With less than two weeks to go before kickoff, anticipation for the 2016 season is growing. You've no doubt already started thinking about which teams will meet in Charlotte for the ACC championship and which players will stand out from the crowd. ACC reporters Andrea Adelson, David Hale, Matt Fortuna and Jared Shanker offered their 2016 predictions for each of those items and more below:

Coach of the Year

Pat Narduzzi, Pittsburgh: In 2015, Narduzzi led Pitt to its best season in five years. With another year in the system and 16 starters back, it stands to reason the Panthers will be even better and in contention to win the Coastal Division. -- Adelson

Dabo Swinney, Clemson: Maybe the voters will look elsewhere at year’s end. They tend to like the coach who overachieves with lesser talent (so, Narduzzi looks like a strong candidate at Pitt), but if Swinney leads Clemson to an ACC championship again -- in spite of massive expectations and a road trip to Florida State -- how can he not be the league’s top coach? Swinney has done a spectacular job of building the infrastructure of Clemson’s football program, recruiting at a high level, developing that talent and managing a massive amount of hype. That’s the resume of a coach of the year. -- Hale

Larry Fedora, North Carolina: I was torn between Fedora and Narduzzi, but with seemingly everyone else going with Narduzzi, I’ll take my chances with Fedora. That’s how coaching awards are usually decided, no? By rewarding the guy few expected to get it before the season? Here’s guessing people won't sleep on Fedora much longer if his Tar Heels win the Coastal division for the second straight season. -- Fortuna

Narduzzi: The award often goes to the coach of a team that has a breakout season, and there's a good chance that that is Pitt this fall. There's enough returning experience on offense, and Narduzzi is one of the best defensive minds in football. The Panthers are the team best suited to challenge North Carolina in the Coastal. -- Shanker

Offensive player of the year

Deshaun Watson, Clemson: Let's just turn on the tape from last season for a glimpse, shall we? Watson and his coaches expect him to be even better than last season, when he accounted for 5,209 yards of offense. -- Adelson

Watson: It’s not just that Watson is the best player in the ACC. He’s quite possibly the best player in the country. Clemson has loads of talent on offense, but Watson is the one who makes it all work. He’ll have his best big-play threat back this season with the return of receiver Mike Williams, and Watson showed in 2015 that, when a play breaks down, he’s capable of turning it into a big gain with his legs. There’s a lot of talent on offense in the ACC this season, but no one matches Watson’s impact. -- Hale

Watson: In his first full season of college ball, Watson was the best quarterback in the country. That was with a young offensive line and without his projected top target, Williams. Now, with a full deck of playmakers and veterans in front of him, he’s aiming to run the most prolific offense in NCAA history. I wouldn’t bet against him. -- Fortuna

Watson: He just threw for more than 4,000 yards and rushed for more than 1,000, something no FBS quarterback has done before. It's the safe pick, but by far the smartest. If the Tigers go 12-0 and win the ACC again, Watson will rack up a number of awards. -- Shanker

Defensive player of the year

Devonte Fields, Louisville: Fields ended last season on a tear and finished with 22.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Coach Bobby Petrino says Fields is in the best shape he has been in since his freshman year at TCU in 2012. That's bad news for opposing offenses. -- Adelson

Derwin James, Florida State: FSU might have the country’s best secondary, and the best player of that group is clearly James. He’s a dynamic athlete -- quick enough to play cornerback but physical enough to serve as a run-stopper in the middle of the field. Last season, he finished with 91 tackles -- including 9.5 for a loss -- five pass-breakups and two forced fumbles -- and he was just a freshman. With a year of experience under his belt, he figures to be even better in 2016, which means trouble for opposing offenses. -- Hale

James: James did it all as a freshman. Literally. He played in the secondary and even up front. As a sophomore on a defense that is absolutely loaded, James will have the freedom to maximize his skills across several different positions, creating a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. -- Fortuna

James: As a freshman, James was moved all over the field and excelled in every position the Seminoles put him in. There wasn't a task he could not handle. James has the ability to load up the stat sheet, and coupled with a few highlight-reel hits, he'll have a strong case for defensive player of the year. -- Shanker

Rookie of the year

Dexter Lawrence, Clemson: The No. 6 rated player in the ESPN 300 has already turned heads with his athleticism and speed for a 340-pound player. Coach Dabo Swinney says of him, "He stands out big time." -- Adelson

Shaq Quarterman, Miami: It’s been a while since a freshman defender at Miami looked like as much of a sure thing as Quarterman. He’s earned raves from coaches for his work in fall camp, and he’s in position to see ample playing time in Manny Diaz’s revamped defense. He also happens to be incredibly talented, an ESPN 300 recruit who promises major production from Game 1. Considering many of this year’s top ACC recruits have less of a direct route to a starting job, Quarterman looks like the safest bet for rookie honors. -- Hale

