MVP Rankings: Elliott on pace to sweep awards season
The MVP race is beginning to heat up as the season enters its home stretch. Unlike last year, where Cam Newton captured the award in a landslide victory, there isn't a clear-cut favorite for the award.
Without further ado, here are the top five MVP candidates:
1. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys
1,199 rushing yards, 11 TDs. 29 receptions, 303 receiving yards, 1 TD.
Elliott is the primary reason the Cowboys rattled off a 10-game winning streak and sport the league's best record in mid-November, coming off a 4-12 mark the previous year. The rookie phenom exceeded his pre-draft hype, leading the NFL in rushing yards and operating as a potent receiver out of the backfield with breakaway speed to get to the end zone at any given moment.
After being selected fourth overall, the Cowboys expected Elliott to make an immediate impact, but few would've tabbed him to become the NFL's marquee player in his first season. He does run behind the league's best offensive line, but the rookie is working in symphony with the unit, and should be recognized for overhauling the Cowboys overnight.
2. Derek Carr, QB, Raiders
3,115 passing yards, 66.4 completion percentage, 22 TDs, 5 INT
After the Raiders toiled in mediocrity for over a decade, Carr's leading them out of the abyss and into Super Bowl contention. He's emboldened the outstanding wide receiver duo of Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, and his ability to make every throw on the field is keeping defenses off balance.
In the midst of his third season, Carr appears to have mastered almost all facets of the position and has shown improvement throughout the year. The Raiders have gotten contributions across the board en route to their 9-2 start, but none are as meaningful as Carr's brilliant campaign.
3. Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
2,201 passing yards, 68.4 completion percentage, 18 TD, 1 INT
Brady hit the ground running after serving a four-game suspension to begin the year, slicing up opponents with his trademark efficiency. Some argued that Brady would be on pace for one of the greatest seasons of his career, a notion that places him in the MVP race nearly automatically.
The 39-year-old's ability to distribute the ball to a rotating door of wide receivers remains unmatched, and he's picking apart defenses with an intensity that seems borne of rage. If Brady played the entire season, he'd be almost certain to unseat Elliott at the top of the rankings. Considering the competition, he needs to submit the best five-game stretch of his career to win his third NFL MVP.
4. Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks
2,865 passing yards, 64.7 completion percentage, 11 TD, 4 INT. 159 rushing yards, 1 TD.
Wilson played the majority of the year while fending off ankle and LCL injuries, but kept the Seahawks atop the NFC West. Behind a decrepit offensive line, Wilson continues to star in the pocket, and his ability to extend plays on the run is second to none.
Making plays under duress is Wilson's forte, and he's getting the most out of Doug Baldwin and Jimmy Graham as the Seahawks switch to a more balanced scheme following Marshawn Lynch's retirement. However, Wilson's MVP campaign will likely be hindered by the Seahawks' outstanding defense and his good, but not spectacular, raw statistical totals.
5. Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons
3,516 passing yards, 68.9 completion percentage, 26 TD, 6 INT
What a difference a year makes. Last season, Ryan was lambasted for the Falcons' second-half collapse, but observers are singing a new tune as he keeps his club atop the NFC South. The Falcons lead the NFL in scoring offense with 32.5 points per game, and Ryan and superstar wide receiver Julio Jones are the primary reasons for that success.
Jones would be a singular talent regardless, but Ryan is turning Mohamed Sanu and Taylor Gabriel into weapons that need to be accounted for on every down. With the Falcons running opponents off the field, Ryan ought to be lauded for his contributions.