In the world of advanced metrics, there are no MVPs; there is only a designated best player.
Pro Football Focus, a statistics-driven sports websites that attempts to quantify the abilities of NFL players, has awarded Houston Texans defensive end the Dwight Stephenson Award as the league's best player.
"The (MVP) award has lost all meaning," PFF analyst Sam Monson wrote. "It has become a quarterback only award that an occasional running back can squeeze his way into if his quarterback is bad enough. The best players, though, can play in any position."
Watt, a three-time All-Pro, was given the award named after Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame offensive lineman Dwight Stephenson, following a 2014 season that saw him put up astronomical numbers in PFF's grading system. Watt received the site's first ever triple-digit grade (107.5) on a scale that begins with zero. It is the third consecutive season Watt has led all players in this mark.
"Watt is so far out on his own in terms of play that he breaks every graph we create to try and illustrate it, extending axes and general sitting off on a data point all to himself," Monson wrote.
Watt recorded 20.5 sacks, 50 quarterback hits, 10 passes defended, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, one safety and one interception returned 80 yards for a touchdown this season. For good measure, he also hauled in three receiving touchdowns.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston, Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris and Baltimore Ravens guard Marshal Yanda rounded out the top five.
Watt has easily emerged as the best defensive player in football since being drafted in the first round back in 2011. He is deserving of PFF's award that eliminates positional bias in order to judge players on fairer ground.