Lawrence: The early returns from spring ball and fall camp on Lawrence are very, very positive. And that’s saying something considering all of the great Tigers defensive linemen before him. With opportunities there for the taking -- and with Pitt’s Jordan Whitehead proving last season that defensive players can, in fact, win this honor -- here’s guessing that Lawrence lives up to the hype in Year 1. -- Fortuna

Quarterman: He made it to campus in January, and the coaching staff is raving about the true freshman's talent. The Hurricanes could be very good along the line if Craig Kuligowski can tap into their potential, which will help Quarterman. Miami might play a more attacking style on defense, too, which could allow for Quarterman to secure some impressive numbers. If he remains healthy, he should start every game this fall. -- Shanker

Atlantic Division winner

Clemson: Watson and returning standouts Wayne Gallman, Jordan Leggett, Williams, and Artavis Scott will lead the way on offense, while Ben Boulware and Cordrea Tankersley lead the defense. Clemson will find a way to win in Tallahassee for the first time in a decade and take the Atlantic. -- Adelson

Clemson: There might not be a more difficult division in college football than the ACC Atlantic, with three teams -- Clemson, Florida State and Louisville -- all eyeing the playoff. The Tigers' path to winning the Atlantic includes a trip to Tallahassee (where they haven’t won since 2006), and they will need to find replacements at several key defensive positions, but will have one of the most explosive offenses in the country and, of course, Watson leading the charge. Watson’s talent gives Clemson a slight edge over FSU, but the head-to-head battle on Oct. 29 ought to be a lot of fun. -- Hale

Clemson: It says a lot about the strength of the division’s upper tier that the Tigers aren’t a shoo-in here after all they did last season and all they have coming back. Though FSU and Louisville are certainly worthy contenders, it is hard to imagine Clemson coming up short after the late-season dominance they showed offensively last year. -- Fortuna

Clemson: Louisville has a chance to make things interesting, but the division more than likely comes down to Clemson and Florida State yet again. Even though the game is in Tallahassee, I'm not ready to pick against Watson and the reigning ACC champions just yet. The defense will be good enough for Clemson to win a close one at Florida State. -- Shanker

Coastal Division winner

Pittsburgh: The Panthers have the best offensive line in the ACC, perhaps the best depth at tailback, a veteran quarterback and an aggressive defense returning. Pittsburgh's ability to play physical, ball-control offense and attacking defense will get it to the championship game. -- Adelson

North Carolina: The only offense in the ACC that might rival Clemson in terms of offensive weapons is North Carolina’s. Sure, Mitch Trubisky takes over at quarterback, but the Tar Heels aren’t worried. Trubisky has plenty of experience and has earned the respect of his teammates before he’s started a game. Plus, he’s got Elijah Hood in the backfield and a plethora of receivers. If the defense can take another step forward in Year 2 under Gene Chizik, UNC should get a return trip to the ACC title game. -- Hale

North Carolina: There hasn’t been a repeat champion in the crazy Coastal since Virginia Tech won it in 2010 and 2011, but here’s guessing the Tar Heels buck that trend. Their offensive talent is simply overwhelming when compared to their division peers. The defense took big steps early under Chizik, and I expect it to be good enough to complement that offense this season and get the Heels back to Charlotte. -- Fortuna

North Carolina: I'm sticking with the chalk. The Tar Heels replace their quarterback, but Trubisky has looked great in limited duty. The defense wasn't great last season, but is ascending under Chizik's tutelage. It still won't be a great defensive group, but the offense will be able to outscore opponents on most Saturdays. -- Shanker

ACC winner

Clemson:In a rematch of their regular-season game in Death Valley, the Tigers simply have too much on offense for Pitt to slow down and will win their second straight ACC title. -- Adelson

Clemson: North Carolina kept it close in last season's ACC title game against Clemson, with a controversial onside kick proving to be the difference. A year later, UNC might give the Tigers a run for their money yet again, but the result will still be the same. Watson is virtually unstoppable, and by year’s end, those young defenders will be playing like established veterans, giving Clemson a second straight trip to the College Football Playoff. -- Hale

Clemson: In an ACC title-game rematch that should shatter every league points record, the Tigers will win a shootout against UNC to make it back-to-back 13-0 regular seasons. -- Fortuna

Clemson: The Tigers should make it to the playoff as an undefeated team again. They are retooling, not rebuilding on defense, and by season's end it should be a strong unit. Brent Venables is maybe the best defensive coordinator nationally. It's hard to envision a team that can limit the Tigers offensively, too. -- Shanker