I can finally breathe a sigh of relief; it’s back. The NFL has finally returned just in time to save my sanity. It’s that wonderful time of year when even my mom is getting into it and asking me for fantasy football advice. I can hardly wait, so much so that I’m currently watching the Lions vs. Chiefs opening game as I’m accepting copy edits on this.

While getting into the football festive mood, I’ve decided to lay out my predictions for all the awards. But instead of just choosing one of the top three favorites, I will be laying out some players who may be under the radar for each award. So, let’s get things started.

MVP — Justin Herbert

There aren’t many “under-the-radar” candidates for MVP, but Herbert isn’t listed as one of the top three favorites. In the last few years, it seems as if someone is running away with the award in the first five weeks, and then someone late in the season comes in and snags it. Herbert has the capability to maintain his stats throughout the seasons. He’s already shown what he’s capable of.

Herbert was second in the league in passing yards last year with 4,739 yards and added 25 touchdowns. He’s improved every year as a starter and led the Chargers to a win improvement each of his three years. If he can maintain that improvement, Herbert already has shown he has the talent to win the award.

OPOY — Garrett Wilson

This one may not be that under the radar, as it’s a logical choice for Offensive Player of the Year. He had a dominant rookie campaign with 83 catches for 1,103 yards, with Zach Wilson, Mike White and Joe Flacco throwing him the ball. And then you give him the addition of one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game of football in Aaron Rodgers; he’s poised to have a great year.

Wilson has already shown in training camp that he’s a favorite target of Rodgers. He even caught a touchdown from him in their lone preseason action. Does it help that Wilson is on my favorite team? Yes, yes, it does. But he undoubtedly has the talent to put up the numbers possible to get the award. The award has gone to a receiver in three of the last four years, and I’m keen on Wilson continuing that trend.

DPOY — Chris Jones

Although he is amid a contract dispute and didn’t play in the Chiefs’ opening game, Jones is my dark horse pick for Defensive Player of the Year. Jones is like a fine red wine, as he’s improved his sack total each of the last three seasons despite nearing 30 years old. Last season, he tied his career-best with 15.5 sacks and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

If Jones steps onto the field, he’ll have a chip on his shoulder. There’s no better version of a player than one trying to prove he’s worth the big contract he’s asking for. Jones already has the narrative on his side. If he comes back and manages to improve his production yet again with all of this outside noise going on, the award is his for the taking.

OROY — Zay Flowers

I’ll be honest, it isn’t very likely that anybody but Bijan Robinson or one of the quarterbacks will take Offensive Rookie of the Year. But I think Flowers has an outside shot at it. He has 2019 MVP Lamar Jackson throwing him the ball in a revamped offense. New offensive coordinator Todd Monken will have the Ravens passing more frequently, moving away from the ground-and-pound offense in years past.

Flowers was a standout for Boston College last year, hauling in 78 balls for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns in his senior campaign. He must put up similar numbers this season to be considered for the award. In the last 13 seasons, only three wide receivers have won OROY. But two receivers have won the award in the last two seasons, so anything is possible.

DROY — Will McDonald IV

When in doubt, I’m going to choose a New York Jets player. But after watching my weekly “Hard Knocks” episode, McDonald is special. He may have only finished with 34 sacks in 48 career games at Iowa State, but the thing I’m banking on is those around him to get Defensive Player of the Year. The Jets have immense depth on the defensive line and lots of talent.

Many teams will gameplan to try and double defensive tackle Quinnen Willaims or edge rusher Carl Lawson. This will leave McDonald with a one-on-one matchup on the edge. His quickness will allow him to move around defenders and get to the quarterback. The key for McDonald will be making an impression early to move up in the depth chart. If he can, he has the ability to take the award home.

Will all of these players win an award? Probably not. But they all have an outside chance to come away with it. They’ve all proven their skill and capabilities to win their respective awards in different ways, so who knows? The NFL is back, so all I care about at the moment is easily winning my week one matchup in the “Talkin’ Troy” fantasy league.

Stefano Fendrich is a junior writing about his opinions on some of sports’ biggest debates in his column, “The Great Debate,” which runs every other Friday. He is also a sports editor at the Daily Trojan.