Has Jalen Hurts really entered the NFL MVP conversation? I believe so, based on how Hurts and his team performed up to this point.
Hurts hasn’t been perfect — just look at his performance in Week 4 when he didn’t complete a pass in the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But in a season where Philadelphia has had a rash of offensive line injuries, Saquon Barkley has not been dominant on the ground and his best receiver, A.J. Brown, has been squawking in the media, last year’s Super Bowl MVP continues to be a steadying influence on and off the field.
And Hurts has also put up numbers worthy of him being included in the conversation. Hurts is third in the league in passer rating (114.4), sixth in passing touchdowns (15) and second in total touchdowns to Patrick Mahomes with 20.
Hurts is also tied for the league lead among quarterbacks with Josh Allen in rushing touchdowns (5) and is seventh at the position in rushing yards (207). And he has just one interception this year. As a result, Hurts is the first quarterback in league history with at least 15 touchdown passes, five rushing touchdowns and one or fewer interceptions through his team’s first eight games of the season.
Because of Hurts’ leadership and playmaking ability in critical situations, the Eagles are tied for the second-best record in the NFC at 6-2. And the Eagles defeated Baker Mayfield’s Buccaneers head-to-head.
Philadelphia’s offense got a jolt with Barkley rushing for 150 yards in a win over the New York Giants last week, but can the Eagles and Hurts keep it going? After Philadelphia’s bye this week, the Eagles face the Packers, Lions, Cowboys, Bears and Chargers. We should know after that stretch of games if Hurts is a true MVP contender.
Jalen Hurts has distributed the ball pretty evenly with his Eagles teammates this season, but tight end Dallas Goedert has been a big beneficiary of the quarterback’s play. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Hurts moved from +3300 to +2500 this week, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Running back Jonathan Taylor was the biggest mover, jumping from +6000 to +1800 this week.
Baker Mayfield, meanwhile, was the biggest dropper among the handful of top candidates, moving from +700 a week ago to +1400 this week. He threw for just 152 yards and didn’t have a touchdown pass in the Buccaneers’ decisive 23-3 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
Mahomes remains the favorite at +115, followed by Josh Allen +350, Drake Maye +500 and Matthew Stafford +1200.
Here are my top five MVP candidates heading into Week 9.
1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts (Last week: No. 5)
Taylor deserves his flowers. He’s the best football player in the NFL as we head into the midpoint of the season. Yes, Taylor did it against the lowly Tennessee Titans, but he put on another scintillating performance, finishing with 174 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns.
Taylor also joined elite company on Sunday. His 63 rushing touchdowns in 75 career games tied Hall of Famer Earl Campbell for the fourth-most rushing touchdowns in his first 75 games in the Super Bowl era, trailing only LaDainian Tomlinson (71), Emmitt Smith (69) and Adrian Peterson (66).
Odds to win MVP: +1800
Maye is playing the best football of any quarterback in the league. He also has an argument to be considered as the best quarterback from the 2024 draft class with Jayden Daniels struggling to stay on the field.
Maye leads the league in passer rating (118.4), completion percentage (75.2) and is fifth in passing yards (2,026). But only Cam Ward (32) has been sacked more than Maye (28). The Patriots need to find a way to better protect Maye, or he’ll wind up in the training room like Daniels.
Odds to win MVP: +500
3. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: No. 1)
Yes, the Chiefs have won five of their last six games, with an average margin of victory of 19 points a contest. However, the teams Kansas City faced over that stretch have a combined 18-26 record.
Mahomes and the Chiefs faced their AFC rivals in Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills this week on the road, which should be a much better gauge of whether the Chiefs are back and ready to compete for another Super Bowl.
Odds to win MVP: +115
4. Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams (Last week: No. 2)
Stafford returns from the bye week and should get his team’s most explosive playmaker back. Receiver Puka Nacua is expected to return from an ankle injury that forced him to miss a Week 7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
The Rams leaned on heavy tight end sets with Nacua out, using three tight ends on 24 of their offensive plays. Rookie Terrance Ferguson scored his first touchdown of the season against Jacksonville. The heavy personnel grouping could provide a nice change-up for Sean McVay moving into the second half of the season.
Odds to win MVP: +1200
5. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: Unranked)
Hurts has been surgical on passes of at least 20 air yards this season. Hurts has thrown deep on 16.3% of his attempts this season, the highest rate in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats.
Hurts also leads the league in attempts (35), completions (16) and passing yards on deep passes (615). His six touchdowns on deep passes are second in the NFL.
Odds to win MVP: +2500
Honorable mention: Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Jared Goff, Jordan Love, Daniel Jones
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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