Week 16 of the 2024 NFL Season is now over, so let's power-rank the updated MVP stepladder approaching Week 17. I have definitely changed my tune on who the NFL MVP is as we approach the final two regular season games of the season.
Some of these players do not have much time left to make their case to the MVP voters, and the handful of favorites are pretty clear-cut if you ask me. We'll see if something major happens down the stretch, but I doubt anything like that will.
Could we see a repeat of the MVP in 2023? Or could a first-timer win the award? Let's roll out our weekly NFL MVP power rankings.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking MVP stepladder following insane Week 16 games
5. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
On pace for over 2,000 yards, Saquon Barkley is having the best season of any running back in the NFL this year, and with QB Jalen Hurts leaving the game in Week 16 with a concussion, the offense may lean on Barkley more if Kenny Pickett has to start games.
Barkley has rushed for 1,838 yards and 13 touchdowns this year, and he's already got over 2,000 total yards on offense. He's also suited up for every game and has kind of put those injuries from his days with the New York Giants behind him.
The NFL MVP being a QB at this point is hurting his chances, which stinks, but Saquon Barkley is having a legendary season.
4. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
With 33 touchdowns on the season through the air, Jared Goff has set a career-high mark in that category. The Detroit Lions responded in a great way in Week 16 and move to 13-2 on the season with a huge win over the Chicago Bears. Goff is also completing over 70% of his passes and is averaging a whopping 273 yards per game.
The sheer volume that Goff has been able to hold this year is wild. He's average 31 passing attempts per game in 2024. He is not the clear-cut MVP, but he is close. That five interception game against the Houston Texans still looms large.
3. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
Sam Darnold has thrown 32 touchdowns this year and has his Minnesota Vikings team at 13-2 on the season. They are still in contention to win the NFC North, and Darnold is making it hard for the Vikings to not bring him back in 2025. He's got just a small handful of games this year with a passer rating below 100, and he continues to stack insane performances.
Let's not beat around the bush; Sam Darnold has turned into a franchise QB this year and is an MVP candidate.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is having a great season, but he is not the MVP of the NFL this year. He's got 26 touchdowns against six interceptions this year, but is only completing 63.8% of his passes.
Allen is averaging the third-lowest yards per game total of his NFL career, and the Bills clearly did not want Allen to do as much this year as he had to do in previous years. So essentially, Josh Allen has played better when he's not been asked to do as much? To me, that does not sound like an MVP, but he's still having a great year and is no. 2 in our latest MVP power rankings.
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
I have changed my tune here. Lamar Jackson is absolutely the MVP of the NFL at this point, and I actually have no idea why people were putting Josh Allen above him. The Ravens QB has a better completion percentage, more psssing yards, a higher yards per attempt, more passing yards per game, less interceptions, a better passer rating, more rushing yards, and a worse defense.
The Ravens have the 19th-ranked scoring defense in the NFL, allowing 23.3 points per game. They have the 3rd-ranked scoring offense. The Buffalo Bills have the 2nd-ranked scoring offense in the NFL and the 11th-ranked scoring defense.
This is not a contest. It's not close. Lamar Jackson is the MVP of the NFL.