The 2020 NFL regular season is not even a third of the way complete, but we’re already monitoring the league’s top MVP candidates. Here’s a look at the 10 players best aligned for MVP runs based on the first five weeks of the 2020 campaign.
10. Cleveland Browns edge Myles Garrett: He’s on pace for 19 sacks, and is the only player in the league with three forced fumbles and more than two sacks.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger: He’s a triple-digit-rated passer for a perfect team, which has to get you on this list.
8. Tennessee Titans QB Ryan Tannehill: Tennessee is 4-0, and Tannehill has nine touchdown passes to one pick following a stellar performance against the previously undefeated Bills.
7. Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff: It’s been a team effort for the 4-1 Rams, but Goff’s early-season success is hard to ignore. He’s the league’s highest-rated passer in one-score games in the fourth quarter, and he’s been hitting on pretty much everything.
6. Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald: Of course, it helps that L.A.’s best defensive player is on pace to record an NFL-record 24 sacks. Donald has also forced a pair of fumbles.
5. Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: It’s been an up-and-down season for the reigning Super Bowl MVP, but Mahomes still has a ridiculous 13-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio for a first-place team. That magic hasn’t gone anywhere.
4. Las Vegas Raiders QB Derek Carr: Can’t believe we’re listing Carr here, but the league’s fourth-highest-rated passer outdueled Mahomes on Sunday to move his Raiders to 3-2. He leads the NFL with a 73.1 completion rate, and his wins have come against teams that are otherwise 9-2 this season.
3. Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen: A poor performance in Tennessee hurt his stock quite a bit, but Allen remains among the league leaders right across the board and is still quarterbacking a first-place team. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt based on fire in the first four weeks.
2. Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers: Looking like his old self, Rodgers has 13 touchdown passes to zero interceptions for an undefeated Green Bay team that was off on a bye in Week 5.
1. Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson: That game-winning drive late against the Minnesota Vikings really clinched Wilson’s spot at the top. He’s the league’s highest-rated passer, its best deep thrower and improviser and the leader of the only 5-0 team in football.
