The first month of the 2024 National Football League (NFL) season featured a few notable surprises, including impressive starts by the Washington Commanders and Minnesota Vikings and a 0-3 start for the Cincinnati Bengals. Here's a look at the best NFL players in September.
Josh Allen (AFC Offensive Player of the Month)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen won his third AFC Player of the Month award in September and first since the 2020 season. Playing in his seventh season, Allen led Buffalo to a 3-1 record and was first among AFC quarterbacks in passing touchdowns (7) and passer rating (116.5). He also scored a pair of rushing touchdowns.
Allen completed 69.3 percent of his pass attempts for 814 yards and rushed for 106 yards in four games during September. He had his best game in Buffalo's 47-10 Week 3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing 23 of 30 passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns.
Sam Darnold (NFC Offensive Player of the Month)
The Vikings faced uncertainty at quarterback, the most important position in football, prior to the 2024 season. Last year's starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, signed with the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason, and 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury in his first preseason game. Veteran Sam Darnold, signed by Minnesota in March, has stepped up and is having a career renaissance.
Selected third overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft, Darnold was just 21-35 with three teams as a starting quarterback during his first six years in the league. He led the Vikings to a perfect 4-0 record in September and threw a league-best 11 touchdowns while completing 68.9 percent of his pass attempts to 932 yards.
Kyle Van Noy (AFC Defensive Player of the Month)
An 11-year NFL veteran, linebacker Kyle Van Noy won AFC Defensive Player of the Month in September after recording a conference-best six sacks, eight tackles, and a forced fumble. Van Noy, in his second season with the Baltimore Ravens, had two sacks in three consecutive games, including a 35-10 win over the Bills in Week 4. This was his first Player of the Month honor, although he is a two-time AFC Defensive Player of the Week winner.
Aidan Hutchinson (NFC Defensive Player of the Month)
The second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Aidan Hutchinson is building upon his impressive sophomore season in 2023. The Detroit Lions defensive end earned his first Pro Bowl nod last year after recording 11.5 sacks and 51 tackles. He had a league-best 6.5 tackles through the first three games of the season, including 4.5 in the Lions' 20-16 Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.