The 2026 NFL MVP race is certainly not something with a clear favorite right now, and with nearly half of the season left to play, anything can happen. With that said, there’s a good chance we’ll see the MVP won by a quarterback again.
This award has been, for the most part, the ‘best QB in the league’ award for the past decade-plus, and while that may not be ideal in the eyes of some, it is the standard in the NFL today. As Week 9 begins, we have the new MVP stepladder power rankings.
Let’s dive into our rankings here. We rank based on, you guessed it, how important each player is to their team as it relates to team success and overall performance at their respective positions.
MVP power rankings updated as Week 9 hitters show tight race
8. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
While Patrick Mahomes isn’t able to fling the football around like he did early in his career, he will likely continue to be a common name bandied about in MVP conversations as long as he continues to play well. The 5-2 Kansas City Chiefs are back to being relevant in the standings, and while this team has lost two straight games, they are very much alive in the AFC West and even the entire conference for a top playoff seed.
He threw 12 touchdown passes against four interceptions and, statistically, had a very good year, so he probably should have a spot in our power rankings.
7. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are 6-1 on the season, but the team has some major defensive concerns. That could, in a way, help Josh Allen win the MVP, because he’ll likely be forced to carry a bigger load than usual on offense if his defense can’t be stopped consistently, and if the Bills keep winning, superstar Allen will be a top talking point all year. He also has ‘name’ validity here, as he won the MVP in 2024, so as long as he plays his own game, he’ll be an MVP candidate.
His passing production doesn’t jump off the page, however, so he’s No. Only 7 in our power rankings.
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