Week 5 of the 2024 NFL Season is officially in the books, so let's dive into our weekly MVP ladder power rankings. I truly can't believe we're set to enter Week 6 of the 2024 NFL Season, but here we are. To say that there have been some crazy, unexpected stories would be a huge understatement, but that's part of what makes the NFL so great.
As we have done each week, we've got an updated MVP power rankings list for you. Is there a new no. 1? Are there any new faces on the list? Let's get into it!
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking updated MVP ladder after Week 5 games
4. Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels is coming it at no. 4 on the latest MVP ladder power rankings. The Washington Commanders are shockingly 4-1 on the season and are getting some insanely efficient play from Daniels, who looks like a five-year veteran. He's done damage with his arm and legs and looks to be the run-away favorite for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award at least.
If Daniels is this good as a rookie making just five starts, it may not be crazy to suggest that he and the Commanders could hit their stride late in the 2024 NFL Season and perhaps take a huge leap. Right now, they are the best team in the NFC East and are a top-3 team at worst in the NFC.
3. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens had a legitimate shot at beginning the season 0-3, but here they are winning three games in a row and now sit at 3-2 on the season. They won an insanely intense game in Week 5 over the Cincinnati Bengals, and that game was the difference between the Ravens being 3-2 and Bengals being 1-4 or the two teams having the same 2-3 record.
Lamar Jackson is off to another wicked start and has now vaulted himself into the NFL MVP conversation after five weeks. The Ravens' defense is definitely an issue, so if Jackson wants to again lead his team into the postseason and perhaps win his third MVP award, he may have to take on a bigger chunk of this team than he'd usually need to.
Lamar Jackson has truly been La-marvelous this year.
2. CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
Coming in no. 2 on the MVP ladder power rankings is CJ Stroud of the Houston Texans. My pick to win the MVP and Super Bowl this year, Stroud and the Texans have responded nicely after getting blown out by the Minnesota Vikings a few weeks ago.
They won back-to-back close games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. Honestly, the Texans feel like a pretty ho-hum 4-1 team, but they in fact are and may be the most complete team in the AFC. The AFC actually doesn't feel nearly as good as we thought it would be heading into the 2024 NFL Season.
No team really jumps off the page as being all that dominant, and even the 5-0 Kansas City Chiefs feel a bit flimsy. Can CJ Stroud and the Texans continue to distance themselves from the inferior clubs in the conference?
1. Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
A mark of a good team and a good quarterback is their ability to win the close, ugly games. And in Week 5 against the New York Jets, that's exactly what Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings did. They won a close, ugly game. They're now 5-0 on the season, the best team in the NFC, and the best team in football.
We're nearly a third done with the 2024 NFL Season and there is no legitimate argument to have any other player ranked higher than Sam Darnold on this MVP ladder. Week 5 was the first game that Darnold had a passer rating below 100, and still has a 103.4 rating on the year along with 1,111 yards and 11 touchdowns.
I maintain that the Vikings simply won't just let Darnold leave in free agency in 2025 if he keeps this up. There is just no way they don't bring him back. Could there be a QB situation brewing in the future?