From its start in 1934, the National Football League’s (NFL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award was never a bland topic. Since 1957, the Associated Press (AP) has been the company that has been reporting the NFL’s prestigious award. As of now, the growing list of players that claim this award consist of 43 quarterbacks, 18 running backs, two linebackers, one defensive tackler, one defensive end and one placekicker. 

Every season, the competition for the award increases, making the winner harder and harder to predict. While there has been so much talent this season, this article will be sticking to the most common positions to win MVP. Historically, those have been the quarterback and the running back position. Bear in mind that the last time a position other than the running back or quarterback was chosen, it was wide receiver Jerry Rice back in 1990. 

According to Oddsshark, Patrick Mahomes II of the Kansas City Chiefs is the current number one contender for the MVP race. Mahomes has a good chance due to his position as a quarterback and his phenomenal statistics. The NFL website states that as of Week 10, Mahomes has racked up a total of 2687 passing yards, ranking fifth among quarterbacks, and 25 touchdowns, ranking third among quarterbacks. Mahomes has the best touchdown to interception ratio of 25 to one, according to Footballdb. There are many other good quarterback MVP contenders to be considered, however, such as Kyler Murray, Russel Wilson and Josh Allen. As for the running backs, there is not as much competition. Dalvin Cook and Derrick Henry are the top two running backs in the league by far. According to the NFL, their statistics are almost identical, but between the two, Dalvin Cook has the edge by just 8 more yards and 4 touchdowns, as of week 10. 

However, there are still some underdog candidates to take into account.  Though, most of these candidates include non-quarterback and non-running back positions and players that had injuries that made their statistics lower, giving them a lesser chance at winning. 

The first underdog on the list is Stefon Diggs. Diggs plays wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills and to  the surprise of many, he has the most catches and is 6 yards away from most receiving yards, according to the NFL. The reason Diggs is an underdog is due to the fact that he plays wide receiver, and it’s been shown that wide receivers are less likely to win MVP over the last several years. 

The second underdog is Alvin Kamara. With 486 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns and 648 receiving yards with four receiving touchdowns, Kamara is ranked fourth in receptions and 16th in rushing yards. The fact that Kamara is a receiving and rushing threat is the reason he is the second underdog on the list.

In conclusion, the race for the MVP award is sure to be exciting this year with so much talent. Will we see the first wide receiver to get MVP since Jerry Rice in 1990? Or maybe we will see a continuation of the seven year quarterback winning MVP streak? Personally, I think Patrick Mahomes II or Dalvin Cook will win MVP this year as the statistics do not lie. These two men are powerhouses when it comes to football and I believe they are both equally deserving. Good luck, and may the best man win!