff contenders in the tough AFC East while the 6-3 Ravens in the hunt as well.

Runners-Up: Week 1 Seahawks vs. Denver Broncos (16%); Week 3 Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills (14.2%); Week 2 Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs (13.1%)

Most Valuable Player: Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (40.3%)

Less than two weeks after that aforementioned comeback, Tagovailoa's season appeared in doubt after a head injury suffered against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4. Tagovailoa missed the Dolphins' next two games, but in the three weeks since his return, he has notched 945 passing yards, seven touchdowns, a 70.3% completion rate and a 122.8 passer rating. The Dolphins have won every game that Tagovailoa has been able to finish this season, and he currently leads the league in passer rating and yards gained per attempt. Tagovailoa has fierce competition in the real-world MVP race with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and his former Alabama teammate Jalen Hurts all having stellar seasons as well. But Tagovailoa has played himself into the conversation, and NFL on FOX fans are willing to give him the edge at this point of the season.

Runners-Up: Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (27.9%), Mahomes, Chiefs (18.7%); Allen, Bills (13.1%)