2017 NFL Power Rankings – Top 5 MVP Candidates: The 2017-18 NFL season is already hitting its home stretch, and while the playoff race is still wide open, the battle for Most Valuable Player honors has already narrowed. While it is never too late for a great player to make a push for the award, heading into Week 13 of the season, it looks like a two-horse race between Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
Of course, there are plenty of big games remaining over the final month of the season that could allow someone else to sneak in and steal MVP honors. For a closer look at how the frontrunners stack up and who is waiting in the wings, check out my Week 13 NFL MVP Power Rankings.
2017 NFL Power Rankings: Top 5 MVP Candidates
- Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
When you are the statistically the best quarterback on the team with the best record in the NFL, you are always going to be at the forefront of the MVP discussion. His 28 passing touchdowns are tops in the NFL, and he has propelled the Eagles to a 10-1 record thus far. Yes, the Eagles made some upgrades on offense in the offseason, but it is the play of Wentz that has taken this team to the next level. He has a tough stretch coming up, but if he and the Eagles come out still looking strong, Wentz could be looking at his first MVP in just his second season.
- Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
Brady is one of those all-time great players who tend to get overlooked simply because they have set the bar so high, but he is playing at such a high level this year that MVP honors could be inevitable. Despite a laundry list of injuries to his supporting cast, Brady leads the NFL in passing yards and QB rating by a sizeable margin, and he ranks second in touchdown passes. Meanwhile, the Patriots are clipping along at a 9-2 pace, putting them in position to claim the top seed in the AFC. If Carson Wenz falters at all, Brady will be waiting.
- Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
He might not have the prettiest stats, but I’m not sure any player is asked to do more on a game-to-game basis than Wilson. The Seahawks have no running game, no offensive line, and the defense is banged up. Wilson has still managed to lead Seattle to a 7-4 record, and he currently ranks third in the NFL in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. He has also rushed for more than 400 yards, and his 6.2 yards per carry are the second-best average of his career. The Seahawks have saddled Wilson with their playoff hopes, and so far, he is keeping them in contention.
- Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Remember when the Steelers were in disarray as a team and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger needed to be benched? Pittsburgh is now 9-2 and are tied for the best record in the AFC. Meanwhile, Brown leads the NFL with 80 receptions, and his 1,195 receiving yards are also tops in the NFL. His eight scores are just one behind the league leader, and it is no coincidence that the Steelers’ season got back on track when Roethlisberger went back to feeding Brown early and often.
- Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams
While the improvement of quarterback Jared Goff has certainly helped the cause, head coach Sean McVay’s decision to feature Gurley as an every-down back has helped transform the Rams offense from arguably the worst in the league to one of the best. The Rams are on top of the NFC West with an 8-3 record, and Gurley leads the conference with 856 rushing yards, putting him third in the NFL. He is also tied for the league lead with eight rushing scores, and he has added 42 catches for 479 yards and three more scores. Gurley has been unleashed, and he is proving to be one of the most versatile weapons in the entire NFL.
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