NFL MVP race going into Week 4: Josh Allen remains No. 1, however the field is closing quick

Sports news A pass receiver, 2 running backs and even a protective gamer sign up with the quarterbacks in our ranking of the NFL’s leading MVP prospects

Who will win the league MVP in 2026? To discover, we’re doing a week-by-week ranking of the prospects more than likely to win the honor. Today alone, we saw 4 gamers get in the discussion who weren’t considered this time a week back. Numerous other gamers either went up or down in our weekly ranking of MVP prospects. The quarterback of the Buffalo Bills still has the lead, and that’s where we begin.

Sports news 1. Josh Allen

• Recently: 1

If the MVP vote took place today, Allen wins. That held true recently, and it’s still the case now, even if the space in between him and the field has actually closed a bit.

The 2024 league MVP, Allen, currently made history by ending up being the very first gamer with 5 or more goal passes and 3 or more goal goes through the very first 2 video games. On Sunday, Allen tossed his very first 2 interceptions of the season, however he likewise ran for a set of ratings and signed up with Jim Brown (1958 ), Stephen Davis (1999) and Priest Holmes (2003) as the only gamers to hurry for 2 goals in their very first 3 video games of a season.

Sports news 2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba

• Recently: 3

The league’s ruling Offensive Player of the Year, Smith-Njigba is when again making a case to end up being the very first receiver to win league MVP. He closed the space on Allen after capturing a season-high 10 passes for 128 backyards and 2 goals in Seattle’s 33-31 loss to Washington.

The 24-year-old Smith-Njigba is on rate to make history. He leads the NFL in receptions (27, connected with New Orleans’ Chris Olave), getting lawns (406) and goal catches (6). He is on rate to shatter both Randy Moss’ single-season record for goal receptions (23 in 2007) and Calvin Johnson’s single-season getting yardage record (1,964 lawns in 2012). He’s likewise on rate to break Michael Thomas’ single-season receptions mark (149 in 2019).

Sports news 3. Kirk Cousins

• Recently: 7

It’s difficult to neglect the Raiders’ history of older quarterbacks who have actually delighted in profession renewals after signing up with the silver and black. Joe Plunkett got rid of obscurity to lead the Raiders to an unanticipated title in 1980, Rich Gannon won MVP and led the Raiders to a Super Bowl in 2022, and Cousins is presently composing his own story for the 3-0 Raiders.

The more the Raiders win, the more Cousins’ MVP case ends up being a genuine possibility.

Sports news 4. Brock Purdy

• Recently: 4

Purdy continued to assist his MVP case in Week 3 by assisting the battered 49ers enhance to 3-0. Purdy tossed for a season-high 297 lawns and 4 goals (without any choices) in San Francisco’s 36-30 win over the Cardinals.

Through 3 weeks, Purdy is connected for the NFL lead in goal passes (9) and is 8th in passing backyards (789 ). He’s likewise finished an excellent 72.3% of his passes and has actually tossed simply one interception.

Sports news 5. Kenneth Walker

• Recently: 2

Walker ran for 70 lawns on 18 brings and a goal in Kansas City’s 24-10 win over Miami.

The ruling Super Bowl MVP, Walker, is initially in the league with 360 hurrying backyards. He is on speed to end up being just the 10th gamer in NFL history to hurry for over 2,000 backyards in a season. Walker has actually likewise been a possession for Patrick Mahomes as a receiver. He captured his 2nd goal pass of the season throughout Sunday’s win.

Sports news 6. Patrick Mahomes

• Recently: N/A

Currently a two-time league MVP, Mahomes has actually once again put himself in the discussion this year. In assisting lead the Chiefs to a 3-0 start, Mahomes has actually tossed 7 goals versus simply 2 choices while finishing an outstanding 68.4% of his passes.

Mahomes, who missed out on the last 3 video games of the 2025 season after he tore his left ACL and LCL, might likewise be thought about the front-runner for Comeback Player of the Year through 3 weeks. For him to have an opportunity at winning MVP, Mahomes and the Chiefs will likely require to dismiss Denver as AFC West champs.

Sports news 7. Bijan Robinson

Recently: N/A

Robinson made an area on this list after his beast efficiency in Week 3 that added to the Falcons’ blowout win over the Packers on prime-time television. Robinson had 215 all-purpose lawns versus the Packers that consisted of 194 backyards and 2 goals on 29 brings.

The efficiency moved Robinson into 2nd in the NFL (behind Walker) in hurrying through 3 weeks. His 467 all-purpose backyards are the most in the NFL amongst offending gamers.

Sports news 8. Jared Goff

• Recently: N/A

While it’s anticipated at this moment, Goff’s respected numbers should not be neglected. Goff is connected for 3rd in the league in goal passes, 5th in conclusion portion and 6th in passing backyards. He has yet to toss an interception.

Like Mahomes, an unanticipated department title for the Lions would definitely improve Goff’s MVP hopes. The chances of that occurring have actually increased with Caleb Williams’ current injury, the Packers’ continuous battles without Micah Parsons and the Vikings’ quarterback instability.

Sports news 9. Joe Burrow

• Recently: 5

Burrow lost some ground, however he still should have an area on this list after tossing for 282 lawns and 3 goals (and finishing 75.7% of his passes) in Cincinnati’s 30-27 loss in Pittsburgh. Statistically, the video game was Burrow’s finest of the season up until now.

The Bengals’ loss was sealed when Burrow took a strip sack with less than a minute to play, however the defeat was mostly the by-product of 2 errors by Cincinnati’s punt return system that established 10 of the Steelers’ 30 points.

Sports news 10. Greg Rousseau

Recently: N/A

Offered the truth that just 2 protective gamers in history have actually won league MVP, the chances of Rousseau winning MVP have to do with as excellent as you or me winning the lottery game. That stated, Rousseau ought to be thought about a long-shot competitor.

Rousseau’s 6.0 sacks are 2 more than the league’s next-closest gamers (Will Anderson Jr. and Mason Graham). He’s signed up with Mark Gastineau (in 1984) and Hall of Famer Kevin Greene (in 1998) as the only gamers to have 3 straight video games with 2 or more sacks to open a season.