The 2023 NFL season is barreling towards a thrilling conclusion, and seeing marquee performances down the stretch from some of the sport's brightest stars.
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With several games looming with major playoff implications over the final three weeks, the MVP award might be won or lost over the season's final month.
Here's a breakdown of the top candidates for MVP and where things stand ahead of Week 16 of the 2023 campaign:
1) Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
It's time.
The NFL MVP award has been handed to a quarterback every season since Adrian Peterson took home the crown in 2012, in fact, Peterson, Marshall Faulk, Sean Alexander and LaDanian Tomlinson are the only non-quarterbacks named MVP since the turn of the century. McCaffrey is in the midst of a season worthy of bucking that trend. Through 14 games, McCaffrey leads the league in yards from scrimmage, with 1,801, and has scored 20 total touchdowns. On a loaded roster, McCaffrey contributes to the 49ers' offense in virtually all phases.
2) Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
It is long past time to take Brock Purdy's MVP candidacy seriously.
Yes, Purdy has a Ferrari in the 49ers' offense at his disposal, but the 23-year-old boasts the league's highest QBR, at 76, while passing for 3,795 yards with 29 touchdowns to seven interceptions and posting an NFL-best 9.9 yards per attempt through his first 14 starts of the season. Purdy's improved accuracy and feel for Kyle Shanahan's offense this season has made him the maestro conducting the loaded supporting cast that San Francisco has surrounded him with.
3) Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
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Lamar Jackson's MVP candidacy seems to be flying a bit under the radar, but it really shouldn't be.
Jackson is playing the best football of his career, has made significant strides as a passer from the pocket, and is maximizing the production of the most prolific supporting cast he has had in his career. While passing for 3,105 yards with 17 touchdowns to seven interceptions and adding 741 rushing yards with five moure touchdowns, Jackson has the Ravens rightfully thinking a Super Bowl appearance is a legitimate possibility. Jackson ranks eighth in total QBR, and is Pro Football Focus' sixth-ranked quarterback in the NFL. A far more improved all-around player than he was when winning the MVP award in 2019, if the Ravens maintain this trajectory towards the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Jackson is going to pick up steam in the MVP race.
4) Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
Few players have a more explosive set of skill players surrounding him than Tua Tagovailoa, who is in the midst of the most prolific season of his young career.
Tagovailoa has posted a league-best 71 percent completion percentage while passing for 3,921 yards, which leads the NFL, with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. There has been a lot of buzz centered on Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the MVP conversation, but, with Hill out of action against the Jets Tagovailoa still passed for 224 yards and a touchdown against a pretty disruptive defense. Miami may need to knock off a team with a winning record, or two, before Tagovailoa climbs the MVP hierarchy, but he belongs in the conversation.
5) Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas cowboys
Had it not been for an absolute clunker of a performance in a blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills, Prescott might be the leading MVP candidate in the NFL.
Only Purdy has more passing touchdowns than Prescott's 28, boasts the league's fourth-highest completion percentage, and has passed for 3,639 yards with 29 touchdowns to seven interceptions while rushing for 212 yards and a two more scores. If the season ended today, Prescott and the Cowboys would be NFC East champions with at least one home playoff game looming. It may take signature performances against the Dolphins and Lions down the stretch to convince voters to forget Prescott's poor showing against the Bills, but this has been the best all around season of Prescott's career thanks to improved ball security and getting the most out of the weapons around him.
Dark Horse Candidates
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills - The Bills' sluggish start might wind up keeping Buffalo out of the playoffs. But, over his last four games, Allen has passed for 941 yards with seven touchdowns to three interceptions setting the stage for a torrid and consequential finishing stretch that will decide Buffalo's postseason and Allen's possible MVP fates.
Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins - There haven't been many seasons from a wide receiver in league history that come close to what Hill is doing in Miami. An injury might keep Hill from touching 2,000 receiving yards, but he has caught 97 passes for 1,542 yards with 12 touchdowns. In just 13 games. One of the most explosive weapons in the league, Hill could steal the MVP with a strong finishing stretch.
Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys - Parsons continues to bolster his reputation as the most disruptive defender in the sport. In addition to 12.5 sacks through 14 weeks, the Cowboys' pass-rusher has logged 89 total pressures in 426 pass-rushing snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
