With the NFL season hitting its midway point, we’re checking the pulse on the MVP race.
Here are the top-10 contenders as Week 9 kicks into gear. (What, no Patrick Mahomes?)
1. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson
The 2023 MVP is playing even better this season. Jackson is 158-of-236 (66.9 percent) for 2,099 yards, 17 touchdown passes and two interceptions through eight games. His 115.4 passer rating is the league’s best and highest of his seven-year career.
Jackson, the NFL’s best dual-threat QB, has 501 rushing yards, putting him on pace for his third 1,000-yard rushing season and first since 2020.
2. Bills quarterback Josh Allen
Turnovers have been Allen’s biggest problem. He entered 2024 with double-digit interceptions in five of his six NFL seasons — Allen threw nine in 2019 — including 47 between 2021-23, the most in the NFL during that span (h/t Stathead).
This season, however, Allen has cut down on turnovers. His 0.4 interception rate is the league’s lowest. He is also tied for the league’s fifth-most touchdowns (17) as he’s lifted Buffalo (6-2) to a 3.5-game lead in the AFC East.
3. Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson
The NFL’s best receiver keeps getting better. He’s the key to quarterback Sam Darnold’s success and Minnesota’s 5-2 start.
The 2022 Offensive Player of the Year has 41 receptions for 646 yards and five touchdowns this season, including a 97-yarder — the longest by any receiver this season — in Week 2 against the 49ers.
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