Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of superstar players in the NFL. In an era where the NFL MVP conversation is over-saturated by Quarterback names. In 2022 through the midpoint, the NFL MVP conversation, I believe, is as balanced as it ever has been. In this article, we will highlight five possible candidates for the NFL MVP.
NFL MVP Candidate- Josh Allen: QB, Buffalo Bills
Quarterback Josh Allen has come a long way since his rookie campaign in 2018. A former seventh pick in the NFL Draft, Allen has become the cornerstone of the Bills offense. Allen has led the Bills to three straight playoff berths and has made significant strides in his game in those three seasons. Making the jump from completing just 52% of his passes in his rookie, Allen is now completing 65% of his passes and turns the ball over at a more calming rate than in his rookie year.
Allen sits third in the league in passing yards with 2,198. He’s second in passing touchdowns with 19 behind Patrick Mahomes. But for a moment, let’s question why he’s sitting behind the top spots. Well, that’s simple… Josh Allen and the Bills have three blowout wins of 21 points or more. Allen has sat on the bench in two of those games after the third quarter.
Allen is also a great runner of the football. In my estimation, he’s the best dual threat in the league—a rare combination of arm strength, cerebral and raw power. Allen can take on any linebacker and come out the other side on the better end of the stick. On the flip side, without Allen, the Bills would be floundering and not 6-1 atop the AFC East. That is why he’s a candidate for NFL MVP.
NFL MVP Candidate- Patrick Mahomes: QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes lost his number-one receiver in Tyreek Hill this past offseason. Many of us thought Mahomes would take a giant leap backward in production, but he’s put the offense on his back. The relationship between him and tight end Travis Kelce has continued to become dominant and stronger. Mahomes is a former MVP and hasn’t seen the heights he saw in 2018, but he’s been a steady force in the league.
The new additions of Juju Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdez-Scantling have been more considerable additions than most expected. As it stands, Mahomes leads the league in touchdowns with 20 and sits fourth in passing yards with 2,159. In an offense that doesn’t love running the ball, it’s vital to have a versatile gunslinger like Patrick Mahomes. As long as Mahomes is in an Andy Reid offense, he’ll always be a candidate for NFL MVP. That’s not a knock on Mahomes, but we’ve never seen what he can do without an offensive genius like Andy Reid.
NFL MVP Candidate- Cooper Kupp: WR, LA Rams
Cooper Kupp is coming off one of the greatest seasons a wide receiver could have last season. Many have called it the greatest receiving season ever. Winning the triple crown (yards, touchdowns, catches) Super Bowl, and Super Bowl MVP in the same season, he finished 17 yards shy of the single-season record for yards. Kupp is now the offense for the LA Rams.
Kupp brought last season’s success into this year and is on pace for just under what he finished with the previous year. Kupp trails Tyreek Hill by five catches for the league lead and sits fifth in yards. Kupp is also tied for third in touchdowns, and he’s also in an anemic offense. It’s hard to imagine where the Rams offense would be without Kupp. Kupp’s usage to get the offense going is a great talking point.
Kupp produces most of his catches and yards from his own 21-50 yard line. In that area of the field, Kupp has 28 catches on 37 targets for 351 yards. 17 of those 28 catches have been first downs. This season Kupp has 686 yards which leads the team. The next closest to him isn’t even a listed receiver but starting tight end Tyler Higbee at 312 yards. This is why Cooper Kupp is a prime candidate for NFL MVP.
NFL MVP Candidate- Saquon Barkley: RB, NY Giants
Saquon Barkley is back, and he’s finally healthy for the Giants. Barkley has compiled a pretty big workload, making the most of it. Barkley has posted through eight games, 779 yards on 163 attempts and five touchdowns. Combining those numbers with his receiving stats and Barkley has amassed almost 1k yards from scrimmage. The Giants offense has posted 2,565 total yards from scrimmage, and Barkley had 968 of them.
A healthy Barkley has been able to thrive in a Brian Daboll system and help Daniel Jones look much better than in previous years. Barkley is an upcoming free agent; if he doesn’t win the MVP this year and leaves in the offseason, the voters will soon realize that he was far more valuable to a 6-2 team than they thought. “Saquad” could be a dark horse in the NFL MVP race, as well as the Offensive Player of The Year. But Barkley isn’t the only running back in our conversation.
NFL MVP Candidate- Nick Chubb: RB, Cleveland Browns
Rounding out our list is none other than Nick Chubb. The Browns Runningback has exploded onto the scene and gets better every year he’s in the league. Cleveland is 3-5, but in those eight games, Chubb has 149 attempts for 841 yards and 10 touchdowns. Leading in both yards and touchdowns, Chubb’s finished six games with 90 or more yards, and in five of them, he’s gone over 100 yards.
Sticking with the century mark, Chubb has four games over 110 yards and two over 130 yards. For reference, the following four leading rushers combined for eight games of over 130 yards rushing. With the absence of Deshaun Watson, Chubb has been able to carry the Cleveland offense through eight games and open things up for Jacoby Brissett.
The Roundup:
NFL MVP is an honor that has become a wishy-washy type of award. A media-driven popularity contest in my eyes, and they most certainly have forgotten the meaning of “Most Valuable Player.” This award should not be quarterback-driven but given to someone whose team would be a cellar dweller without their production—someone whose team wouldn’t win the division or be on the outside looking in. That’s what the NFL MVP should be about.