The contenders are separating themselves from the pretenders in the 2026 NFL MVP race.
We're one-third of the way through the 2026 NFL season with Week 6 in the books, and two names clearly stand above the rest. In addition, some of the running backs that populated the earlier iterations of these power rankings
have fallen off of the list. None have produced the consistent, high-level production needed to unseat a quarterback for the award.Heading into Week 7, most of the players who cracked the top 10 (and two weekly honorable mentions) are quarterbacks. One notable exception through six weeks: an MVP-candidate running back who is also in serious contention with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Here's how the full list
shakes out:
NFL MVP power rankings Week 7
1. QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Once again, the Bills' star quarterback is back atop the power rankings. Allen fell behind Purdy by Week 4 after throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble against the Chargers, then losing a matchup with the Patriots. In the two weeks since, the 2024 NFL MVP has been dynamite.
Allen threw for 210 yards and a touchdown, plus ran for another 121 yards and another score to finally get his first overtime win in a huge victory over the Rams in Week 5. One week later, Allen threw a couple of touchdowns to go with 255 passing yards and led a tie-breaking touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to beat the Raiders.
No quarterback has more game-winning drives and fourth-quarter comebacks than Allen (four and three, respectively). And no player has as many rushing touchdowns as Allen so far this season (8). Over six weeks, the Bills also boast the NFL's best-scoring offense, thanks in no small part to Allen's dual-threat play.
2. QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy is right up there with Allen in this MVP race, and many NFL fans will (reasonably) argue that Purdy deserves to be the favorite. He is tied for the NFL lead in passing touchdowns (14), he's fourth in completion rate (69.6%), second in success rate (56.8%) and passer rating (118.1) while taking the fewest sacks of any six-game starter (5).
San Francisco's quarterback has also contributed with his legs, tallying 156 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries – good for an average of 5.2 yards per carry.
Serendipitously, Purdy and Allen have the same number of pass attempts through six weeks (171), making their performances this season easy to compare. What stands out more about Allen's performance so far is his higher totals in passing yards despite five fewer completions, along with his running tally of game-winning drives and fourth-quarter comebacks. What truly takes Allen to the top are his rushing contributions, with his 240 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground far surpassing Purdy's (admittedly impressive) efforts so far.
Still, it's a tight race at the top. If Purdy keeps the 49ers' win streak going, he'll be hard to keep out of the No. 1 spot.
3. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have tallied more yards per game than any team in the NFL with a scoring offense that ranks fifth. Kansas City is also one of the three undefeated teams still standing.
Without top targets Tyquan Thornton and Rashee Rice in Week 6, Mahomes went 23-of-30 on pass attempts against the Chargers for 272 passing yards and an interception. His 9.1 yards per attempt were the second-most for him this season.
As running back Kenneth Walker dices up opponents' run defenses, Mahomes is throwing the ball all over the field and finding success. He's third in the NFL in success rate (54.3%), fifth in yards per attempt (8.3) and seventh in passer rating (103.1).
4. QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars were back in the loss column this week for just the second time this season, but it certainly was not because of Lawrence. The former No. 1 overall pick threw for over 300 yards and multiple touchdowns for the second straight week. Lawrence is now tied with Purdy and Kirk Cousins for the league lead in passing touchdowns (14) and is on pace for a career-high 4,193 yards and 40 touchdowns in his second year in head coach Liam Coen's offense.
Lawrence's tape has also been excellent this year, showing superb timing and placement on his throws, as well as the ability to let things rip when necessary. He currently has the Jaguars cruising and in the driver's seat in the AFC South. Jacksonville also has the easiest remaining strength of schedule, so these first six weeks could be the start of a special season.
5. QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
A bye week wasn't enough to drop Burrow down the list – his four-touchdown outing against the Miami Dolphins in Week 5 is still top of mind. Through six weeks (five games), the Bengals' quarterback is seventh in the NFL in yards per game (272.2), while also second in completion rate (71.4% is only behind Caleb Williams, who missed several weeks) and fourth in success rate (52.5%).
The Bengals are technically last in the AFC North, but they're 3-2, and their bye week (and loss to Pittsburgh) is all that keeps them behind the three 4-2 teams ahead of them in the standings.
6. QB Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Young has been one of this season's biggest pleasant surprises. Through six weeks, his 309.8 average passing yards per game lead the NFL, and no other player is averaging more than 300. The Panthers' starter is also tied for seventh with his 11 passing touchdowns so far.
