The NFL’s Most Valuable Player award is unquestionably the most prestigious individual honor a player can receive each season. In theory, the award should go to the player who has made the most significant impact on his team. These days, though, AP voters typically hand the hardware to the quarterback with the most impressive stats or the QB1 on the team with the most wins.
Admittedly, quarterbacks do have outsized influence on game outcomes. That said, plenty of players at other positions lift teams with stellar play. From dynamic runners churning out 100-yard games to pass rushers routinely producing splash plays, the NFL features a diverse collection of difference-makers who deserve recognition. So, while this year’s MVP is likely to go to another quarterback — as it has in each of the past 12 seasons — this particular midseason hierarchy is about identifying a broader group of game-changers who have played key roles in their respective teams’ fast starts.
As a result, you will not see luminaries like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson on the list, due to their team’s disappointing midseason records (and Jackson’s injury absence). Additionally, Josh Allen did not make the cut despite Buffalo’s status as an AFC heavyweight with a 6-2 record. While there is plenty of time for the reigning MVP to rejoin the conversation, the guys spotlighted below have provided more individual brilliance to this point.
Now, to be clear, this rundown isn’t anti-quarterback. The game’s most important position still claims more than half the slots in this pecking order. But I wanted to think outside the box and reward some standouts who don’t line up behind center.
Without further ado, here is my ranking of the top 10 MVP candidates at midseason.