4. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes earns a high spot in the NFL MVP race not because of what he’s done up to this point in the season, but rather because of what he will probably do in the second half of the year. The three-time Super Bowl champion has had a strong season thus far, but he hasn’t been his usual spectacular self. Fortunately, that should change now that Rashee Rice is back in the lineup.
Mahomes desperately needed a reliable WR1, and he has that with Rice. The quarterback lit up the box score in Week 7, completing 26 of his 35 attempts for 286 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. The future Hall of Famer played like a top-10 quarterback without Rice, and nobody should be surprised if he looks like the NFL’s premier passer with his favorite weapon back on the field.
