{"id":251605,"date":"2025-10-20T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=251605"},"modified":"2025-10-20T11:38:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T15:38:09","slug":"nfl-mvp-race-top-5-frontrunners-ranked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/10\/20\/nfl-mvp-race-top-5-frontrunners-ranked\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL MVP Race: Top 5 Frontrunners, Ranked"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seven weeks of NFL action are (almost) in the book, and the MVP race is heating up. While there are a few familiar names on this list, a second-year quarterback and a few resurgent veterans are making their claim for the league’s greatest individual honor.<\/p>\n

NFL MVP Race: Top 5 Frontrunners, Ranked<\/h2>\n

Before we get into the race itself, we must address the elephant in the room. Quarterback is far and away the most important position in the game, and the MVP stands for Most Valuable Player. Therefore, quarterbacks are the only players in the running for this award. If you’re looking for the best all-around player regardless of position, then look for the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.<\/p>\n

Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck – Imagn Images<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Honorable Mention: Dak Prescott, Cowboys<\/h3>\n

If there were any justice in the world, Dak Prescott would be have much better odds of winning the NFL MVP race. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback has been nothing short of outstanding, ranking at or near the top of just about every efficiency and volume metric despite playing behind an unremarkable offensive line and losing CeeDee Lamb for multiple contests. Having George Pickens<\/a> helps, but Prescott is playing like one of the best quarterbacks in football.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, his atrocious defense is holding him back. Despite Prescott’s herculean play, the Cowboys are currently 3-3-1, and it’s all thanks to their atrocious defense. For better or worse (read: worse), MVP voters simply will not give the award to a quarterback with a 0.500 record. Unless the defense suddenly gets it together, Prescott won’t have a realistic shot of surviving in the NFL MVP race.<\/p>\n

\"Dak
Sep 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) drops back to pass against the Chicago Bears during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

5. Matthew Stafford, Rams<\/h3>\n

After enduring an offseason of injury and retirement rumors, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford<\/a> is back and better than ever. The former first-overall pick and one-time Super Bowl champion remains one of the game’s elite arms despite getting up there in age and just led a dominant performance<\/a> against a good Jacksonville Jaguars team. Playing in front of an international audience, Stafford completed 21 of his 33 attempts for 182 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions.<\/p>\n

In short, Stafford has been nothing short of fantastic and deserves a spot in the NFL MVP race. At 5-2, his Rams are currently atop one of the most competitive divisions in football, and that wouldn’t be the case if he weren’t playing at a top-five level.<\/p>\n

\"matthew
Main Photo: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

4. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs<\/h3>\n

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<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"patrick
Nov 29, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) greets Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

3. Drake Maye, Patriots<\/h3>\n

Nobody has done more with less than New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye<\/a>. Following an impressive rookie season in a terrible environment, the UNC product has elevated his game to an elite level and currently has the Patriots sitting atop the AFC East with a 5-2 record. Several analysts across the league believed Maye could make a leap in Year 2, but nobody saw this coming.<\/p>\n

After flashing promise as a rookie, Maye has turned into the best deep ball thrower in football by a considerable margin. He’s more than just a big-play threat too, as he’s completing passes at an absurd rate across the field, and he isn’t afraid to take off and scramble when nothing’s available. Only time will tell if he can maintain this level of play, but one thing’s for sure: the Patriots have their quarterback.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Jun 9, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) holds a press conference after minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

2. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers<\/h3>\n

This article is being published before Tampa Bay’s Monday Night Football against the Detroit Lions, so Baker’s spot in the NFL MVP<\/a> race is a little less certain than everyone else on this list. However, assuming he doesn’t implode in front of a national audience, Mayfield should be in the thick of all MVP discussions for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

The former first-overall pick has been a godsend for the Cleveland Browns, guiding this team to win after win despite a seemingly endless barrage of injuries to his offensive line and almost every single wide receiver on the depth chart. Despite all this, Mayfield remains one of the game’s most efficient all-around passers. In short, he’s everything the Buccaneers could hope for and will undoubtedly justify his impending extension.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Sep 21, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is congratulated by quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) and teammates after he scored a touchdown against the New York Jets during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

1. Josh Allen, Bills<\/h3>\n

What can’t Josh Allen do? Even with the bye week, the reigning MVP maintains his spot in the NFL race. Blessed with arguably the best raw traits in the history of the game, Allen has maintained his elite play despite a poor supporting cast and questionable coaching.<\/p>\n

The biggest thing standing between Josh Allen and a second MVP could be the New England Patriots. Historically speaking, voters will only consider quarterbacks who win a division, and the Patriots currently sit atop the AFC East. New England has the easiest remaining schedule in football, so Buffalo must win their rematch later in the season if Allen wants to win a second MVP.<\/p>\n

\"Josh<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 2025 NFL MVP race is heating up, as a few familiar faces and relatively new names fight for the biggest individual honor in football.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2376,"featured_media":251606,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6431,3,19,16,34,5,29],"tags":[3418,7811,302,10076,2599,404,1576],"class_list":["post-251605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-teams","category-bills","category-cowboys","category-chiefs","category-rams","category-patriots","category-buccaneers","tag-baker-mayfield","tag-chiefs-featured","tag-dak-prescott","tag-drake-maye","tag-josh-allen","tag-matthew-stafford","tag-patrick-mahomes"],"modified_by":"David Latham, Managing Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2376"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251605"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251659,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251605\/revisions\/251659"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}