The NFL MVP Race is Heating Up: Ranking the Top 5 Candidates Entering Week 13

 

Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates after scoring a game-winning touchdown during overtime against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

December is almost here, and we all know what that means; the NFL regular season is about to reach its apex.

The 2023 NFL season has been full of surprises, injuries (unfortunately), and top-tier juggernauts like the Philadelphia Eagles chugging along by continuing to win games.

Another big storyline that has come out of this season is the MVP race, which has been super compelling up to this point. Unlike last season--when it was clear that the award was going to go to either Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes or Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts--there is no clear-cut favourite to win the award right now. However, Hurts is currently the odds-on favourite to win the award after a stellar Week 12 performance.

So without further ado, let's rank the top five MVP candidates heading into Week 13, starting at number five.

5. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers drops back to pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. (Gregory Fisher/USA TODAY Sports)

Some people think that Brock Purdy is just a product of head coach Kyle Shanahan's innovative offensive scheme and that just about any quarterback would successfully operate a 49ers' offence that is chock full of playmakers across the board. And while we've seen other quarterbacks have success in Shanahan's offence (see Jimmy Garoppolo), none of them have played as well as Purdy has played this season.

 The second-year quarterback has been playing at an elite level in 2023, as he currently ranks first in passing yards per attempt (9.4), completion percentage (70.2), and passer rating (112.3). He's also thrown 19 touchdown passes, tied for the seventh-most in the NFL so far this season. The 49ers are 8-3 and Super Bowl contenders not just because they have a lot of talent and they are well-coached (although they do and they are), but also because Purdy is a really good quarterback.

4. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens drops back to pass against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Lamar Jackson is currently enjoying his best season since his breakout 2019 MVP campaign, where he scored 43 total touchdowns while leading the Ravens to an NFL-best 14-2 record. And while Jackson likely won't approach that gaudy touchdown total in 2023, he's looked terrific in his first season in offensive coordinator Todd Monken's offence, throwing for 2,618 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also rushing for 574 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground.

 The Ravens are currently 9-3 and in first place in the AFC, so if Jackson can continue to play at a high level and help Baltimore get the first seed in the AFC playoffs, then it's certainly possible that he will end up winning his second MVP award of his career.

3. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

Tyreek Hill #10 of the Miami Dolphins runs with the football during a game against the Carolina Panthers, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, FL. (Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports)

Before the 2023 NFL season began, Tyreek Hill made headlines when he said that he was going to go for 2,000 receiving yards (something that no wide receiver has ever done in NFL history) this season. And incredibly, it looks like Hill might actually accomplish the astonishing feat.

 He currently leads the league in receiving yards (1,324), receiving touchdowns (10), and yards after catch (524). He's currently averaging 120.4 receiving yards per game, and if he can continue that pace, he will finish the season with 2,046 receiving yards, breaking Calvin Johnson's record for the most receiving yards in a single season (1,964). With his game-breaking speed, Hill is one of the few players in the league who can score from any place on the field. If the Dolphins (who are currently 8-3 and atop the AFC East) end up making it to the Super Bowl, "The Cheetah" will be a big reason why.

2. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys throws a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ceedee Lamb, front right, during a game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

Dak Prescott has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL ever since he entered the league in 2016. But he has also become the most scrutinized quarterback in the league; mostly due to the fact that he wears a star on his helmet and because he has yet to lead Dallas on a deep playoff run (the Cowboys have not advanced to the NFC title game since 1996).

 In 2023, however, Mr. "Here We Go" has played exceptionally well over the last two months, throwing for 1,847 yards and 18 touchdown passes to just two interceptions over his last six games. The Cowboys are 8-3 and still have a shot to catch the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East crown, and Prescott's impressive play is the main reason why.

1. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles drops back to pass during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Jeff Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports)

Speaking of those Philadelphia Eagles, they are off to another soaring (no pun intended) start to a season, as they became the first team since the 2005-06 Colts to win at least 10 of their first 11 games in back-to-back seasons with an incredible comeback victory over the Buffalo Bills last week. And the biggest reason why the defending NFC champions are 10-1 for the second consecutive season is because of their outstanding quarterback, Jalen Hurts.

Hurts, playing through a tough knee injury, is having another outstanding season after being the MVP runner-up last season to Patrick Mahomes. He's scored 29 total touchdowns (18 passing, 11 rushing) already this season, good enough for the second-most in the NFL (only Bills quarterback Josh Allen has more with 33 total TDs). He's also continued to grow as a passer, as his 67.6 completion percentage ranks in the top 10 in the league and would represent a career-high mark for the fourth-year dual-threat QB.

Wins are not just a QB stat, but Hurts is without a doubt a winner, as he has gone 16-1 in his last 17 regular season starts and 27-2 in his past 29. The MVP award is usually given to the player who plays very well and wins a lot of games, and Hurts fits that criteria to a tee.