Vote: Who Is NFL’s Most Valuable Player So Far This Season?

A sample size of five games may not be big enough to formulate a consensus for the NFL’s Most Valuauble Player award, but there are some early front-runners worth mentioning.

Rarely does a player who’s not a running back or a quarterback win the award. In fact, those two positions hold sole possession of the coveted MVP award over the past 25 years, with Lawrence Taylor the last non-QB/RB to win the award back in 1986. That was the same year he set the NFL record for sacks in a single season.

If anyone has made a case, though, it’s Wes Welker. The receiver is on pace for 144 receptions and 2,368 yards, which would both break NFL records for a single season (143 receptions by Marvin Harrison, 1,848 yards by Jerry Rice). His 124 receiving yards were the most given up to a single receiver by the Jets’ second-ranked pass defense in 2011.

We can’t talk about prolific wide receivers without mentioning Calvin Johnson, who has been just as essential to Detroit’s return to prominence as any individual in the Lions locker room. Johnson currently leads the league in touchdown receptions (8), and has 321 yards on 24 receptions. The impossible chore of covering a man his size has earned him the nickname “Megatron,” and Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford frequently throws in his direction regardless of whether he’s open or not.

Running backs come and go in the NFL, but none have been as impactful in 2011 as Darren McFadden. It must be hard to stay committed to the run in such a pass-happy league, but McFadden has made the decision an easy one with an average of over 5.7 yards per carry and a total of 668 yards from scrimmage. That decision has paid early dividends, as the Raiders boast the best rushing attack in the league through five games.

McFadden hasn’t been the only workhorse back in the NFL, as Fred Jackson has also done a great deal of damage to NFL defenses. With 5.3 yards per carry and 712 yards from scrimmage, Jackson is proving that he’s a threat no matter how he gets the ball. Much is made of Ryan Fitzpatrick‘s hot start to the season, but none of it would be possible without Jackson leading the charge at running back.

Another big-time candidate is Super Bowl XLV MVP Aaron Rodgers. The Packers’ signal-caller may have taken too long to win a Super Bowl by Brett Favre‘s ridiculous standards, but it hasn’t taken him too long to tear up the NFL for 1,721 yards and 14 touchdowns. His 122.9 passer rating is currently the best in the NFL.

It’s neck-and-neck for best quarterback in the league between Rodgers and Tom Brady. New England’s signal-caller has a league-leading 1,874 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s still on pace to shatter Dan Marino‘s single-season record for passing yards with 5,997 (currently 5,084). His 100.7 passer rating against the Jets defense — the second-best pass defense in the league — is further evidence that nothing will stop Brady in his regular-season quest for dominance.

So many choices, but there can be only one. Who is your pick for the MVP of the NFL’s first five weeks of action?

Whos is the NFL MVP through Week 5?