Christian McCaffrey

It seems like every time Christian McCaffrey touches the ball, there is potential for a highlight play. The third-year running back has put the Carolina Panthers on his back this season, racking up 1811 total yards and 16 touchdowns, still with 3 games left to play. McCaffrey is on pace to set the NFL’s all time single season yards from scrimmage record, which is currently held by Chris Johnson. This means that McCaffery is on pace to have the best season ever by a running back, and he should very much be considered for MVP honors because of that. McCaffery is a human highlight reel, and is one of the most exciting players in the NFL. How McCaffery performs in the final five games of the season will greatly affect his chances of winning MVP. Because it is so hard for a running back to win MVP, it will take a special effort to close the season for McCaffery to take the MVP honors.

Lamar Jackson

31 NFL teams had the opportunity to draft Lamar Jackson in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft, but the Baltimore Ravens were the ones who decided to take a chance on the gifted quarterback from Louisville. Everybody knew that the former Heisman Trophy winner was a special athlete coming out of college, but it was unknown if his athleticism would translate into success at the professional level. It’s safe to say Jackson has proven his doubters wrong in the 2019 NFL season, as he has taken the league by storm while leading the Ravens to a 10-2 record with five games left to play in the regular season. At the beginning of the season, many doubted Jacksons passing ability, saying he was “just a running back”, yet he has thrown for 2,532 yards and 25 TDs with five interceptions and 109.6 passer rating. Not only is he producing as a passer, but he has racked up another 977 yards and 7 TDs on the ground, not bad for a “running back.” After taking down Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in week nine, Jackson established himself as the frontrunner for MVP, but he still has some work cut out for him in the tail end of the season if he wants to beat out the other MVP candidates.

Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson has single handedly carried a mediocre Seattle Seahawks roster to an 8-2 record this season. Without Wilson at QB, Seattle could very well be in the running for a top five pick at next year’s draft because of the lack of talent on the rest of the roster. Wilson has thrown for an impressive 3,2177 passing yards, 26 TDs, and just four interceptions. Wilson also was the first quarterback to beat the San Francisco 49ers, who were undefeated at the time. The biggest question about Wilson is what separates him from Lamar Jackson. The truth is, Jackson plays behind a top 10 offensive line, and plays on a team with a sturdy defense, while Wilson gets little help from his offensive line and doesn’t have a good defense to rely on. Wilson may not have as exciting of a highlight reel as McCaffrey and Jackson, but he certainly has been just as valuable to his team as those two.