The NFL MVP race is heating up about a quarter of the way through the 2026 season.
Heading into Week 5, the top handful of MVP candidates have started to separate themselves from the pack. While most top MVP front-runners so far are quarterbacks, several running backs have made a case for the NFL's most prestigious award.
No non-quarterback has won MVP since 2012, when Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson swept the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards.
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker are off to the hottest starts by non-QBs in this year's MVP race. They're also the only two players who don't play quarterback on the NFL MVP power rankings heading into Week 5.
Here's how
the full list shakes out:
NFL MVP power rankings Week 5
1. QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy was already at the top of the power rankings last week. With Josh Allen and the Bills' first loss and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson's injury, he didn't have to do much to stay in first place. But beating the Denver Broncos in the passing game while the 49ers' run game struggled is nothing to sneeze at. For a fourth straight game now, Purdy has thrown multiple touchdowns, taken zero sacks and finished with a passer rating above 100.
The 49ers' quarterback is tied for the NFL lead in touchdown passes (11) and is the sole leader in passing success rate (61.9%), passer rating (126.2) and net yards per pass attempt (8.9). Plus, Purdy's 4-0 record as a starter is one only matched by Patrick Mahomes.
2. QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Allen and the Bills lost for the first time this year in Week 4. While much of the blame falls on the defense for letting Patriots quarterback Drake Maye find a rhythm with Romeo Doubs, some of it falls on Allen and the offense. The Bills looked ineffective for long stretches. Of Allen's 23 completions, there were 16 either behind the line of scrimmage or within five yards downfield. His interception came on a desperation heave into double coverage, and he deserved to get flagged for intentional grounding when he made a backhand throwaway in the end zone as he got tackled.
Allen remains among the top 10 passers in several statistical categories (passer rating, passing yards, success rate) and has also been a huge contributor to the Bills' ground game. His rushing score in the second quarter marked a new franchise record for touchdowns from scrimmage (i.e., not including passing touchdowns). If not for his first two weeks and Lamar Jackson's injury, Allen would have sunk down the list further after Week 4.
3. QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson was on pace for the best game of his career through the first half against the Titans in Week 4. In 30 minutes of game time, the two-time MVP had already matched his pass attempts, completions and passing touchdown output from his entire Week 3 outing (15-for-20, two touchdown throws). Jackson had also surpassed his yardage output from Week 4 (186 against the Cowboys) with 222 passing yards against the Titans and had his highest passer rating of the season so far: 144.2. Then, he got hurt taking a sack on the final offensive play of the second quarter and missed the rest of the game.
The Ravens' quarterback still leads the NFL with his 10.1 yards per attempt. Jackson's 70.8% completion rate is third-best, and his 57.3% success rate per Pro Football Reference is second-best. His 144 rushing yards lead all quarterbacks. But the best ability in an MVP race is availability. Since Jackson may miss some time with his ankle injury, he didn't move up the list.
4. QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott doesn't currently hold the league leads in any passing stat, but he's having another very solid year so far. His Week 4 performance against the Texans was his best statistically this season, but it may also have been his best overall. He led the Cowboys' offense on four touchdown drives in the second half, including a game-winner with 40 seconds left.
Two of Prescott's best throws of the day came within two plays of each other on that drive. The first was a gotta-have-it, fourth-and-4 bullet to Jake Ferguson on a zone-beating concept to keep Dallas alive. Two plays later, Prescott threw a perfect ball to CeeDee Lamb right on the sideline from the opposite hash. The results haven't been there for the Texans this year, but their secondary is one of the best in the NFL on paper. Prescott gashed them for 335 yards in the air in Week 4.
5. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Outside of Purdy, who is at the top of this list, only one other quarterback has led his team to four straight wins to begin the season: Mahomes. (Vikings fans: Kyler Murray missed all of Week 2 and almost all of Week 1.) The Chiefs' quarterback actually swapped spots with Prescott on this list this week after a shaky outing against the Raiders. Mahomes faced more pressure than he had all season in Week 4, and his resulting 50% completion rate matched the third-lowest mark of his career.
Of course, injuries to top receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton did not do Mahomes any favors. Yet he still managed a season-high average depth of target of 11.5 yards as the Chiefs' explosive run game continued to unlock deep, play-action passes. Mahomes completed three of his six pass attempts deeper than 25 yards downfield against the Raiders, and his 8.1 average yards per attempt are now tied for fourth in the NFL.
6. QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence's counting stats (passing yards, passing touchdowns, etc.) have not been impressive so far this year, which may hold him back in MVP voting down the road. He ranks 18th in passing yards (843), 16th in passing first downs (42) and is tied for seventh in passing touchdowns (8). Conversely, his rating stats have been off-the-charts. Lawrence is seventh in completion rate (69.2%), fifth in success rate (51.8%), tied for fourth in yards per attempt (8.1) and third in passer rating (111.2).
