Top 10 Comeback Player of the Year Candidates
By Chris Wesseling, Around the NFL Writer
The 2017 NFL season was unfortunately marred by a litany of injuries to established superstars and promising newcomers, too often leaving viewers pining for excitement and excellence. Now that the majority of those players are not only healthy but also thriving, we have experienced a more entertaining, higher caliber of football in 2018.
One byproduct of that phenomenon is a crowded race for Comeback Player of the Year. I've been writing iterations of this article for several years, and this is clearly the most impressive collection of stars vying for a nebulous honor.
Since 1972, when Pro Football Weekly began handing out the award, quarterbacks have won roughly half of the time. As a general rule, running backs must beat the odds to turn in an especially productive campaign after overcoming a debilitating knee injury (Adrian Peterson, Willis McGahee, Garrison Hearst). Wide receivers and tight ends are typically afterthoughts barring a career year (Randy Moss, Steve Smith, Keenan Allen) on the heels of a disappointing season. Every decade or so, a defensive luminary crashes the party.
The triad of Andrew Luck, J.J. Watt and Peterson have distanced themselves from the pack in the first 10 weeks of the 2018 season. My personal rankings shift by the week, with each marquee player taking a starring turn. The final results will likely come down to late December, with voters waiting to see which player helps catapult his team into the postseason.
Without further ado, let's examine the top 10 candidates for Comeback Player of the Year honors.