With 4 teams finishing the year with double digit wins and 4 teams with double digit losses, 2022 was a year of have's and have not's in the YFFL. These were the players, owners and general managers that stood out this season.
Most Valuable Player
QB Jalen Hurts - Chickens
With back-to-back NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers on the roster, it took a lot of guts for general manager Nick Wood to choose to hand the franchise over to a quarterback that had 8 career points heading into the 2022 season. However, Wood saw the writing on the wall and was handsomely rewarded as Jalen Hurts scored a staggering 222 points in his first full-time YFFL season (including 5 games where he topped 20+ points) to lead the Chickens to their finest regular season finish (13-1) and a possible fourth Super Bowl title.
| Player | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Hurts | 7 | 4 | 0 | 29 |
| Patrick Mahomes | 4 | 4 | 1 | 21 |
| Joe Burrow | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| Tony Pollard | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Josh Allen | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Travis Kelce | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Rookie of the Year
RB Kenneth Walker III - Dragons
In a season where a number of rookies made big splashes over short periods of time, RB Kenneth Walker III tallied the most points (66) once he took over the Seattle backfield towards the midpoint of the season. This included three games where he scored 2 touchdowns. Along with WR Ja'Marr Chase, the Dragons now tout back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners as they attempt to rebound from a disappointing 2022 campaign.
| Player | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Walker III | 9 | 2 | 0 | 31 |
| Dameon Pierce | 2 | 6 | 2 | 20 |
| Christian Watson | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Garrett Wilson | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Breece Hall | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Chris Olave | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Macor Misa
QB Geno Smith - Thugs
Geno Smith was thought of so lowly that in a league where it's often a struggle to find a starting quarterback, he wasn't even drafted despite earning the role for Seattle out of training camp. However, the Mallards picked him up after a hot start, traded him to the Thugs for a 2nd Round pick, and Geno ended up starting (and leading) the Thugs to a Wild Card berth. His 104 points were the first of his 9 year YFFL career and were integral in the Thugs' flip of their 3-11 record from a year ago.
| Player | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geno Smith | 6 | 4 | 1 | 27 |
| Jamaal Williams | 2 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| Jeff Garcia | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Russell Wilson | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| D'Onta Foreman | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Jeff Wilson | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Owner of the Year
Mike Kinsman - Buddies & Chickens
This was without a doubt owner Mike Kinsman's finest year, and that's saying a lot for someone who has racked up a staggering 25 division titles. The Buddies tallied 840 points (2nd most all-time) while fending off the upstart Thugs for a NFC West crown (their 4th in 5 years) and the Chickens enjoyed their best regular season ever (13-1) thanks to GM Nick Wood's shrewd decision-making (starting QB Jalen Hurts, trading for RB Austin Ekeler). It all led up to an eye-popping 25-3 record, a feat that will be hard to top in the coming years and decades.
| Owner | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Kinsman | 10 | 1 | 0 | 32 |
| Bobby Sansone | 1 | 9 | 1 | 22 |
| Brian Davidson | 0 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| Anthony Aceto | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Steve Dugas* | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
* Received 1 write-in vote for "assisting all of the playoff teams"