Ranking Lions' Midseason MVP Candidates

All Lions reveals its midseason MVP candidate rankings for the Detroit Lions for the 2022 season.
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Through the first half of the 2022 season, the Lions have looked to their young roster to develop and make plays late in football games.

Despite the team's 3-6 record, Dan Campbell's squad has still had numerous players stand out with their play. 

Here is All Lions' ranking of the Lions' top five midseason MVP candidates.

5.) EDGE Aidan Hutchinson 

Through the first half of the season, Hutchinson has been the most consistent performer along Detroit's defensive line. 

The 2022 No. 2 overall pick has played in all nine games, and has accumulated 5.5 sacks and 10 QB hits, to go along with an interception and a single pass defensed. 

The highlights of the Michigan product's rookie campaign have been his three-sack game against the Washington Commanders in Week 2 and his interception of future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers in Week 9.

Hutchinson still has plenty of untapped potential. So, it'll be interesting to see how he continues to develop, as the second half of the season progresses.

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© Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

4.) TE T.J. Hockenson 

The fourth-year tight end was arguably Detroit signal-caller Jared Goff's most trusted target prior to being dealt to the Minnesota Vikings at the Nov. 1 NFL trade deadline. 

In seven games with Detroit in 2022, the Iowa product amassed 26 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns.

Over the years, Hockenson developed into a security blanket for Goff in the red zone, and he was known to periodically put up a big stat line. He did just that in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks, when he hauled in eight receptions for 179 yards and two scores. 

Simply said, Hockenson will be remembered fondly for his time in Motown.

3.) RB Jamaal Williams 

The sixth-year pro has emerged as the Lions' primary back in recent weeks, due to D'Andre Swift being hampered by ankle and shoulder injuries. 

Williams has made the most of the increased role, and is on pace for his first 1,000-yard rushing season as an NFL running back.

The veteran back has suited up for all nine of Detroit's contests this year, and has produced a career-best 604 yards and nine touchdowns on 142 carries. He's also caught nine balls for 57 yards.

He's provided a steady presence in the Lions' backfield, and there's no way Campbell's team would be as good of a running unit, ranking 11th in total rushing yards (1,168), without him.

It's why Williams comes in at No. 3 on this list of midseason MVP candidates for Detroit.

2.) CB Jeff Okudah 

The third-year cornerback has experienced quite the career resurgence in 2022. 

He was on the verge of being declared a "bust" coming into the season, after playing in just 10 total games through his first two years as a pro (including just one a year ago).

However, the 2020 No. 3 overall pick has seemingly put all that conjecture behind him, and has looked like a brand new player so far this year. 

The Ohio State product has failed to miss a game so far this season, and has emerged as Detroit's most reliable performer in the secondary.

Through nine games, Okudah has recorded a career-best 50 total tackles, to go along with a career-high five passes defensed, an interception (which he returned for touchdown) and a forced fumble. 

His first career pick-six came in the Lions' comeback victory against the Chicago Bears in Week 10. 

For his first-half efforts, I think it's more than fair to place the 23-year-old defensive back at No. 2 on this list.

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© Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports

1.) WR Amon-Ra St. Brown 

Goff's most consistently productive receiving option comes in at No. 1 on this list of first-half MVP candidates for Detroit

The second-year pro is already an NFL record holder, having recorded six straight games with a minimum of eight receptions and a touchdown. His eight catch-or-more, one-TD streak spanned from Week 15 of last season (against the Arizona Cardinals) until Week 2 of this season (against the Commanders).

St. Brown, the No. 112 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has also already produced two 100-plus-yard receiving games this year. The first came in Week 2 against Washington (116 yards) and the second came just a week ago against the Bears (a career-high 119 yards).

The USC product has quickly grown into one of the best slot receivers in the game, and Detroit's passing attack -- and offense as a whole -- would be lost without him. 

Subsequently, he's my pick for the Lions' 2022 midseason MVP. 


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Vito Chirco
VITO CHIRCO

Vito has covered the NFL and the Detroit Lions for the past five years.  Has extensive reporting history of college athletics, the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Mercy Athletics.  Chirco's work include NFL columns, analyzing potential Detroit Lions prospects coming out of college, NFL draft coverage and analysis of events occurring in the NFL.  Extensive broadcasting experience including hosting a Detroit Tigers podcast and co-hosting a Detroit Lions NFL podcast since 2019.