Giants 2024 midseason awards: MVP, best rookies, and biggest disappointments

We've officially reached the halfway point of 2024 and the NY Giants' centennial season. While things may not be going the way Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll anticipated, with the G-Men sitting at the bottom of the NFC East standings at 2-8 and on a five-game losing skid, the worst record in the league, there are several positive and negative takeaways throughout the last 10 weeks.

The Giants' pass-rushing unit has been dominant as they lead the NFL in sacks this year with 36, and nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II has been a crucial factor. The two-time Pro Bowler has the second-most sacks, nine, in the league behind Bengals' Trey Hendrickson. Despite not having a sack in three games, Sexy Dexy has filled in nicely on the Giants' defensive line alongside edge rusher Brian Burns with Kayvon Thibodeaux sidelined the last few weeks.

On the flip side, the Giants' offense has not been good this season, as they average just 15.6 points per game, and it all starts with their quarterback, Daniel Jones, who has struggled tremendously under center. While the Giants' rookie class on offense has performed well this season, the team is still a work in progress.

That said, let's look at the good, the bad, and the ugly and hand out the Giants' 2024 midseason awards:

Giants' 2024 Midseason Most Valuable Player: Dexter Lawrence II

While there may be dark clouds over MetLife Stadium, the Giants' most prominent bright spot this season has been Lawrence II, who has played a crucial role in helping the New York pass-rush chemistry. Sexy Dexy's team-leading nine sacks and overall numbers speak for themselves, and he should be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.

Still, there's a reason the Giants' defensive line has been so dominant this year. Even while the Giants have struggled, Lawrence's performance on the gridiron and leadership off the field is why he is the team's most valuable player thus far.

Despite Thibodeaux being sidelined with an injury, several players have stepped up on the defensive line and exceeded expectations this year. The addition of Burns significantly helps the Giants' defensive line, but one player who has played well is Azeez Ojulari.

The 24-year-old has six sacks and seven tackles for a loss this year, and many expected his time with Big Blue to end soon due to his injury history in years past and expiring contract. Another player who has thrived under the New York spotlight this year is undrafted rookie defensive tackle Elijah Chatman, who made the team out of training camp as a starter and has relied on Lawrence II as a mentor.