NFL Honors 2015: Date, List of Awards, Predictions and More

Building another chance to pat itself on the back while filling the gap before Super Bowl Sunday, the NFL will host a lavish ceremony doling out accolades on Saturday night.

Hosted by Seth Meyers, the NFL Honors will festoon the small screen with another self-flattering awards show, this one airing Saturday, Jan. 31 on NBC at 9 p.m. ET. As fans anxiously await the big game, it's something to do.

Meyers as host proves a no-brainer decision for NBC, home of his late-night talk show and Saturday Night Live, where he formerly anchored the "Weekend Update" desk. He slayed the 2011 ESPYs and should provide entertainment for a show whose results would otherwise take two minutes to Google afterward.

Helping the NFL Honors' cause, the main accolade remains up in the air, as Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt both carved out legitimate cases for the Most Valuable Player designation. Let's break down that race alongside other noteworthy categories.

Most Valuable Player

Watt did everything in his power to win the MVP award, amassing 20.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, 10 passes defended and an interception returned for a touchdown. He certainly made good on his massive extension, the importance of which he stressed to Fox Sports Southwest's Shawn Ramsey after a dominant season:

My goal has always been to go out there and, you know, they gave me a hundred million. I'm trying to give them a hundred million's worth. Whatever that is, offense, defense, special teams, however I can, I'm trying to make sure that they get their money's worth and our fans get their money's worth because they deserve that.

Yet his Houston Texans, who improved from an NFL-worst 2-14 to 9-7 with subpar quarterback play, failed to make the playoffs. Sadly, that's enough for him to get snubbed for Rodgers, who was his usual Rodgers level of awesome for the NFC North-conquering Green Bay Packers. 

While the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) awarded Watt one award, it wasn't the one many hoped to see him win. Per NFL on ESPN:

Although not a credible argument, Watt having Defensive Player of the Year in the bag could impede his MVP chances. Voters will decide he already has his trophy, using that as further justification for a defender not deserving consideration.

Offensive Player of the Year is also a category, so that thinking is total nonsense. Yet nobody on the defensive end has won MVP honors since Lawrence Taylor did in 1986, so don't expect everyone to simultaneously correct the logical fallacy. 

Don't believe a defensive end can accrue more value than a quarterback? The Houston Chronicle's John McClain relays some contrasting evidence from Pro Football Focus:

With 40 total touchdowns, five interceptions and a 112.2 quarterback rating, Rodgers will receive the night's greatest recognition. Watt, however, is the rightful choice.

Comeback Player of the Year

Just as ambiguous as MVP qualifications, the requirements for a comeback have become increasingly vague. 

Last year, Philip Rivers won the award after bouncing back from a decent but unspectacular season. If having a better season than the previous year is all it takes, an endless spectrum of candidates could poach the hardware.

Typically, a star recovering from a major injury gets top billing. That makes Rob Gronkowski the natural selection, one that the PFWA and Sporting News have already made:

After playing just seven games last season, Gronkowski led all tight ends with 1,124 receiving yards and tied Denver's Julius Thomas and San Diego's Antonio Gates with 12 touchdowns. When not serving as an exceptional blocker, he proved to be the NFL's most efficient receiving tight end by a wide margin, as shown by Pro Football Focus' Pete Damilatis:

Gronkowski isn't the only viable candidate. Von Miller followed an injury-shortened 2013 with 14 sacks. Jeremy Maclin recorded 85 receptions, 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns after missing all of 2013 with a torn ACL. 

Yet the New England Patriots star is the clear ruler of his position, giving him the edge over the competition.

Fantasy Player of the Year

For the three people in the country that are still in denial, fantasy football has entered the zeitgeist. Rather than scoffing at armchair quarterbacks living vicariously through their favorite athletes, the NFL will honor the player who helped out the most fantasy owners.

The nominees shake out as a lineup representing each position, which means anyone voting for Stephen Gostkowski or the Philadelphia Eagles defense has a lot of explaining to do. 

Of course, the rightful winner depends on a league's particular scoring. Personally playing in a league that penalizes four points per interception, Rodgers finished as the clear top fantasy quarterback over Andrew Luck, the nominated passer. Even without that unusual scoring, the MVP favorite finished slightly ahead of Luck in standard NFL.com scoring.

In point-per-reception leagues, it's a two-man race between Pittsburgh Steelers teammates Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. The running back finished with 2,215 total yards from scrimmage with 83 catches, while the wideout led the NFL with a staggering 129 grabs.

Brown's fantasy owners—including a certain author who rode him to a championship—especially appreciate his remarkable consistency. He exceeded 70 receiving yards in every game, collecting at least five receptions all 16 times. That's unheard of from a wideout.

Yet this is assuming a regular format, in which case DeMarco Murray comes out smelling like roses. A mind-numbing workload led to his 2,261 total yards and 13 touchdowns, but raw numbers are all that matter in fantasy formats. 

Because of his NFL-high 392 carries, Murray made his presence felt every week. He delivered over 100 rushing yards in 12 of 16 games, breaking triple-digit yards from scrimmage in another. Playing Week 16 with a broken hand, he still salvaged a touchdown despite posting a season-low 58 yards.

The Dallas Cowboys were wildly irresponsible to keep playing him, but those heroics led several Murray owners to fantasy crowns.