Who Leads The NFL MVP Race?
The NFL season is just over halfway through, and a lot of players have molded themselves into potential 2016 MVP candidates. With a handful of players in the mix, here are five players that should be considered for MVP by the end of it all:
Julio Jones has been an elite receiver for a few years now, as he is on track to finish with his third straight season with 1,500+ receiving yards. Sitting #1 in receiving yards in the league currently, as well as #5 in average receiving yards per reception, it’s about time he gets some respect.
There are a few other names I’d place above Julio when it comes to MVP, but he has been nothing short of elite in his 2016 campaign.
After yet another dominating performance in Cleveland, Elliott continues to make his case for Offensive Player of the Year, as well as possibly the MVP. Elliott is one of three running backs in the history of the NFL to rush for over 875 yards and 7 TDs.
The other two? Eric Dickerson and Adrian Peterson. Elliott may be a shoe-in for another award, but his season may wind up being one to remember for a long time.
Carr didn’t have amazing numbers in week 9, but he has been the main factor in why the Raiders are 7-2 right now. Due to poor defensive play, Carr has been forced to attempt 40+ passes per game for the Raiders.
Currently first in the AFC West, it would be a crime to not consider Carr as one of the candidates for this MVP race.
Brady has been without a doubt the best quarterback in the league, but the fact that he has played half the games other quarterbacks have played removes him from the conversation when it comes to who the favorite is.
Ten quarterbacks have more touchdown passes than Brady, yet all of them have at least three interceptions at the moment. Brady could pull away with the MVP race, but it would take a flawless second half of the season.
1. Matt Ryan (2,980 passing yards, 23 TD, 4 INT)
Ryan is just 20 yards away from cracking 3,000 passing yards on the season, and that alone is head and shoulders above every other quarterback in the league. With a strong lead in the NFC South, Ryan is the front runner for me.
I don’t believe that Ryan will have amazing numbers in the second half, but when it comes to the race for MVP, I’m more than confident that this is Matt Ryan’s race to lose.
