The NFL MVP race looks vastly different from the way it did a week ago. Aa new face is atop the leaderboard. The former front-runner took a major dip in the standings this week after his team suffered its first loss of the season. We also saw the inclusion of two new quarterbacks.
10. Dak Prescott
Last week: N/A
Prescott edged out Jared Goff for the final spot. While Goff and the Lions came up short in Carolina, Prescott led the Cowboys to a road win over the Texans. In the 34-30 win, Prescott threw for a season-high 335 yards and completed 71.1% of his passes.
Through four games, Prescott is completing 70% of his passes with eight touchdowns and just one interception.
9. Trevor Lawrence
Last week: N/A
While he doesn’t have gaudy numbers, Lawrence has nonetheless helped lead the Jaguars to a 3-1 start. If the Jaguars keep winning, Lawrence’s MVP buzz will gain more steam.
A week after throwing three touchdowns in a blowout win over the Patriots, Lawrence outplayed Joe Burrow (who fell out of the MVP standings) while leading Jacksonville to a road win in Cincinnati. In the win, Lawrence threw for 227 yards and a score and completed an impressive 78.3% of his passes.
8. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Last week: 3
Like any non-quarterback, Smith-Njigba has little margin for error if he wants to be the first receiver to win league MVP. That’s the main reason why he fell five spots in this week’s standings.
After producing like Jerry Rice in the season’s first three games, Smith-Njigba somewhat came back down to earth in Week 4. He still put up a solid stat line against the Chargers with 76 yards on five catches.
Smith-Njigba fell from first to third in the NFL in receiving yards this week, but he is still leading the league in touchdown catches and remains on pace to break Calvin Johnson’s single-season record.
7. Kirk Cousins
Last week: 3
Cousins fell a few spots after being on the short end of Sunday’s loss to Kansas City. Cousins played well, but he ultimately missed an opportunity to gain major MVP momentum. The Raiders also came up just short of what would have been their biggest win in years.
The veteran quarterback lost some ground, but he is still very much in the MVP conversation. He’s tied for the league lead in touchdown passes and has been a driving force behind the Raiders’ surprising 3-1 start.
6. CeeDee Lamb
Last week: N/A
Lamb’s Week 4 performance put him right into the thick of the MVP race. He caught a whopping 17 passes (on 21 targets!) for 189 yards and a score in Dallas’ win over Houston. Lamb set a Cowboys single-game receptions record for a wide receiver — tight end Jason Witten holds the all-time record with 18 catches — while passing Hall of Famer Drew Pearson on the team’s career receiving yardage list.
Lamb’s historic performance made him the NFL’s leader in receptions and receiving yards through four games. He’s on pace to catch 153 passes for 2,117 yards, which would both be NFL records.
5. Patrick Mahomes
Last week: 6
If Mahomes ends up winning his third MVP, his 55-yard completion to Tyquan Thornton in Sunday’s win over the Raiders will be one of the reasons why. It was a clutch play in a clutch moment from a clutch player who is already one of the most decorated in league history.
Mahomes’ success moving forward will at least partly depend on how the Chiefs deal with their rash of injuries at receiver. Thornton will be out at least three months after dislocating his ankle, and Rashee Rice is dealing with a tweaked hamstring. The Chiefs are looking into the possibility of re-signing Tyreek Hill, who enjoyed a prolific partnership with Mahomes from 2018-21.
4. Josh Allen
Last week: 1
Allen fell back after Sunday. After scoring nine touchdowns in Buffalo’s first two games, Allen scored “just” four touchdowns in the Bills‘ last two outings. He’s tied for the league lead in touchdown runs (seven), but his six touchdown passes are tied for 13th in the league.
Stats aside, Buffalo’s loss to New England is the biggest reason for Allen’s slide. Allen had a solid game, but he essentially sealed the 29-26 loss when he threw a head-scratching interception with 1:14 left.
Fortunately for Allen, he and the Bills have another opportunity to win a marquee game this Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams.
3. Bijan Robinson
Last week: 7
Robinson’s last two games have reinforced his status as one of the NFL’s elite players. A week after running roughshod for 194 yards and two scores against the Packers, Robinson ran circles around the Saints‘ defense to the tune of 145 yards and two more touchdowns. His 59-yard scoring jaunt less than two minutes into the game set the tone for Atlanta’s 45-24 win.
Robinson and the Falcons will get another opportunity to shine this Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens.
2. Brock Purdy
Last week: 4
While he is often overshadowed by other quarterbacks, Purdy’s play during the season’s first four weeks has put himself in an early position to possibly become the fourth 49ers quarterback to win league MVP and the first to do so since 1994.
Purdy has played with surgeon-like precision. He’s tied for the league lead in touchdown passes, has thrown just one interception, is completing nearly 70% of his throws and has the NFL’s highest passer rating (126.2). Purdy’s play has keyed San Francisco’s 4-0 start.
Like Allen and Robinson, Purdy also has a big Week 5 matchup that will shape the MVP race. The 49ers will travel to Seattle to take on the defending NFC champions in a rematch of last year’s NFC divisional round showdown.
1. Kenneth Walker III
Last week: 2
Walker’s performance against the Raiders earned him the No. 1 spot entering Week 5. His 177-yard day included two touchdowns in a span of 19 seconds. His 22-yard rumble proved to be the game-winning score.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP, Walker, has infused life into the Chiefs. Walker leads the NFL in scrimmage yards, rushing yards and yards-per-carry average (6.2). He’s on pace to smash Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, which has stood for 42 years.
If he stays healthy, Walker has a good chance at becoming the fitst non-quarterback to win league MVP since Adrian Peterson did so back in 2012.
