The National Football League (NFL) has revealed the finalists for this season's prestigious individual awards, including the Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Player of the Year on both offense and defense. Among the most eagerly anticipated contests is the MVP award, which highlights outstanding performances from elite players such as Josh Allen, the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills; Saquon Barkley, the running back for the Philadelphia Eagles; Joe Burrow, the quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals; Jared Goff, the quarterback for the Detroit Lions; and Lamar Jackson, the quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. Notably, Barkley, Burrow, and Jackson are also contenders for the Offensive Player of the Year award.

Midway through the season, Saquon Barkley appeared poised to become the first running back since Adrian Peterson in 2012 to earn the MVP accolade, averaging an impressive 126.5 rushing yards per game through the first 11 games. This performance placed him on track to potentially surpass Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. However, the Eagles opted to rest Barkley during Week 18, which ultimately limited his opportunity to break the record. Nonetheless, he achieved a significant milestone by becoming only the eighth player in history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards. This development essentially narrowed the MVP race down to a contest between Allen and Jackson as the season progressed.

Josh Allen demonstrated exemplary performance with 3,731 passing yards, 28 touchdown passes, and only six interceptions, in addition to rushing for 531 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Bills secured 13 victories and captured the AFC East title for the fifth consecutive season, defying expectations that the team would undergo a rebuilding phase following the trade of Stefon Diggs. A defining moment for Allen’s MVP candidacy came during a pivotal game against the Kansas City Chiefs, where he executed a crucial 26-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, solidifying a 30-21 victory for Buffalo. Conversely, Lamar Jackson also presented a strong case for his candidacy, achieving career highs with 4,172 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes, while limiting himself to just four interceptions. Jackson's versatility remained evident as he accumulated 915 rushing yards, leading the NFL with an average of 6.6 yards per carry for the fourth time in his career. Furthermore, he convincingly outperformed Allen in their direct matchup, with the Ravens defeating the Bills 35-10 in September. Although the outcome of that game did not impact the MVP voting, a victory over Jackson in the MVP race would further solidify Allen's standing in this highly competitive season.