Josh Allen has set an early standard in the NFL MVP race after two weeks, combining five touchdown passes and a league-high four touchdown runs without throwing an interception. The Buffalo Bills quarterback leads the league in adjusted yards gained per pass attempt at 11.4 and holds a passer rating of 125.8 entering Week 3, putting him ahead of other contenders like Jonathan Taylor.
Taylor, the running back for the Indianapolis Colts, trails closely behind but was outgained on the ground by Chiefs’ running back Isiah Pacheco in Kansas City’s overtime win over Indianapolis. Pacheco, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, has made a significant impact this season with 173 rushing yards and a touchdown in Week 1, and 117 yards in Week 2, also contributing as a receiver with seven catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has made a strong case for becoming the first receiver to win the NFL MVP award. Despite the Seahawks’ starting quarterback Sam Darnold being injured early in the season, Smith-Njigba caught 23 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns across the first two games, including a three-touchdown performance against the Cardinals in Week 2.
Meanwhile, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has completed 80% of his passes, leading the NFL in passing success rate at 67.9, with five touchdowns and one interception. The 49ers have started 2-0 despite injuries to key receivers, prompting the team to sign veteran Brandin Cooks, one of two players in NFL history with 1,000-yard receiving seasons on four different teams.
Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals remains in the MVP conversation after guiding the team to a 2-0 start. Burrow completed over 71% of his passes in Week 1 and threw two touchdowns in Week 2 despite being sacked five times against the Texans.
Carolina Panthers linebacker Brian Burns stands out defensively, with 13 tackles in Week 1 and a dominant performance against the Falcons featuring two interceptions, an interception return for a touchdown, nine tackles, three pass breakups, and a sack in a 34-3 victory. Burns is an early favorite for Defensive Player of the Year.
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and the 2-0 Las Vegas Raiders have surprised many. Cousins, 38, has thrown three touchdown passes in each of the Raiders’ opening games and leads the NFL in touchdown percentage per pass attempt at 10.2.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton Shough has led the NFL in passing yards through two weeks, helping the Saints to an upset win in Baltimore and coming close to a comeback victory in Week 1.
Dak Prescott’s 2026 season has started strongly, completing 73.8% of his passes and tying for the league lead in touchdown passes. In Dallas’ Week 2 win over Washington, Prescott surpassed Tony Romo as the Cowboys’ all-time leader in touchdown passes.
Rookie running back Zachary Henry is tied for the league lead with four rushing touchdowns. Henry rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries in the Lions’ Week 1 loss to the Bills.
Amon-Ra St. Brown of Detroit narrowly missed this list, tied for the league lead in touchdown catches with two through two games. He recorded nine catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns in Thursday’s loss to Buffalo.
The MVP award has historically been dominated by quarterbacks since Johnny Unitas won in 1959. Only two defensive players have won the award, Alan Page in 1971 and Lawrence Taylor in 1986, and no receiver has ever earned the MVP, despite Jerry Rice’s record-setting 1987 season. With two weeks completed, Josh Allen leads the current MVP race, closely followed by Jonathan Taylor and several other standout players making early impressions.
According to CBS.
