The 2026 NFL MVP race is certainly not something that has a clear-cut favorite right now, and with about half the season left to play, anything can happen. With that said, it is very likely that we again see the MVP won by a quarterback.
This award has turned into, for the most part, the 'best QB in the league' award over the last decade-plus, and while that isn't ideal in the eyes of some, it is the norm in the NFL right now. With Week 9 beginning, we have our fresh MVP stepladder power rankings.
Let's dive into our rankings here. We're ranking based on, you guessed it, how valuable each player is to their team as it relates to team success and overall performance at that respective position.
Updated MVP power rankings as Week 9 hits shows a tight race
8. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
While Patrick Mahomes isn't able to fling the football all over the place like he was able to early in his career, he's probably going to continue being a common name lumped in MVP conversations as long as he's still playing reasonably well. The 5-2 Kansas City Chiefs are back to being relevant in the standings, and while this team has lost two games in a row, they're still very much alive in the AFC West and even across the entire conference for a top playoff seed.
He has thrown 12 touchdown passes against four interceptions and is, statistically speaking, having a very efficient year, so he probably should have a spot in our power rankings.
7. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are 6-1 on the season, but the team does have some major defensive concerns. That could, in a way, help Josh Allen win the MVP, as he'll likely be forced to carry as big a load as ever on offense if his defense can't consistently get stops, and if the Bills do keep winning, the superstar Allen will be a top discussion point all year. He also has some 'name' validity here, as he won the MVP back in 2024, so as long as he is playing his own game, he'll be an MVP candidate.
His passing production isn't jumping off the page, though, so he's only No. 7 in our power rankings.
Add us as a preferred source on Google