NFL MVP stock watch: Aaron Rodgers deserves 3rd MVP
By Dustin Baker
In a nailbiter, Aaron Rodgers holds the statistical chips to bring home the 2020 NFL MVP award over Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.
This is the last installment of FanSided‘s 18-part series of MVP award analysis.
Each week, the top five players in contention to take home the NFL’s most esteemed individual award were examined.
The series was a running tabulation of statistics, player performance, and of course, impact on team success. In that respect, this analysis was a linear or non-episodic process.
Players currently on the fringe of MVP candidacy include Davante Adams, Ryan Tannehill, Russell Wilson, Dalvin Cook, T.J. Watt, Aaron Donald, and Travis Kelce. For much of the year, Wilson was the undisputed frontrunner as the Seattle Seahawks defense was an embarrassment. However, that same defense got hot around midseason while Wilson’s individual accolades returned to the stratosphere.
Two players that began the year on the Stock Watch — Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley — fell victim to injury. McCaffrey and Barkley started the season with their usual zest and appeared to be formidable contenders for the award. But like so many other NFL players, injuries ruined 2020.
Here are the top five MVP award contenders for 2020.
**Please note: This series considered sportsbooks odds but largely weighed individual statistics and impact on the team by the particular player.