Ranking The Top Five NFL MVP Candidates for 2024

When the 2023 regular season came to an end, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson received his second NFL MVP Award after a brilliant season in which he garnered 49 out of 50 possible votes.

The NFL MVP Award is basically an award given to the best quarterback of the year since very rarely do players from other positions win it.

In fact, the last time a non-quarterback won the MVP Award was back in 2012 when it was bestowed upon Adrian Peterson, the then running back of the Minnesota Vikings.

Therefore, it is quite safe to say that the 2024 NFL MVP Award will also be awarded to the best signal caller of the season.

As such, the following are the top five NFL MVP Award candidates for the 2024 season.

5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts had a down year in 2023 after having one of the best seasons just one year prior in 2022. And although Hurts wasn’t all that bad, it was the turnovers that really hurt him and the Eagles. A player of his caliber is sure to correct these flaws and thus there is a strong possibility that he will regain his mojo in 2024.

As far as the weapons he has to work with, Hurts will be throwing to the likes of A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert. Plus, he will be aided by Saquon Barkley from the backfield which is another positive for the season ahead.

4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Considering the season Jackson had last year when he won his second NFL MVP and led the Ravens to the AFC Championship Game, it is safe to say that the Ravens quarterback has a great chance to repeat his heroics.

Jackson became the youngest two-time MVP winner by winning his second award at the age of 27. He did so on the back of an excellent all-round game with improved passing and key rushing plays. As a dual-threat quarterback, the Florida native can beat defenders through the air or on the ground.

With solid receivers such as Zay Flowers, Nelson Agholor, Rashod Bateman, and Mark Andrews, Jackson can find passing opportunities, especially with the addition of Derrick Henry in the backfield who is bound to command a lot of attention.

3. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

Finding a year-two starting quarterback so high on the list of probable NFL MVP Award winners list would come as a surprise to many. However, with the season Stroud had as a rookie in 2023, there really is no surprise whatsoever.

Stroud worked in tandem with first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans, year three receiver Nico Collins who hadn’t had a 500-yard season, and fellow rookie Tank Dell to propel a Texans team that had 3, 4, and 4 wins in their last three seasons to a 10-7 record.

In the process, he put up astonishing numbers for a rookie with 4,108 passing yards, 63.9% completions, 23 passing touchdowns against just five interceptions, and a 100.8 passer rating.

The good news is that in the 2024 offseason, the Texans have added veteran receiver Stefon Diggs to their ranks which should bolster his shot at winning the NFL MVP in his second year.

2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow is another fine quarterback from the AFC and is the only one apart from Tom Brady to defeat Patrick Mahomes in the postseason. As a matter of fact, he holds a 3-1 head-to-head record against Mahomes and has already reached a Super Bowl in the 2021 season.

Had it not been for injuries in 2023, Burrow may have been in the race for the MVP Award. He came off a 2022 campaign where he finished fourth so he knows a thing or two about having good seasons.

While he has lost Tyler Boyd as a solid WR3, he still has Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at his disposal as of now. Should Higgins be traded this season though, then his chances of securing a first MVP will drop drastically.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

It would be very hard to argue with any list that has Patrick Mahomes at the top of its rankings. Mahomes has done so much in so little time that he is already being considered as a top three or top four quarterback in the history of the NFL.

Fresh off back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 2022 and 2023, Mahomes aims to lead the Chiefs to a third straight title while attempting to make history in the Super Bowl era of the league. If that is not added motivation then I don’t know what is.

One would expect him to come out all guns blazing as he sets about chasing his goals. And to add fuel to the fire, he now has two speedy receivers who should help him get back to his gunslinging days.

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