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

Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles

For voters looking for the new thing, Carson Wentz was -- or maybe still is -- it.

Wentz has taken the Philadelphia Eagles to the top of the NFC and still leads the league in touchdown passes. His touchdown rate (7.5 percent) is higher than that of last year’s MVP (Matt Ryan, 7.1 percent). The touchdowns have made a pretty good season look great. Wentz is tied for 10th in yards per attempt (7.5) and is 6th in ANY/A (7.43).

Wentz is 3rd is Passing NEP, 4th in Passing NEP per drop back, and 11th in Success Rate. But when factoring in rushing production -- which should be done with quarterbacks -- Wentz is second behind Brady in both Total NEP and Total NEP per play.

Of course, the question for Wentz is whether his 13 games will be enough to keep him in the conversation at the end of the season. Last season, Brady received 10 first-place MVP votes despite missing the first four games of the season due to suspension. Brady’s 12 games were the final games of the season, so it’s unknown how much the difference between missing the start or end will be in voters’ minds. Also, Brady had a much stronger candidate in front of him in Matt Ryan, so Wentz could receive more consideration in a weaker group overall.

Fair or not, Wentz’s chance at votes could come down to the performance of Nick Foles. If Foles lights it up against the New York Giants and Oakland Raiders -- the 19th- and 31st-ranked defenses by Adjusted Defensive NEP per play -- some of Wentz’s production could be written off as a the beneficiary of a great offensive system. But if Foles struggles, Wentz could be given even more credit for what he accomplished with the Eagles this season.