Just two weeks remain in the 2022 NFL regular season, so we are back with the second-to-last edition of our MVP watch poll.
As per usual, our panel of 10 voters each submitted the top five names on their early MVP ballots, and those ballots were tabulated using a weighted points system to determine the leader. A first-place vote was worth five points, a second-place vote worth four points, a third-place vote worth three, a fourth-place vote worth two, and a fifth-place vote worth one.
After all that tabulating was done, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes continued his climb up the leaderboard and opened a significant advantage over the field. Mahomes captured 8 of 10 first-place votes this week, though curiously, the other two votes were for third-place, not second. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow leapfrogged Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for the No. 2 spot on this week's leaderboard, thanks to Hurts falling off three ballots entirely and Burrow receiving exclusively second- and third-place votes this time around.
Without further ado, let's get to the voting breakdown.
The panel of voters: Jonathan Jones, Ryan Wilson, John Breech, Jared Dubin, Cody Benjamin, Jordan Dajani, Josh Edwards, Tyler Sullivan, Jeff Kerr, Chris Trapasso
The full MVP leaderboard
1. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (46) Last Week: T-1st
2. Bengals QB Joe Burrow (35) Last Week: 4th
3. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (25) Last Week: T-1st
4. Bills QB Josh Allen (22) Last Week: 3rd
5. Vikings WR Justin Jefferson (18) Last Week: 5th
6. 49ers EDGE Nick Bosa (2) Last Week: T-6th
T-7. Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill (1) Last Week: Not Ranked
T-7. Chargers QB Justin Herbert (1) Last Week: Not Ranked
Dropped out: Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
Most first-place votes:
- Patrick Mahomes (8 out of 10)
- Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen (1)
Most second-place votes:
- Joe Burrow (5)
- Jalen Hurts (3)
- Josh Allen, Justin Jefferson (1)
Most total ballots:
- Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson (10 out of 10)
- Josh Allen (9)
- Jalen Hurts (7)
- Nick Bosa (2)
- Tyreek Hill, Justin Herbert (1)
Positional representation:
- QB (5)
- WR (2)
- EDGE (1)
So who will actually win?
Mahomes is a huge betting favorite at Caesars Sportsbook after his terrific performance against the Seahawks and the Eagles' close loss to the Cowboys without Hurts. If Kansas City falters in the final two weeks of the regular season, it might actually be Burrow or Allen who is best positioned to snatch the award out of Mahomes' grasp. The Bengals and Bills play each other next Monday night, and if one of those two players puts on a show, it could catapult them forward in the minds of the voters.