Welcome to the first NFL MVP projection of 2015. 

The first thing we always do here is answer the question you probably asked yourself when you clicked on this story: Why does an MVP projection exist after only one week of football? 

The answer to that is that I really, really like writing MVP projections. 

The other answer to that is that the MVP race is 17 weeks along, so it makes sense to document each and every week of it. Sometimes, you can tell right away who's going to have an MVP season. Other times, the award goes down to the wire. 

Two years ago, Peyton Manning was on top of the first MVP projection and he stayed there for 17 straight weeks before eventually winning the award. 

Last year, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was on top of the first MVP projection, but then threw three interceptions in Week 2 and was never heard from again. The eventual MVP winner, Aaron Rodgers, made his debut on the projection list after Week 6 before going on to win his second MVP award. 

Before we get to the first projection of 2015, let's go over the rules.

First, there will never be any offensive linemen on this list because an offensive lineman will never win the award.

Second, there will always be a lot of quarterbacks on this list because quarterbacks almost always win the MVP. As a matter of fact, a quarterback has won the award in 12 of the past 15 years.

Since there's two quarterbacks on the top of this week's list, that second point seems like a good segue to the first MVP projection of 2015. 

MVP Projection

Is the G.O.A.T going to win the MVP? (USATSI)
Is the GOAT going to win the MVP? (USATSI)

1. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady: Two weeks ago, no one even knew if Tom Brady was going to play in Week 1. All we knew about Brady before the season started is that he's not an easy person to sketch. 

Brady had a rockier offseason than almost any quarterback ever: He got suspended, he got unsuspended, he went to court twice and he only took about half of the Patriots' first-team snaps during training camp.

If Brady had come out and thrown four interceptions against the Steelers in the season opener, no one would've blamed him, but he didn't. Instead, he put together the best season-opening game ever by a reigning Super Bowl MVP, throwing for 288 yards and four touchdowns in New England's 28-21 win. 

Next up for Brady: At Buffalo. 

Super Mario couldn't have had a better week even if he saved the princess. (USATSI)
Super Mario couldn't have had a better week even if he saved the princess. (USATSI)

2. Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota: If Lovie Smith ever invents a time machine, you can bet the first thing he'll do is go back to April 30, so he can draft Marcus Mariota (it's also possible that he might go back to Jan. 1, 2014, and tell his younger self not to take the Tampa coaching job, but we're talking about Mariota right now, so let's stick to scenario one).

The most amazing thing about Mariota's numbers against Tampa Bay is that he put them up even though he ONLY THREW 16 PASSES THE ENTIRE GAME. The rookie's four touchdowns and 209 passing yards came on only 13 completions and they were even more impressive because Mariota did them against fellow rookie quarterback Jameis Winston (16 of 33, 210 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions).

If you're wondering just how amazing Mariota was against Tampa Bay, consider this: Mariota is the only rookie in NFL history to throw four touchdown passes in one half.

The Titans quarterback also joined Fran Tarkenton as the only other rookie in NFL history to throw four touchdowns in a game. And Mariota did all of this even though he sat on the bench for the fourth quarter. 

Speaking of the bench, that's where most fantasy players had Mariota in Week 1.  

Lesson learned.

Next up for Mariota: At Cleveland. 

3. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald: It's not a surprise that there's a defensive lineman on the projection list this week. The surprising part is that his name's not J.J. Watt. Watt had a big game in Week 1 with nine tackles, two sacks and six tackles for a loss, but the Texans still got clobbered by the Chiefs, so this spot goes to Donald.  

Donald tallied nine tackles, two sacks and two tackles for a loss in a Rams win over the Seahawks, but his stats only tell half the story.

Here's the other half: One of Donald's sacks came on third down in the second quarter and forced a Seattle punt.

Why am I telling you about a Seattle punt that Donald forced? Because the Rams ended up returning it for a touchdown. If this were the NBA, Donald would have gotten an assist for the Tavon Austin score. 

Forget all that though because now we're going to talk about Donald's most impressive play against the Seahawks: He stuffed Marshawn Lynch on fourth-and-1 in overtime to seal the Rams' 34-31 win. 

The Rams were clearly excited. Kirk Cousins shouldn't be though because Donald will be chasing him around Sunday.

On a completely unrelated note, Donald is the only player on the list this week who has his own rally towel.  

Next up for Donald: At Washington. 

4. Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones: Without Julio Jones on Monday against the Eagles, the Falcons probably would've lost 24-3. Not only did Jones score two touchdowns, but he also set up what proved to be the winning field goal when he caught a 44-yard pass with just under nine minutes left to play in the fourth quarter of Atlanta's eventual 26-24 win. 

Unfortunately for Jones, being awesome isn't easy, so it was no surprise to learn this week that Jones missed the Falcons' first practice after the Eagles game with a sore leg. 

Next up for Jones: At New York Giants. 

5. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers wasn't the best quarterback in Week 1 or even the second best, but he's the reigning NFL MVP, which means he was getting a spot on our first projection list unless he fell flat on his face in the opener, which definitely didn't happen. 

Rodgers' three-touchdown performance in Green Bay's 31-23 win over Chicago didn't earn him the No. 1 spot on our projection list, but it did get him on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Seems like a fair trade-off.  

Next up for Rodgers: Home vs. Seattle. 

6. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski: Gronk might've had had the busiest offseason of any NFL tight end ever, but that didn't slow him down against the Steelers. 

Gronkowski scored three of New England's four touchdowns, which was almost ironic considering that half the Steelers defensive game plan was to "jam him up" and "slow him down."

The Steelers did neither of those.  

Bills coach Rex Ryan even had a laugh at the Steelers expense this week about their attempts to cover Gronk.

"It's better to put one guy on him than nobody on him," Ryan said, when asked how his team will cover Gronk. "We'll try to have somebody on him at least."

The Steelers did try the put "nobody on him" strategy, as you can see in the NBC screengrab below (Gronk's at the top all by himself). 

The strategy didn't work. Gronk scored a touchdown. 

Gronk is on pace to obliterate every tight end record ever and if he does, there's small chance he'll win at least one MVP award on the way. 

Next up for Gronk: At Buffalo. 

Guy who has no chance to win the MVP but we're going to mention anyway -- Broncos K Brandon McManus: McManus was more important to the Broncos' win over the Ravens than Peyton Manning was. The Denver kicker was one of four NFL placekickers who nailed four field goals this week, but McManus' game was easily the most impressive: The Denver kicker hit from 57, 56, 43 and 33 yards in the game and the Broncos needed every kick in the 19-13 win. 

Thanks to the two longest field goals, McManus became only the second player in NFL history to hit two field goals over 56 yards in the same game. Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein was the first to do it when he hit a 60- and 58-yarder in the same game in 2012.