Giants' Arvell Reese Wins Rookie of the Year After 12-Tackle, 3-Sack Eagles Rout

Q: How did a sudden quarterback trade completely flip the NFL Rookie of the Year race overnight?

The race flipped because the Raiders suddenly traded Kirk Cousins to the Vikings, handing No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza the starting job for the final seven games. That one move instantly gave Mendoza what Rookie of the Year voters usually need to see from a quarterback: opportunity, visibility and the chance to put up counting stats every week. Before the trade, Mendoza had barely played — just 6 completions on 8 attempts for 48 yards in one appearance — so he was a long shot. Once Cousins left, sportsbooks rapidly re-priced the award. DraftKings moved Mendoza from around +1500 or 20-1 to roughly +300 to +350, making him the new Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite. The swing was so dramatic because the class had no runaway leader. Cleveland’s rookie receivers and other contenders had solid but not overwhelming résumés, and injuries or inconsistency had kept the field open. In that kind of race, a quarterback stepping into a full-time starting role midway through the season can leap everyone, even without much prior production. There is still risk. Mendoza’s debut comes against a Seattle defense that has been among the league’s best, and the Raiders’ upcoming schedule includes other tough units. He has only seven games to build a case. But the trade changed the award from a résumé contest into an opportunity contest, and overnight Mendoza became the rookie with the clearest path to a headline-grabbing finish.

Q: Will Joe Burrow’s explosive touchdown streak permanently steal the MVP crown from early favorite Josh Allen?

No. Joe Burrow has taken the lead for now, but the MVP race is far from permanently decided. Burrow’s case is real. Over his last four games he has thrown 16 touchdown passes, added two rushing scores, and pushed himself to the top of the betting market. He now leads Josh Allen at several books, and his season-long efficiency is elite: he is among the league leaders in touchdown passes, completion rate and passer rating. The recent surge has also strengthened his narrative, especially with Cincinnati winning and Burrow producing at an historic clip. But Allen still has a powerful argument that voters may value more over a full season. Buffalo is 7-1 and atop the AFC, and Allen remains the engine of that start despite a thinner supporting cast. Even in a relatively quiet 23-6 win over Minnesota, he showed why his candidacy is broader than raw passing totals: he handled heavy pressure, spread the ball to 10 targets, and continues to add major value as a runner. His combined passing-rushing production and Buffalo’s record still make him one of the safest MVP profiles in the league. What happens next will likely decide it. If Burrow sustains anything close to this touchdown pace and Cincinnati keeps climbing, he can stay in front. If Allen keeps winning while maintaining his dual-threat impact, he can quickly reclaim the edge. At midseason, Burrow has seized momentum, not permanent control.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Nov 12

Arvell Reese seized the NFL Rookie of the Year race with a dominant game against Philadelphia, piling up 12 total tackles, 3 sacks, 3 quarterback hits and 3 tackles for loss.
That Eagles performance effectively settled the award in his favor, with the Giants linebacker described as having "made this award his own" after Sunday's breakout.
Abdul Carter underscored Reese's impact afterward, saluting "the four teams that passed on him in the draft" despite Reese still being selected at No. 5.
The showing capped a wider midseason awards snapshot that also highlighted Josh Allen for MVP, Jahmyr Gibbs for Offensive Player of the Year and T.J. Watt for Defensive Player of the Year.