Carolina's offense is second in the NFL in total yards per game – only trailing the Chiefs – and is the fourth-best scoring offense in the league. Plus, the Panthers lead the NFC South at 3-2 and are 1-0 in the division.
7. QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots
After a very slow start to the season, Maye has gotten back on the horse and put together three straight weeks of excellent play. Last year's MVP runner-up has thrown for at least 230 yards and three touchdowns in each of his last three outings, and the Patriots are 3-0 in those games after a 1-2 start. Maye has also thrown only one interception over the last three weeks, after throwing six in the first three weeks of the season.
The Patriots' young starter still doesn't rank highly among NFL leaders in many passing statistics after his rough start. But Maye has given New England fans (and MVP voters) the sense that he's returning to his 2025 form with his latest outings. He could easily return to MVP contention with more outings like those he's had since Week 3.
8. QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
As Jackson continues to miss games, his MVP case keeps sinking. Baltimore's starter has now missed two and a half games with the ankle injury he sustained in Week 4, and betting odds for his MVP hopes have tumbled from third-highest (+600) to seventh (+2000).
Despite (or perhaps because of) the missed time, Jackson still ranks first in the NFL in success rate (57.3%), yards per attempt (10.1) and yards per completion (14.2). The Ravens are hoping to get their starter back soon after their Week 6 loss to the Browns dropped them out of the AFC North lead. If Jackson is held out for much longer, it will be hard to maintain his status in the MVP race after what was an outstanding start to the season.
9. RB Kenneth Walker, Kansas City Chiefs
It will take a special season for a running back to win MVP for the first time since 2012, and Walker is off to a special start.
The reigning Super Bowl MVP leads the league in rushing yards (665) and yards per attempt (6.3) through six weeks. His 128-yard, two-touchdown outing against the Chargers this past week was still, somehow, only the third-best day Walker has had this year. The Chiefs' running back has scored at least two touchdowns from scrimmage in four out of five games and has also tallied at least 130 yards from scrimmage in four out of five games.
Walker's explosive rushes have also done wonders for the Chiefs' passing game, which should factor into his MVP candidacy. In a year where Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs are also putting together special seasons, Walker has so far stood out as the most productive rusher of the three. The race for Offensive Player of the Year will be fascinating.
10. QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
After missing three games with a torn hamstring, Williams returned in Week 6 and immediately reminded everyone why he ranked so highly on this power rankings list earlier in the season. The Bears' starter completed 12 passes in a row to begin the game and finished with a 30-of-36 mark – good for an 83.3% completion rate that was the highest of his career – and 305 rushing yards.
Williams is now the NFL leader in completion rate (72.5%), is sixth in the NFL in success rate (50%) and 10th in the league in passer rating (101.5). Even with a messy game in the rain from Week 2 affecting his 2026 résumé, Williams has led the Bears' offense to an average of 31 points per game in his three starts.
Honorable mention: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Gibbs is third in the NFL in scrimmage yards (747) despite playing in only five games thanks to the Lions' Week 6 bye. The rising star running back is also first in the league with his nine touchdowns from scrimmage – one ahead of Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Kenneth Walker and Javonte Williams.
Honorable mention: QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
After a 0-4 start to the season, the Texans are very much alive in the AFC playoff race thanks to back-to-back stud performances from their quarterback. Stroud completed 76.5% of his passes with 261 yards and a touchdown in a Week 5 win over the Titans, and he had a 70.6% completion rate with 312 yards, three touchdowns and an interception in a win over the Jaguars last week.
Stroud also led the Texans on a game-winning drive in Week 6, with Ka'imi Fairbairn's walk-off field goal in London getting Houston a huge divisional victory on the road.
NFL MVP betting odds
Here's how betting odds for the NFL MVP award look through three weeks of the 2026 season, according to DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 20.
- QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: +200
- QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers: +220
- QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: +850
- QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: +1000
- QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals: +1100
- QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots: +1500
- QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: +2000
- QB Jared Goff, Detroit Lions: +3500
- QB Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers: +3500
- Jahmyr Gibbs/Dak Prescott/Matthew Stafford/Bryce Young: +4000
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL MVP power rankings Week 7: Who's No. 1 as MVP race takes another turn?
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