An Early Look At The NFL MVP Shortlist

Well, here we are again at the start of another NFL season. While its start may have been slightly overshadowed by an announcement coyly made by “Your English teacher and your gym teacher,” it’s already had a few surprises.

The first came in the defeat of that gym teacher’s team by the Los Angeles Chargers, perhaps a hangover from the Super Bowl when they came out distinctly second best to the Philadelphia Eagles.

It’s also seen some incredible debuts, the most notable of which surely came from the Buccaneers’ rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. It’s not often that a game-winning touchdown has been made by a player in his first pro contest, as he achieved in the 23-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It’s marked Egbuka out as one to watch for the future when there’s a good chance he could be in contention for the NFL’s MVP. And this sea, son, there’s alremuchl of speculation about who could win the accolade. 

Here are seven players with varying chances of being the chosen one.

Lamar Jackson

Looking at the NFL MVP odds, even at this early stage in the season, there’s already one standout candidate in the form of the Ravens’ QB. Most observers agree that he’s one of the most powerful potent weapons the team could possess, thanks to his dynamism and all-around skills. He may have been unlucky to be beaten to the title last season by Josh Allen. But that may make him even more determined to reclaim the title that he last held back in 2023.

Josh Allen

That said, now that Allen’s the holder of the title, he is unlikely to be willing to relinquish it. He’s also featured in the top five list for MVP in the last three seasons. Last season, he saw the Bills to the AFC Championship game, but even his skills couldn’t get them past the Chiefs. But the team obviously has the ultimate faith in him, locking him into a six-season contract extension conservatively estimated to be worth $330 million. 

Joe Burrow

If Allen faces tough competition to retain his crown, much of it is due to the hands of the Bengals’ star QB Joe Burrow. Aged 28 and in his absolute prime, last season Burrows notched up a very impressive 43 passing touchdowns, admittedly in a team that was seriously underperforming. Some say it was just their failure to make the playoffs that blocked his chance of the title. But if they get back into their winning ways this season, and they started with the narrowest of victories with a 17-16 win over the Cleveland Browns, the sky could be the limit for Burrow.

Patrick Mahomes

Of course, we can’t overlook Mahomes. A two-time winner already, he would undoubtedly like to make it a third. Going against him are his advancing years and declining figures. He might have to turn the clock back to the Mahomes who were on display between 2018 and 2022 to be in with a shout. But form, as they say, is temporary, but class is permanent. And we might see Mahomes confirming this cliché over the next few months.

Jayden Daniels

The Commanders’ Jayden Daniels had a dream first season, ending it with the highest average of points per game than any other rookie in the history of the NFL at 28.5. Other records he smashed were completion percentage at 69% and rushing yards at 891. So the question is whether these were flashes in the pan or if he can stage a repeat. If he does, he could also become one of the youngest-ever winners of the MVP.

Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts tasted Super Bowl success with the Eagles, which is sure to spur him on to try to repeat the successes of last season. The fact that he was also the game’s MVP will surely be an incentive to take things up a notch over the coming season. All that could potentially hold him back is the presence of Saquon Barkley, who could limit his opportunities to shine truly.

Justin Herbert

Last year, the Chargers’ QB played the undoubted season of his career, perhaps truly brought to life by the arrival of Jim Harbaugh. But now he needs to build on that success to help the team achieve a much-needed divisional success. Whether he has the skills and the consistency to achieve the ultimate success remains to be seen. But we can be sure he’ll pull out all the stops to get there. 

Of course, it’s very early to make these judgements, and a great deal can change. And who knows? This could even be the season when a player who isn’t a QB could carry off the title. After all, in sports, anything is possible!