2023 NFL MVP Race After Week 6: Could Christian McCaffrey's injury open the door for Tua Tagovailoa?
Week 6 of the 2023 NFL regular season has concluded and there's been some shake-up in the MVP picture.
Like most years, the award will likely be given to a quarterback in February, as they've won the award the last 10 years.
Quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes and Tua Tagovailoa remain at the top of the list while others such as Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts have climbed down the rankings.
Top contenders in the NFL after Week 6 include the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions. All but one of these teams has an MVP candidate on their team.
Top 5 NFL MVP candidates after Week 6
Week 6 saw a lot of action and some of the top players in the league continued to shine. It also saw some of the league's top performers have off games, suffering upset losses.
Here are five NFL MVP candidates through the first six weeks of the season:
#5. Brock Purdy
Despite a one-off game where two of his best offensive playmakers left due to injuries, Brock Purdy is still in consideration to win MVP this season. Purdy and the 49ers endured their first loss of the season this past Sunday to the Cleveland Browns.
Through six games, Purdy boasts a 5-1 record and has continued his great play from last season. Purdy is completing 67.5 percent of his passes and has thrown for 1,396 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception. Additionally, he's scored two rushing touchdowns.
Purdy and the 49ers are one of the best teams in the NFL, and if he plays an entire season like this, he could be up for discussion to win MVP. His current MVP odds are +1000.
#4. Jalen Hurts
Like Purdy, Jalen Hurts had an off game this week, as the New York Jets handed the Philadelphia Eagles their first loss of the season. He threw three interceptions in the loss and has as many picks as touchdowns (seven).
Still, Hurts had led the Eagles to an impressive 5-1 start. Along the way, he's thrown for 1,542 yards and has rushed for 253 yards and five touchdowns. Being a dual-threat quarterback, Hurts will be in the discussion for MVP for most of if not all of the season.
Hurts' current MVP odds are +800.
#3. Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been an MVP candidate for the past few years. He's currently completing a career-high 71.7 percent of passes and has a 4-2 record.
Allen has thrown for 13 passing touchdowns and has run for three, making his total 16. He's also thrown for 1,576 yards.
Allen has consistently played well the last four seasons, leading the Bills to the playoffs. As of right now, the Bills are in second place in the AFC East, but Allen could easily win another division title if he plays at the top of his game.
#2. Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is tied for having the highest odds of winning league MVP. According to BetMGM, Mahomes has +350 odds to win the award.
Leading the Chiefs to a 5-1 record, Mahomes has thrown for 1,593 yards, 11 touchdowns and is completing a career-high 68.9 percent of passes. He also has a high passer rating of 95.7.
Mahomes is looking to pick up his third NFL MVP and third Super Bowl this season.
#1. Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa now shares the highest odds to win league MVP with Patrick Mahomes. Like Mahomes, Tagoviloa's odds of winning the MVP are +350.
Tagovailoa leads the league in passing yards with a whopping 1,876 yards through six games. He is also tied with Kirk Cousins for the most touchdown passes with 14.
His Miami Dolphins have the best record in the AFC with a 5-1 record and he is currently on pace to throw for the most passing yards in a single season.
3 sneaky NFL MVP candidates who could shake things up
#1. Lamar Jackson
Could Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson win a second MVP? Jackson has a 4-2 record and has thrown for 1,253 yards, five touchdowns and has added 327 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
If Jackson can play a full season, lead Baltimore to a playoff appearance, and continue playing the way he has been, there's a chance he could notch his second MVP.
#2. Christian McCaffrey
A running back hasn't won league MVP since Adrian Peterson accomplished that in 2013. Christian McCaffrey has a slight chance to become the first running back in 10 years to win the award.
McCaffrey has scored in every game so far this season. He's averaging 5.2 yards per carry on 99 attempts as he's rushed for 510 yards and has scored seven rushing touchdowns. He's also caught 20 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown.
While McCaffrey got hurt this past Sunday and left the game vs. the Cleveland Browns, it isn't believed to be a long-term injury.
#3. Tyreek Hill
Before the season began, Tyreek Hill made a bold prediction that he would surpass 2,000 receiving yards. In six games played in 2023, he's caught 42 passes for 814 yards and has scored six touchdowns.
Hill is one of the most explosive, dynamic athletes in the NFL, and if he continues to play the way that he's been playing, there's a chance he could win MVP.