The NFL season is approaching the stretch run, and the stakes are getting higher with every single week. Teams are fighting to establish themselves as legitimate playoff pieces, while individual stars are making their cases for some of the league’s biggest honors.
The MVP conversation is starting to narrow, and the leading candidates for Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year are becoming easier to pick out of a crowded room.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN has published his analysis of the best players and coaches of the year, and he just released his midseason awards.
ESPN analyst gives kudos to a Pittsburgh Steelers favorite
Barnwell names the No. 3 best Protector of the Year as Zach Frazier of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“With Creed Humphrey’s problems snapping the football becoming more conspicuous, Frazier has emerged for me as the best center in football,” he states. “The Steelers have quietly fielded one of the league’s most efficient run games this season, and so much of that is what Frazier is able to do as the pivot.”
Frazier is only behind Amarius Mims of the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 2 and Trent Williams of the San Francisco 49ers at No. 1. Barnwell adds that Frazier has “also given up only one sack and four quick pressures all season, per NFL Next Gen Stats,” so he’s trending in the right direction.
