The MVP race is actually not all that deep as we head into the last month and change of the 2024 NFL Season. Let's power-rank the MVP ladder approaching Week 12. As we have done every week now, we have power-ranked the MVP candidates. Week 12 is already starting tomorrow, so the top MVP candidates will need to continue to make their case.
At closer look, the MVP race is actually not all that deep. There seems to be a lot of "middle of the road" type of performances from players this year, and you could truly argue that the MVP race is actually down to two players at this point.
Who is on our MVP ladder power rankings approaching Week 12?
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking the updated MVP ladder approaching Week 12
4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson leads the NFL in passer rating and has thrown 25 touchdowns against just three interceptions in 2024. The Baltimore Ravens are 7-4 and are in a Wild Card spot in the AFC at the moment. Jackson has also added 584 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Jackson is on pace to have one of the best years of his career, and perhaps on pace to have similar production to what he had during his first MVP season in 2019.
While Lamar Jackson could be the most likely player to secure the MVP again, the Ravens being 7-4 and kind of buried in the AFC does takeaway from his candidacy a bit, as he and the entire Ravens team laid a stinker in Week 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In my opinion, Jackson and the Ravens would need to win the AFC North for him to win his second MVP in a row.
3. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley is already up to 1,137 rushing yards and 1,347 scrimmage yards. He's averaging an NFL-high 113.7 yards per game and is on pace 1,933 yards in 2024. Barkley is the engine that drives this Philadelphia Eagles offense, and he's clearly their most valuable player. Perhaps the up-and-down years he had with the New York Giants were mostly due to the franchise itself, as he is being unleashed in Philly.
And I can't imagine that the Giants like to see Barkley enjoy the best year of his NFL career. He's got 10 total touchdowns this year, so he could finish with over 2,000 yards from scimmage and 20 touchdowns in 2024. It would be hard to not give him the Offensive Player of the Year award at the very least.
2. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff has a 112.1 passer rating and 20 touchdown passes this season. He's also completing well over 70% of his passes and has the Detroit Lions at 9-1 and atop the NFC. Goff's five interception game was just insane to witness, but he responded to that with a four-touchdown performance and a perfect passer rating against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This was the third time this season that Goff finished a game with a passer rating of at least 150. The efficiency if off the charts, and if the Lions to end up finishing with the no. 1 seed in the NFC and Goff continues this torrid pace, it would be hard to not give him the MVP.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
At this point, it's hard to argue that there is another player more deserving of the MVP award right now than Josh Allen. He and the Buffalo Bills just toppled the Kansas City Chiefs, handing them their first loss of the season, and while Allen does not have the most prolific numbers, what he is doing this year is clearly the most valuable performance that any team has gotten.
Plus, Buffalo is now in a good spot to perhaps overtake the Chiefs for the one seed in the AFC, which would guarantee them home-field advantage. To me, Buffalo does need that home-field advantage if they hope to make the Super Bowl.