The NFL MVP race is ever-evolving and things will take many twists and turns before the voters actually make their selections on an 17 games of data. But until then the debate remains open and some surprising names are bound to make an appearance.
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has played himself to the forefront of these discussions through five weeks, which signals a remarkable career turnaround. But asked the crucial question of who the MVP is headed into Week 6, ESPN's Louis Riddick had a different QB who has gotten new life with a new team on his mind.
"If you look at it objectively, how right now can you not say when you look at all the relevant Next Gen Stats, can you not say that Daniel Jones is in first?" he asked his Get Up colleagues.
.@LRiddickESPN argues that Daniel Jones could be leading the NFL MVP race right now 👀 pic.twitter.com/8qt49n4N8T
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) October 8, 2025
It's a bit unclear which particular statistic Riddick is referring to in regards to Jones. The only three categories Jones ranks in the top-five among NFL quarterbacks is passing yards (third), average air yards differential (fifth) and completion percentage (also fifth). He has thrown six touchdowns to two interceptions and is the eighth-highest ranked quarterback in terms of passer rating.
But Indianapolis is 4-1, and by all numeric and visual metrics Jones is one of the main reasons. It's a huge turnaround for the ugly ending he experienced with the Giants. Most people are of the belief that there will be a regression to the mean, but Riddick isn't sure.
"Danny Dimes? He ain't going to be the MVP," Riddick said of the chatter. "He's not going to sustain it. Well, what if he does?"
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ESPN NFL Analyst Reveals His Surprising Pick for MVP Front-Runner.
