Last season’s Comeback Player of the Year race saw the end of a very long position drought, while this year is headlined by three excellent quarterback candidates and three rather unique defenders.
Comeback Player of the Year (CPOY) Trends
- Last year’s winner, Christian McCaffrey, is the first RB to win this award since Garrison Hearst did so in 2001.
- Before McCaffrey’s victory, seven consecutive QBs won the CPOY.
- Over the past decade, seven quarterbacks, one running back, and two wide receivers have won the CPOY.
- Since 2024, CPOY eligibility requires recovery from a major injury or illness. The career resurrection and poor performance arcs are no longer a standalone factor, at least for now.
- Team success is a major factor in this race, as each CPOY winner over the last decade has played for a team that either made the postseason or otherwise had a winning record.
- Joe Burrow has won this award twice. He’s the only CPOY in the last decade to play for a team that had a winning record but did not make the playoffs.
What We’re Looking for in a CPOY Candidate
We are looking for a quarterback coming off a major injury whose team has a path to postseason contention. Anyone else will need to be a household name or have an ultra-compelling story to contend in this race, unless the quarterbacks fail.
The Quarterbacks
Patrick Mahomes (+185 to +200 FanDuel, Caesars)
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