2023 NFL MVP Race after Week 7: Can Lamar Jackson be the top dog?

As the NFL enters Week 8 of the 2023-24 regular season, there are many candidates in consideration for the league's Most Valuable Player award. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes won the award the last two seasons, and is still in consideration for a third-straight MVP.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is in consideration following a lights-out Week 7 performance against the Detroit Lions.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been in contention for the award since Week 1, as he's having another phenomenal season this year.

Like most years, the award will likely be won by a quarterback, and there have been many quarterbacks this season who could make their case for it.

Top 5 NFL MVP candidates after Week 6

Tua Tagovailoa during Miami Dolphins v Philadelphia Eagles

After Jackson's impressive Week 7 performance vs. the Detroit Lions, he's now one of the top-five MVP candidates for the 2023 season. Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen dropped out of the top-five as he has lost his second game in a span of three weeks.

Tua Tagovailoa and Patrick Mahomes had the same odds to win MVP last week, but after Week 7, there's a clear-cut number-one contender.

Here are the top five NFL MVP candidates through the first seven weeks of the 2023 season:

#5. Brock Purdy

While Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers have dropped their second-straight game of the season, he's still in contention to win the 2023 MVP.

Purdy has thrown for 1,668 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions this season. The 49ers are in sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

While they have been banged up on offensive recently, when they have all their players on the field healthy with Purdy, they are one of the most dynamic, high-scoring offenses in the league.

#4. Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson jumped a few spots up in the MVP race after his dominant performance vs. the Detroit Lions this past week. Jackson led the Ravens to a 38-6 victory while throwing three touchdowns and rushing for one. With the win, Jackson helped improve the Ravens' record to 5-2.

On the season, Jackson has thrown for 1,610 yards, eight touchdowns, and has been effective running, scoring five touchdowns on the ground with 363 yards.

#3. Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts led the Philadelphia Eagles to their sixth victory of the season over the Miami Dolphins last week.

Hurts' Eagles are tied for the league-best record at 6-1 and they've been unstoppable using the Tush Push. He's thrown for 1,821 yards, nine touchdowns, and has rushed for six. Hurts has been turning the ball over a lot as he's thrown eight interceptions, which is more than one per game.

#2. Tua Tagovailoa

After suffering the second loss of the season, Miami Dolphins' quarterback Tua Tagovailoa dropped a spot to second in the MVP race. Last week, he and Patrick Mahomes were tied for the highest odds.

He went from +340 last week to +420 odds this week after the loss. He had a solid game in the loss, throwing for 216 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while completing 71.9 percent of passes in the loss.

#1. Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the favorite to win the 2023 MVP after Week 7. He has the best odds at +260, after sharing the highest odds with Tagovailoa last week.

Mahomes went off this week vs. the division rivals Los Angeles Chargers, throwing for 424 yards and four touchdowns. The Chiefs still look like the team to beat in the AFC with a 6-1 record.

3 sneaky NFL MVP candidates who could shake things up

#1. Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey is the only non-quarterback on either list. McCaffrey has rushed for eight touchdowns and 598 yards on the season while recording 228 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He is the staple of the 49ers' offense and is one of the most explosive players in the NFL.

#2. Trevor Lawrence

This is the first time that Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has made this list. He has the seventh-highest odds to win the MVP at +2000, and has led the Jaguars to a 5-2 record.

While he doesn't have the flashiest numbers, he does hold a passer rating of 92-8 and is completing a career-high 67.4 percent of passes. If he continues to play like he has and leads Jacksonville to the playoffs again, he could be in discussion by the end of the season for MVP.

#3. Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen dropped a few spots in the MVP race, as he suffered his third loss of the season this weekend.

Allen and the Bills got upset by the New England Patriots and the Bills now sit at 4-3. Allen has thrown for 1,841 yards and 15 touchdowns. However, Allen has seven interceptions in seven games. He is capable of committing many turnovers and at the same time, has the same capability to be one of the passers in the league.