30 non-QBs who should be in MVP consideration for the 2024 season

11. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

Justin Jefferson being outside the top 10 has to be a shock, but the main reason for that is his team. The Vikings likely don’t have much of a shot to be anything great. We are hearing some fun stories about Sam Darnold, but it’s all on Darnold with JJ McCarthy suffering a season-ending injury. Jefferson has been able to succeed with bad quarterbacks in the past, but that doesn’t mean it will lead to wins. The Vikings got worse across the depth chart, and we’d be surprised if they were even in playoff contention.

But that also helps Jefferson’s MVP consideration. If the Vikes are in it until the end, even just for the Wild Card, Jefferson deserves a ton of credit. He might be the best player in the NFL at any position, and that means a lot. He can make a ham sandwich out of uncooked Spam, and that type of performance is what it would take to rip the MVP from the QB position.

Honestly, as much as we don’t want to admit it, the MVP is a narrative award. Lamar Jackson didn’t have the best statistics in the league. He was 14th in passing yards, 11th in passing touchdowns, fourth in QBR, and while he had the most rushing yards among quarterbacks, Justin Fields had one yard per game less than him. Jackson won on the narrative, and Jefferson could do the same thing.

If Jefferson is able to put up his best season, north of 1,800 yards and 12-15 touchdowns, then he will be in the MVP discussion. Well, with one caveat. Even the numbers could not get him in the conversation if the Vikings don’t make the playoffs, which is why he finds himself at number 11.