NFL 2024 Award Picks: Our brilliant staff names this year's MVP, Super Bowl winner and more

There are a few noteworthy benchmarks to properly understand and monitor for a new NFL season.

You’re, of course, watching the top rookies because these are the fresh faces that represent the next wave of talent in the league. You want to keep tabs on the best defender because that’s a guy who is often quite accustomed to steamrolling offensive tackles without adequate support from his own offense. There are obviously the MVP honors, you know, the unofficial best player in pro football and the face of the league.