Top 5 early challengers for the NFL MVP award in 2021

Is it too early to think about who will become the NFL MVP in the 2021 season? Quite possibly, but then that is one of the joys of watching football: the fantasy that accompanies the sport. The NFL MVP is rarely decided in the first two weeks, but people can play themselves out of consideration altogether during this period. On the other hand, there are many players who become the presumptive NFL MVP during this time and then the question becomes whether they can hold their form for the entire season. Here we look at some of the current contenders.

Early leaders in the NFL MVP 2021 race

#1 - Kyler Murray

Kyler Murray leads our NFL MVP race having performed well in both the matches that the Arizona Cardinals have played (and won). He has completed 73.5% of his passes. He has passed for 7 touchdowns and in rushing he has 5.1 yards per attempt in 10 attempts and 2 touchdowns.

KYLER MURRAY IS ELECTRIC. #AZCardinals

📺: #MINvsAZ on FOX
📱: NFL app https://t.co/MQ2THg6Qau

#2 - Tom Brady

Tom Brady continues to baffle all comers as he looks better than he has ever been at the age of 44. He became just the 6th player ever to pass for 9 touchdowns in the first two games of a season. His pass completion rate is 65.1% and he has had only two interceptions. Having led his team to a 2-0 record, he is definitely in the running to be NFL MVP this season.

#3 - Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes is the king of quarterbacks in September and his form this season has been no less stellar. He has already contributed to 6 touchdowns for the Kansas City Chiefs even though they lost the last match. His pass completion is 76.1% and he has thrown for 680 yards. Note that his pass completion rate is higher than the other two people on this list and that makes him a worthy inclusion in the NFL MVP consideration.

#4 - Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry is the first player on this list who is not a quarterback, but he makes the list due to his vitality to the Tennessee Titans and his stellar performances in the first couple of games. He has already been equalling records during this season and if he can keep this up, he can definitely become the NFL MVP.

Derrick Henry today

1st half: 50 total yards, 0 TD
2nd half: 187 total yards, 3 TD*

*Seahawks had 163 yards in the 2nd half and OT https://t.co/ASGkASMFsP

#5 - Christian McCaffrey

Another running back who has impressed is Christian McCaffrey. He has also been a vital part in the Panthers machine and if he were to win, he would become the first non-quarterback to win the NFL MVP award since Adrian Peterson in 2012.