NFL 2024 Top 5 NFL MVP Candidates: Can Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson win their third?

Any conversations about MVP has to begin with Patrick Mahomes. It's not a surprise to see him listed as the favorite to win his third MVP award in his seven seasons as the starting quarterback for the Chiefs during the offseason by the bookies.

At just 28, he has already carved out a legendary status in the NFL. It might sound wild to say that about someone so young, but this quarterback has revolutionized the Kansas City Chiefs and led them to the pinnacle of success early in his career.

Even if he hung up his cleats today, Mahomes would likely walk straight into the Hall of Fame on his first try, thanks to his stellar resume packed with individual accolades and team triumphs. The burning question is: can he keep up this level of dominance? Given his relentless drive and unwavering determination, it certainly seems like he has no plans of slowing down.

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback didn't have a great regular season in 2023, but he turned it on in the postseason, helping the Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls.

It's that sort of drive that makes him an ultra competitor, and it's why, coupled with his distinctive talent, he's been so successful in the game.

You can bet he'll be motivated as ever to become the first quarterback to win three straight Super Bowls. To sweeten the deal, he's now armed with two lightning-fast receivers who should help him rekindle his gunslinging heyday.

At 27, Lamar Jackson etched his name in the history books as the youngest player to win multiple NFL MVP awards. Considering his stellar performance during the 2023 regular season, coupled with leading his team to the league's best record, it's no surprise he clinched the MVP title. What's surprising, though, is that he's currently only fifth in the early 2024 NFL MVP race odds.

One of the reasons behind bookies thinking could be that the Ravens didn't splash out on big-name wide receivers in free agency. In our view, he's still a close-second in the MVP running, as they bolstered their backfield by signing four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry. This could reduce Jackson's rushing attempts and open up more opportunities in the passing game.

Additionally, they provided a bit of wideout help in the draft by selecting North Carolina's Devontez Walker in the fourth round.

Jackson was electric for the Ravens last season, setting career highs in completion percentage (67.2%) and passing yards (3,678) while throwing 24 touchdown passes against just seven interceptions. He also racked up 821 rushing yards—the most by any quarterback—leading the league in yards per carry (5.5) and adding five rushing touchdowns.

Could Christian McCaffrey become the first non-QB to win MVP since 2012? Well, the running back has been knocking on the door for a while now.

The 49ers star, who fell just short of earning a Super Bowl ring in February, when the San Francisco lost 25-22 in overtime to the Kansas City Chiefs, has always been regarded as the best running back in the NFL when he's on the field, putting together two of the best single-season performances by a running back over the last five years.

He became only the third player in NFL history to tally 1,000 or more receiving and rushing yards in a season with the Carolina Panthers in 2019. Then, last season with the San Francisco 49ers, he was phenomenal, proving himself to be one of the most dynamic players in the league.

He led the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards, 2,023 total scrimmage yards and 21 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns. McCaffrey earned multiple honors like NFL Offensive Player of the Year, first-team All-Pro, and named a Pro Bowler, but arguably his most impressive accolade was being named as a finalist for the MVP award.

McCaffrey will need to have a similar production in 2024 to last season, along with quarterbacks underperforming, to make another strong case, but he has the greatest chance of any skill position player to win the award.

After a fourth-place finish in the 2022 NFL MVP race, Joe Burrow was poised for another standout season with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023. But the football gods had other plans.

In the season opener against the Browns, the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner managed just 82 passing yards in a 21-point drubbing. His first 300-yard game didn't come until Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, at which point his season started to look up.

Just as Burrow was hitting his stride, he suffered a torn ligament in his right wrist during the first half of a Week 11 matchup with the rival Ravens. The next day, the team announced he would miss the remainder of the season.

Burrow underwent surgery in late November and is back at full strength as the Bengals kick off training camp. He's shown before that he can bounce back strong from a season-ending injury.

We have no doubt that Joe Burrow is the most valuable player in the Cincinnati Bengals offense, and that's why he's one spot above Brock Purdy.

When Burrow is healthy, Cincinnati has a Super Bowl worthy high-powered aerial attack. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will continue to be one of the league's best wide receiver pairing, with the latter now confirmed to play out the year with the Bengals on the franchise tag rather than seeking

Burrow also has the playmakers at his disposal to post MVP-calibre passing numbers. He just needs to stay healthy.

Josh Allen has consistently been in the mix for NFL MVP, finishing in the top five in three of the last four seasons.

The 2023 campaign was a roller-coaster ride for Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Despite his impressive stats, Allen’s propensity for turnovers was a stumbling block. The Bills found themselves at 6-6 after 12 games but then surged with five straight wins to clinch their fourth consecutive AFC East title.

Even with a career-high 18 interceptions, Allen still managed to finish fifth in the MVP race, completing 66.5% of his passes for 4,306 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also showcased his dual-threat ability, rushing for 524 yards and 15 touchdowns.

After dispatching the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round, the Bills seemed poised to finally overcome Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Divisional Round, only to fall short in a 27-24 heartbreaker.

Looking ahead to 2024, Allen will have some new weapons as Buffalo added Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins to the wide receiver room. However, this unit will have a different look without top wideouts Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis.

Given Allen's consistent presence in the MVP conversation, it's no shock to see him in contention again. It feels like only a matter of time before Allen captures his first NFL MVP. The talent and stats are there.

Of course, reducing turnovers would be ideal, but Allen's big arm and athletic running style make him a force to be reckoned with. When Allen takes off, defenders know better than to stand in the way of his freight train frame.

This isn't a case of recency bias. If C.J. Stroud's rookie campaign caught your eye, get ready for what could be an MVP-worthy show.

Last year, the Houston Texans clinched the AFC South title, and they bolstered their offense by adding All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs and Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon.

Diggs has been a model of consistency, surpassing 1,130 receiving yards in five straight seasons. Mixon is a dependable dual-threat, with 283 receptions for 2,139 yards and 13 touchdowns over his seven-year career.

Diggs joins a formidable receiving corps that includes Nico Collins, Tank Dell and tight end Dalton Schultz. With the addition of Diggs, Stroud could easily surpass his impressive 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year stats of 63.9% pass completion for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions, leading the league in touchdown/interception ratio.