- Lamar Jackson
Jackson is having another MVP caliber season, similar to his 2019 campaign. The Ravens quarterback leads the league in touchdown percentage with 8.1% of his passes resulting in a score. He is 3rd in passing touchdowns, with 12, and another two touchdowns on the ground. The Ravens have a record of 3-2 and look to unseat the Bengals to claim a playoff spot.
- Josh Allen
The favorite to win the super bowl, the Bills, have arguably the best defense and the best offense, led by Josh Allen. Allen is 2nd in passing touchdowns and 1st in passing yards in the NFL. The Bills are 1st seed in the AFC with a 4-1 record. If Buffalo as a team continues to outplay the Ravens, then Josh Allen looks to be the favorite to win 2022 MVP.
- Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes leads the 2nd seed Chiefs with a record of 4-1. The Chiefs single loss came in an unlikely 4th quarter comeback by the Colts. Mahomes has thrown 15 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions and is second in both passer rating and QBR. In his first 4 years as a starter, Mahomes has appeared inhuman, making the pro bowl all 4 years, having a record breaking MVP season and an accompanying second team all pro season. In 2022, Mahomes has proven that he can succeed without all-pro receiver Tyreek Hill and still remain an MVP frontrunner.
- Jalen Hurts
Hurts leads the league’s last undefeated team, the Eagles, with a record of 5-0. The Eagles quarterback has had a massive breakout season in 2022 with the help of pro bowl receiver AJ Brown, who was traded to the team in the off season. While Hurts has been a stellar quarterback so far, his stats alone do not contend with others on this list. He has thrown 4 touchdowns in addition to 2 rushing touchdowns with 2 interceptions. He has, however, made multiple key plays to keep the Eagles in games and allowed them to remain undefeated, justifying his number 4 spot on this list.
- Justin Herbert
Herbert is second in passing yards and 5th in passing touchdowns with 2 interceptions. The Chargers have a record of 3-2, good for 6th seed in the AFC. The Chargers have dealt with a series of injuries to key players early in the season and should be expected to win more games down the line as the team regains health. Therefore, Herbert could make a serious push for MVP as the season continues.