NFL 2014 Quarter Post: NFL MVP Candidates

Four games into the season and there are some clear front runners for the 2014 League MVP.  It is likely that players like Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson, and Aaron Rodgers will creep into this discussion by year’s end but as of right now, there are others who would be more deserving ¼ of the way through the season.

DeMarco Murray, RB Dallas Cowboys

If this award was given right now, Murray would likely win it pretty handily.  Through four weeks, Murray has rushed for 534 yards and 5 touchdowns.  That is 156 more yards than the second leading rusher in the NFL.  Murray is one of the main reasons that Dallas has started 3-1 and is one of the biggest surprises in 2014.  If Murray can continue this pace, he will not only run away with the MVP award, but he could challenge Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record.

Le’Veon Bell, RB Pittsburgh Steelers

Le’Veon Bell may be 156 rushing yards behind Murray but Bell also has 192 receiving yards.  Bell has only managed to find the end zone once this season but he has been dominant averaging 5.3 yards per carry.  Running as well as he is, the touchdowns will come as will the recognition.  At the pace he is on, his name will continue to be mentioned for offensive player of the year and MVP.

Antonio Brown, WR Pittsburgh Steelers

Bell is not the only player in Pittsburgh putting up impressive statistics.  Brown is one of 4 players in the NFL with 5 receiving touchdowns and is 3^rd in yards with 427 on 29 catches (which is 2^nd in the NFL).  Brown has gotten better every season in his short NFL career and is well on his way to improve on his 2013 season of 110 catches, 1,499 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Steve Smith, WR Baltimore Ravens

Smith is 35 years old and coming off of one of his worst statistical seasons.  Carolina let him leave assuming that Smith did not have another productive season in him, and they were wrong.  Smith has 25 catches for 429 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Smith likely won’t keep this production up, but most would have said that Smith being productive in 2014 wasn’t likely at all, not to mention being in any conversation even remotely adjacent to an MVP discussion.

J.J. Watt, DE Houston Texans

Watt is disruptive on defense and a big reason that Houston is 3-1.  He has 2 sacks and seemingly is in the backfield more than opposing running backs.  On top of that he returned an interception for a touchdown this week.  If all of his defensive success weren’t enough to warrant him for MVP discussion, he also caught a touchdown playing offense earlier this season.

Tony Romo, QB Dallas Cowboys

The MVP award has become the best Quarterback award recently, with a quarterback winning 6 of the last 7 MVPs.  There are others in the NFL with better numbers than his 936 passing yards and 7 touchdowns, but the way he has led Dallas this season has been fantastic.  Romo is criticized for not performing well in the clutch but he has played very well this season.  Romo is set up to prove his critics wrong this season… or prove them right yet again.

Andrew Luck, QB Indianapolis Colts

Statistically, no Quarterback is having a better season than Andrew Luck.  He has passed for 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for another touchdown.  The Colts are only 2-2, but that is not Luck’s fault, he kept Indianapolis in both the Denver and Philadelphia games and tore apart division opponents Jacksonville and Tennessee.  He is looking just like the pro that everyone expected him to be. He has a bright future and will be in many MVP discussions throughout his career.