It's only two weeks, but several players have made an early impression in the season-long race to win the NFL's MVP award.
The league's most prestigious individual award, the NFL MVP was first given out in 1957, with Browns' legendary running back Jim Brown winning the title. It didn't take long for quarterbacks to monopolize the award, however, starting with Johnny Unitas, who in 1959 became the first QB to win the honor.
Quarterbacks have now come to define the award. A quarterback has won the award every year since Adrian Peterson won it in 2012 after nearly breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. Only twice has a defensive player won the honor (Alan Page in 1971 and Lawrence Taylor in 1986). A receiver has never won league MVP, although Jerry Rice should have in 1987 when he caught 22 touchdown passes (an NFL record at the time) in 12 games.
Who will win league MVP in 2026? To find out, we're doing a week-by-week ranking of the candidates most likely to win the honor.
1. Josh Allen
If the MVP vote happened today, Allen would be the winner. The 2024 league MVP, Allen is the first player in NFL history with five or more touchdown passes and three or more touchdown runs through the first two games. Allen has five touchdown passes and a league-high four touchdown runs while leading the Bills to impressive wins over the Texans and Lions.
Allen, who has yet to throw an interception this season, leads the NFL in adjusted yards gained per pass attempt (11.4). He enters Week 3 with a gaudy 125.8 passer rating.
2. Kenneth Walker II
If there was an award for the league's best free agency signing, Walker would be the front-runner. The reigning Super Bowl MVP has made an immediate impact on the Chiefs, who are off to a 2-0 start.
Walker rumbled for 173 yards and a score in Kansas City's Week 1 win over the Broncos. This past Monday night, Walker outrushed his counterpart, Jonathan Taylor (117 yards to 92 yards), while helping the Chiefs defeat the Colts in overtime.
In addition to his success on the ground, Walker has also been an asset for Patrick Mahomes as a receiver. He caught a touchdown pass in Week 1 and pulled down six passes for 61 yards against the Colts.
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
The league's reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Smith-Njigba is once again making a case to become the first receiver to win league MVP.
Mired in a defensive duel in Week 1, Smith-Njigba was the difference in Seattle's Super Bowl rematch with New England. He caught eight of 11 targets for 122 yards and a score while leading the Seahawks to a 13-10 win.
Against the Cardinals in Week 2, Smith-Njigba found the end zone three times and tallied 155 yards on nine catches. His success so far is more impressive when you consider that he has been catching passes from Drew Lock after Sam Darnold sustained an injury early during Seattle's first offensive series of the season.
4. Brock Purdy
In helping lead the 49ers to a 2-0 start, Purdy has completed a league-high 80% of his passes. He's also thrown five touchdowns (against one interception) and leads the NFL in passing success rate (67.9).
Purdy has continued to play at a high level despite missing some of his top receivers due to injury. To help Purdy, the 49ers signed veteran wideout Brandin Cooks, one of just two players in NFL history (the other being Brandon Marshall) to post 1,000-yard receiving seasons with four different franchises.
5. Joe Burrow
As long as he's healthy, Burrow — one of just two players in league history to win Comeback Player of the Year multiple times — should be in the MVP conversation all season. While he doesn't have the gaudiest numbers through two weeks, Burrow has led the Bengals to a 2-0 start, which is the most important stat.
In Week 1, Burrow completed 71.4 percent of his passes while outplaying his counterpart, Baker Mayfield. This past Sunday, Burrow overcame five sacks to throw a pair of touchdown passes in Cincinnati's 20-6 win over the Texans in Houston.
6. Devin Lloyd
While it's been 40 years since a defensive player has won league MVP, Lloyd nonetheless deserves early consideration. The league's best defensive player through two weeks, Lloyd had 13 tackles in Week 1 and had a game for the ages this past Sunday against the Falcons.
In leading Carolina to a 34-3 win, Lloyd filled the stat sheet with two interceptions, an interception return for a touchdown, nine tackles, three pass breakups and a sack. He should be considered the early favorite for Defensive Player of the Year.
7. Kirk Cousins
Cousins and the 2-0 Raiders are the NFL's biggest surprise story through two games. The 38-year-old Cousins threw three touchdowns in each of the Raiders' first two games and is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes. He leads the NFL in percentage of touchdown passes thrown when attempting to pass (10.2).
8. Tyler Shough
Shough has emphatically put last year's pre-draft concerns about him to rest. The 27-year-old, second-year quarterback is flourishing in Kellen Moore's offense. He leads the NFL in passing yards after nearly leading the Saints to a come-from-behind win in Week 1 and leading New Orleans to an upset win in Baltimore in Week 2.
9. Dak Prescott
Prescott's 2026 season is off to a hot start. The 33-year-old is completing a whopping 73.8% of his passes and is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes. During Sunday's win over the Commanders, Prescott passed Tony Romo as the Cowboys' career leader in touchdown passes.
10. Derrick Henry
While Week 2 wasn't his best game, Henry still managed to rush for his fourth touchdown of the season, tied for the league lead. In Week 1, Henry chewed up the Colts' defense for 144 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries.
Henry edged out Amon-Ra St. Brown for the final spot on this list. Through two games, the Lions' prolific receiver is tied for the league lead in touchdown catches. He caught nine passes for 142 yards and two scores in last Thursday's loss to the Bills.
