The 2026 NFL MVP race is wide open as Week 9 arrives, and that’s what makes the early stretch of the season so interesting. There’s no runaway favorite yet, but the most likely path to the award still runs through a quarterback.
That’s been the league’s pattern for more than a decade, and this year looks no different. With that in mind, here’s a fresh look at the MVP pecking order, built around how much each player means to team success and how they’re performing at their position.
- Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes may not be uncorking the same kind of deep-ball fireworks he did earlier in his career, but he remains the kind of player who will keep showing up in MVP talk as long as he’s playing well. Kansas City sits at 5-2 and is back in the thick of things, even after dropping two straight. The Chiefs are still very much in the mix in the AFC West and remain a threat for one of the conference’s top playoff spots.
Mahomes has thrown 12 touchdown passes and four interceptions, which points to a very efficient season. That alone is enough to keep him in the conversation and in these rankings.
- Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo is 6-1, but the defense has real issues. That could end up working in Josh Allen’s favor if he has to shoulder even more of the offense to keep the Bills winning. If the defense can’t consistently get stops, Allen may be asked to carry a heavier load than ever, and that kind of workload tends to keep an MVP candidate front and center.
He also brings the kind of recognition that matters in a race like this. Allen won the MVP in 2024, and if he keeps playing his own game while Buffalo keeps stacking wins, he’ll stay firmly in the mix all season.
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Bills Add Familiar AFC East Help Ahead Of Tough Week 9
The Bills added some familiar AFC East experience to their secondary this week, signing cornerback Kader Kohou to the practice squad ahead of their Week 9 matchup with the Vikings. Kohou arrives with a background that should make the transition easier, having spent three seasons with Miami and also time with Kansas City before his recent release.
For Buffalo, the move is about adding another layer of depth at a position that can get stressed quickly over the course of a season. The Bills are trying to keep momentum rolling with a fourth straight win in sight, and bringing in a player who knows the division gives them a little more insurance as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Offense Gets Its Biggest Test Yet Against Minnesota
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The historical backdrop is part of what makes this one worth watching, because these elite-versus-elite showdowns have not come around often and they have not always gone the same way. The offense has had a slight edge over time, but the results have been close enough to suggest there is no easy script here, which only adds to the intrigue for a Bills team trying to prove its ceiling against Minnesota. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Face A Keon Coleman Decision That Could Split Fans
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That is where the conversation gets interesting, because ESPNs Dan Graziano floated the idea that Coleman could become part of a deal to bring in defensive help. No trade has been reported, but the mere possibility is enough to spark debate in Buffalo, where fans are already trying to figure out whether a productive young receiver is a core piece or a movable asset. [Read more 🡒]