NFL Power Rankings: Updated MVP ladder heading into Week 3 of 2024
Week 2 of the 2024 NFL Season is now over, so let's get back into our weekly edition of MVP ladder power rankings. Who is at the top? If you told me some of these players would be legitimate MVP candidates through two weeks of the 2024 NFL Season, I'd laugh in your face, but here we are.
The NFL is displaying why parity makes them such a good league to follow, as a ton of unexpected teams sit at 2-0, and some of their quarterbacks are playing elite-level football. It's just not something we expected to see from some of these players, but I guess this is better than some of he usual suspects dominating the MVP talks.
We are going to continue our weekly NFL MVP ladder power rankings as Week 2 officially came to a close. Who stands at the top of the ladder after Week 2?
NFL Power Rankings: Updated MVP ladder heading into Week 3 of 2024
5. Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
...Sam Darnold? Yes, Sam Darnold. The Minnesota Vikings starting QB has thrown four touchdowns and has a 111.8 passer rating through two games in the 2024 NFL Season. The team is 2-0, having beaten the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2. This isn't some funny thing I'm trying to do here; Sam Darnold has to be in the MVP conversation through two weeks.
Sure, it's very unlikely that he wins the award, but if he keeps playing like this and the Vikings keep winning games, why can't he at least get some votes? He is on pace to throw for a whopping 34 touchdown passes, which would end up likely leading the NFL. Folks, Sam Darnold may have arrived.
4. CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
CJ Stroud has thrown three touchdowns against zero interceptions through the Houston Texans first two games of the 2024 NFL Season. The Texans sit at 2-0 and seem to already have a huge grip on the AFC South, which features the undefeated Texans and the winless Jaguars, Colts, and Titans.
The Texans may run away with this division and could clinch it with weeks left in the 2024 NFL Season. Two of my huge predictions this year was that CJ Stroud would win the MVP award and the Texans would win the Super Bowl. I am going all-in here, and if the season ended today, Stroud would get some MVP votes, so he comes in at no. 3 in the weekly MVP power rankings.
3. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I think at some point we may need to have a conversation about Baker Mayfield being a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. I am 100% serious. During his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which began in 2023, the team is 11-8 in his 19 starts. He's thrown 33 touchdowns against 11 interceptions for a 97.3 passer rating.
He's played nearly 20 games for the team and has been nearly-elite. When will the time come that we all kind of accept that Mayfield isn't some "eh" starter anymore? He's playing the best football of his life and seems to be on a team that maximizes his strengths. If he keeps this up for most of the season, not only are the Buccaneers going to win the NFC South, but they may also win double-digit games, and Mayfield could become a legitimate MVP candidate.
2. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen has attempted just 42 passes through two games, but he's thrown three touchdowns against zero interceptions, has rushed for 41 yards and has run it in four times already. The Buffalo Bills offensive identity is to clearly run the snot out of the ball and to wear down their opponents. It's actually interesting to see the Bills not having Allen have as big of a role in the passing attack.
He did thrown 18 interceptions during the 2023 NFL Season, so perhaps they want to reign him in a bit. Well, the Bills are 2-0 and Allen is playing the most efficient football of his career. If Buffalo keeps winning games and Allen keeps taking care of the football, which is something he has never done, he could win his first career MVP award and make me eat my words.
1. Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints
Nothing like the 11-year veteran who was thrown away by his previous team somehow turning into the front-runner for the NFL MVP award through two weeks. This league is amazing. If we are a serious people, we'd have Derek Carr of the New Orleans Saints as the de-facto leader in the MVP race through two weeks.
The Saints offense has been the best and most explosive in the NFL, and Carr is clearly playing the best football of his life. The Saints have played two games in 2024 and have blown out both of their opponents in the Carolina Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys.
And if they keep this up, how would Carr not win the MVP? It sounds crazy, as Carr has been an average passer the first decade of his career, but there may be something major brewing here. The Saints may end up being the most interesting story to follow if they keep this up, and we could be talking about this team being one of the best in football in a couple of months.