The Jaguars' quarterback needed a win over the Bengals to secure a victory against every other team in the AFC in Year 6 of his career, and he managed to secure it with another strong outing featuring no turnovers.
7. RB Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Every team in the NFL knows that to beat the Falcons, the defense has to stop Robinson. And yet, no team besides the Carolina Panthers has quite been able to do that yet this year. Through four weeks, the Falcons' star running back has games with 173, 213 and 147 yards from scrimmage. Even Robinson's "worst" game against Carolina saw him rush for 72 yards on 16 carries.
Adding a competent passer like Michael Penix Jr. to the Falcons' offense has completely unlocked Robinson's potential. As defenses have had to start respecting the passing game, they've been unable to stop the running game. The Falcons' lead back has 339 rushing yards in the last two weeks alone, and on 48 carries – an average of more than seven yards per carry. Robinson also scored two touchdowns for a second straight game in Week 4. Fear him. Try to stop him. Robinson is inevitable.
8. QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals leaned on Burrow and his arm in a big way in Week 4, having him drop back to pass on 81.7% of their offensive snaps. The result? Fifty-four pass attempts (39 completions), a season-high 428 yards, a touchdown pass... and two interceptions – three if one didn't get called back. Cincinnati also finished Week 4 with a loss.
Burrow has the raw talent to be an MVP candidate, especially when star wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are healthy. But when they're not healthy – Chase exited with a concussion and Higgins suffered an adductor injury – and when the Bengals lean on him too heavily, he'll face more pressure and be forced into more mistakes. Burrow faced a season-high 18 pressures on Sunday, Oct. 4, and those pressures correlated with his season-high two interceptions.
9. QB Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Heading into Week 5, no passer has thrown for more yards this season than Young. The Panthers' quarterback has 1,268 yards this season after a 329-yard day against the Lions – and that's with five other quarterbacks ahead of him in total completions so far this year. At 2-2, Carolina is in first place in the NFC South despite a scoring defense that is sixth-worst in the league, and Young's performance is a big reason why.
NFL senior researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno pointed out some key stats that show just how impressive the fourth-year quarterback has been this season. Entering Week 5, Young is the league leader in completions of 10+ yards (55), completions of 25+ yards (13), passing yards under pressure (411), passing touchdowns under pressure (4), deep passing yards (321) and passing touchdowns outside the numbers (7).
Young made some incredible throws on "Sunday Night Football" this week, but his two best were both to Tetairoa McMillan. The first was his first touchdown throw. The second was his third-and-14 throw to the sideline while on the run to pick up a first down in the fourth quarter. The Panthers really might have themselves a quarterback.
10. RB Kenneth Walker, Kansas City Chiefs
Walker leads the NFL with 537 rushing yards (including a season-high 177 in Week 4), his 6.2 yards per attempt and his longest run of 76 yards (also in Week 4). At this rate, he's competing with Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for Offensive Player of the Year honors.
What makes Walker so valuable though is how much his explosiveness has positively affected the Chiefs' offense. It's because the reigning Super Bowl MVP is having the success he is on the ground that Mahomes has started to look more like vintage, deep-ball-guy Mahomes in 2026. When defenses have to respect the run, it opens up play-action and deeper throw opportunities with fewer two-high safety coverages. Walker's addition, among other things, is making the Chiefs look like Super Bowl contenders again.
Honorable mention: QB Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Much as Walker has forced opponents to respect Kansas City's run game, Penix has forced opponents to respect Atlanta's passing game. It was easier to stop Robinson and the Falcons' rushing attack when Cooper Rush was behind center. Penix has made the offense far less predictable.
The proof is easy to find. In two weeks with Rush starting, the Falcons averaged eight points per game. With Penix starting the last two weeks, Atlanta is averaging 40 points per game.
Honorable mention: QB Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are no longer undefeated, but Cousins deserves his flowers. He has run head coach Klint Kubiak's offense to perfection through four weeks. The 38-year-old veteran had Las Vegas within reach of a fourth straight win after a fourth-quarter touchdown to tight end Brock Bowers – tying Cousins for the league lead in touchdown passes (11).
Rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza will have plenty of time to sit and learn this year. There's no rush to throw him into the fire of an NFL regular-season game as Cousins continues to perform well.
NFL MVP betting odds
Here's how betting odds look for the NFL MVP award through three weeks of the 2026 season, according to DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 6:
- QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: +270
- QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers: +330
- QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: +650
- QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: +650
- QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: +800
- QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: +1300
- QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals: +1600
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions: +3000
- QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams: +3000
- QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots: +4000
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL MVP power rankings Week 5: No lead change in MVP race
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