After six weeks of the 2015 season, a handful of players have emerged as leading candidates for the NFL MVP.
Some of the names are familiar, but there’s a bigger trend to remember: The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. Though other players are deserving of recognition, only one has performed well enough to earn a spot on the early-season list.
5. DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver, Houston Texans
J.J. Watt is great, but the Houston Texans would rarely score if DeAndre Hopkins wasn’t around. The third-year wideout has racked up a league-best 726 yards, snatching 52 passes and scoring five touchdowns. He’s topped the 100-yard mark in four consecutive games and has a decent chance to become the first 2,000-yard receiver in NFL history.
Thanks in large part to Hopkins, Houston has scraped together two wins and stayed close in three other outings where it eventually lost by seven points. Hopkins won’t win the MVP as long as the Texans stay mediocre, but at this rate, he’ll certainly receive top-five votes.
4. Cam Newton, Quarterback, Carolina Panthers
It was easy to discount the Carolina Panthers’ 4-0 record heading into Week 6. But after beating the Seattle Seahawks, Cam Newton and Co. have demanded some attention.
The dual-threat quarterback has a collection of slot receivers as his main wideouts, a banged-up running back and a so-so offensive line, yet Newton and tight end Greg Olsen have guided Carolina through five games. The duo has connected 24 times for 374 yards and three touchdowns.
Overall, Newton has completed 55.4 percent of his passes for 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns, adding 225 yards and three scores on the ground. Newton can prove he deserves a long-term place on the list over the next three weeks against the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers.
3. Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Green Bay Packers
Speaking of the Packers, they have a pretty decent quarterback, too. A two-time—and reigning—NFL MVP, Aaron Rodgers has led Green Bay to a 6-0 record entering its bye week despite the offense missing superstar wideout Jordy Nelson and his replacement Davante Adams.
In addition to a league-leading 15 touchdowns, Rodgers boasts a 68.1 completion percentage, 1,491 yards and just two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 160 yards, which puts Rodgers on a career-best pace.
Green Bay will face an elite Denver Broncos defense next time out, and the prime-time road matchup should be Rodgers’ most difficult test of the season. The 31-year-old will remain in the MVP discussion no matter what happens, but a strong performance will secure his place near the top.
2. Andy Dalton, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
This is the Andy Dalton football fans weren’t sure would ever emerge. After four seasons of good-not-great play behind center, the TCU product has flashed potential of a top-tier quarterback. Even without a reliable running game, Dalton has helped the Cincinnati Bengals rip off a 6-0 start to the 2015 campaign.
He’s toppled the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills on the road, smacked the Kansas City Chiefs and engineered a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback against the Seahawks. Dalton has a 67.4 completion mark, 1,761 yards, 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions.
A post-bye matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers will provide further insight into whether or not Dalton can sustain his outstanding performance so far—especially if Ben Roethlisberger returns from injury. If Dalton can knock off a Roethlisberger-led Steelers team on the road, the Bengals gunslinger is for real.
1. Tom Brady, Quarterback, New England Patriots
Saying Tom Brady is extra motivated for 2015 seems like a disservice to his previous brilliance, but the New England Patriots quarterback sure has destroyed defenses en route to a 5-0 record.
The 38-year-old quarterback has manipulated the pocket better than ever, completing 70.6 of his 197 attempts for 1,699 yards, 14 touchdowns and a single interception. Brady’s thrown for at least 275 yards and two touchdown in every contest this season.
New England currently has the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL, and their place among the elite likely won’t change anytime soon with Brady under center. After an offseason riddled with questions about Deflategate, the only uncertainty surrounding Brady right now is what gaudy numbers the two-time MVP will put up next.