Ranking the top five 2024 NFL MVP candidates
As the NFL season heats up, MVP cases are shaping up. A quarterback has won every MVP award over the past decade, and nonoffensive players haven't claimed the honor since 1986. With Thanksgiving around the corner, here are the top five contenders this year. Notably, four quarterbacks and one running back, stand out in a race dominated by stats so far this season.
Lamar Jackson - Baltimore Ravens, QB
Lamar Jackson remains the MVP frontrunner despite Baltimore currently holding the AFC's sixth seed after a tough loss to Pittsburgh. Delivering his best season yet, the two-time MVP boasts 9.0 yards per pass attempt, 25 touchdowns, and only three interceptions, while leading quarterbacks with 584 rushing yards. Jackson currently ranks first in success rate while carrying a team with the league's worst pass defense.
Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills, QB
Josh Allen's MVP bid got a significant boost in Week 11. His heroic 26-yard run sealed the Bills' victory over the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs in a high-stakes game. This win highlighted Allen's versatility, even with Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman sidelined. The coming weeks will be pivotal for Allen's candidacy, as Buffalo face the 49ers in Week 13, followed by road games.
Joe Burrow - Cincinnati Bengals, QB
Joe Burrow's MVP case has been hindered by the Bengals' struggles to close games. Despite Cincinnati's 4-7 record, Burrow has been stellar, leading the NFL with 27 touchdown passes, only four interceptions, and 3,028 passing yards, over 150 yards ahead of any other player. While missing the playoffs would dim his MVP chances, a miraculous postseason rally led by Burrow could reignite his campaign.
Jared Goff - Detroit Lions, QB
Goff's MVP hopes took a hit after throwing five interceptions against Houston. He remains the leader of a Lions team (9-1), one of the league's most explosive offenses, with two 50-point games this season. Goff ranks fourth in touchdowns (20) and leads the NFL in yards per attempt (9.2). However, if Detroit claim the NFC's top seed, he'll likely be in the MVP conversation.
Saquon Barkley - Philadelphia Eagles, RB
Saquon Barkley, now with the Eagles on a four-year, $48M deal, has rushed for 1,137 yards (5.8 YPC), caught 23 passes for 210 yards, and scored 10 total touchdowns. His league-leading 1,347 scrimmage yards power an 8-2 Eagles team atop the NFC East. Meanwhile, a strong finish near 2,000 yards could make him the first non-QB MVP since Adrian Peterson in 2012.
