The NFL MVP race is a hot topic every season. With one week remaining, the contenders only have one more chance to stake their claim for the award. We have several worthy candidates this year, each with their own unique case to be considered the favorite. Before the regular season officially wraps up, let’s rank the top five MVP cases for the 2025 campaign.
1. Lamar Jackson
Stats: 3,955 pass yards, 39 pass TD, 4 INT, 852 rush yards, 4 rush TD
Is another MVP trophy on the way for Lamar Jackson? The two-time winner seems like the clubhouse leader with one game to go. It’s hard to argue against Jackson considering he might be having his best year to date. He’s already set career highs in yardage and touchdown passes. His passer rating (121.6) ranks second-highest all-time for a single season behind only Aaron Rodgers’ 2011 effort. This is the best version of Jackson we’ve seen — a highly efficient passer who doesn’t turn the ball over and can still dominate the game with his scrambling ability.
2. Josh Allen
Stats: 3,731 pass yards, 28 pass TD, 6 INT, 531 rush yards, 12 rush TD
About a month ago, it seemed like Josh Allen was on his way to claiming his first MVP trophy. Now, it looks like he may have to settle for second place. But, is that fair? The Bills are 10-1 over their last 11 games. The one loss was a 44-42 shootout against the Rams where Allen threw for 342 yards, rushed for 82 more, and accounted for six total touchdowns. Allen lost All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs in the offseason but maintained his ability to create offense and make big plays while cutting down the turnovers.
It’s a matter of going up against one of the great QB seasons the league has seen. However, wins typically matter when it comes to MVP voting. And, the Bills have two more than the Ravens. If Allen is to capture his first MVP, overall team success will have to play a part.
3. Joe Burrow
Stats: 4,641 pass yards, 42 pass TD, 8 INT, 202 rush yards, 2 rush TD
There may not be a more indispensable player in the league than Joe Burrow. The Bengals would likely be bottom-feeders without their franchise QB this season. He’s helped carry a flawed team to a near-playoff berth. The Bengals struggle to run the ball, have a leaky offensive line, and boast one of the league’s worst defenses. The only reason they’re in games is because of Burrow. He’s leading the league in completions, passing yards, and touchdowns. He’s a long shot given the top two candidates, and will have basically no chance if the Bengals miss the playoffs. However, his impressive season must be considered among the top candidates.
4. Saquon Barkley
Stats: 2,005 rush yards, 13 rush TD, 33 receptions, 278 rec yards, 2 rec TD
The most valuable non-QB this season has been Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley. In his first year with the Eagles, Barkley has a chance to break the single-season rushing record with one game to go. He’s 100 yards off of Eric Dickerson’s mark from 1984. The comp here is Adrian Peterson who took home the MVP award in 2012 after rushing for 2,097 yards. The league is different 12 years later, and Barkley will likely fall behind the top QBs in MVP voting. With that said, he’s clearly a top-5 candidate and could potentially receive a few votes from voters who still value the run game.
5. Jared Goff
Stats: 4,398 pass yards, 36 pass TD, 10 INT, 71.7 completion percentage
You could have a handful of other QBs occupying the fifth spot. Baker Mayfield’s numbers aren’t too dissimilar from Goff’s. Sam Darnold has put up some gaudy stats for a Vikings team that could knock off Goff’s Lions in Week 18 to clinch the NFC North. LA’s pair of QBs — Justin Herbert and Matthew Stafford — have played efficient ball for playoff teams. Rookie Jayden Daniels has the Commanders in a spot nobody expected them to be. Patrick Mahomes’ overall numbers aren’t overly impressive, but his team is 15-1 coming off back-to-back Super Bowls.
We’ll still give the edge to Detroit’s frontman. The Lions have lost just once since Week 2, and Goff threw for nearly 500 yards and had 5 TDs in that game against the Bills. Beating the Vikings to win the division in the final game would be another feather in the former No.1 overall pick’s cap.
