2017 NFL MVP Race: The 5 Players People Should Be Discussing

Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

It’s both difficult and easy to build a case for Antonio Brown as the league MVP.

It’s difficult because no wide receiver has won the Associated Press NFL MVP award, though Jerry Rice did win the Pro Football Writers of America MVP award in 1987 while John Elway won the “official” award.

But Brown is making a case not many before him have been able to make.

Brown’s 16-game pace would yield 122 receptions, 1,857 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. That yardage total would be the third-most all-time behind Calvin Johnson’s 1,946 in 2012 and Julio Jones’ 1,871 in 2015.

Currently, Brown is third among all players in Total NEP (0.62 ahead of Rivers), and with Wentz out for the remainder of the season, there’s a good chance he leaps him for second and a non-zero chance he can get up to first with big games to end the season.

This wouldn’t be the first time a wide receiver has finished this high in Total NEP: Torry Holt led all players in 2003 as did Marvin Harrison in 2002, and Calvin Johnson finished just behind Peyton Manning in 2012.

The difference is there were clearer MVP favorites in those other seasons, and wide receiver play wasn’t as appreciated. Neither Harrison nor Holt got a single MVP vote in those seasons. Johnson didn’t in 2012, either, but it may have been different if MVP winner Adrian Peterson hadn’t rushed for more than 2,000 yards.

Like Peterson, Brown would get more consideration if he crossed that 2,000-yard threshold, but that would take an average of 163.4 yards per game over the final three games of the season. Brown’s past three games have been the best three-game stretch of his career, and that has averaged 161 yards per game.

Brown should still get credit over his teammates for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ success this season.

Ben Roethlisberger ranks fifth in Passing NEP, but leads the league in attempts and drop backs, which drops his efficiency down to 19th by Passing NEP per drop back.

Meanwhile, Le'Veon Bell is just 13th among running backs in Total NEP, and among 46 running backs with at least 100 touches (rushing attempts plus receptions), he ranks 19th in NEP per touch.