3 wide receivers who could win league MVP ft. Cooper Kupp

Super Bowl LVI - Head Coach & MVP Press Conference

While the chase to win a Lombardi is at the forefront of every NFL player's mind, nabbing a league MVP award is also important. Being viewed as the top dog at your position in the NFL motivates countless players as they continue their offseason grind.

In 14 of the past 15 seasons, the league’s most prestigious individual award was handed to a quarterback. That trend has only continued as the past nine winners have all been signal-callers.

Regardless of the one-sided nature of the MVP award winner, this upcoming year, that mold is likely to be broken. Several wideouts have become more important to their respective teams' offense. We believe a handful of star pass-catchers could emerge as the league MVP. This is something that has never been done before.

Who, you might ask, has the best chance of becoming the first wide receiver in history to bring home an MVP award? Keep reading to find out.

1. Cooper Kupp

Cooper Kupp has always been revered for his overall pass-catching abilities. However, in 2021, the lightbulb suddenly flicked on for him. During the season, the Los Angeles Rams receiver ran flawless route after flawless route en route to 1,947 receiving yards, 145 catches, and 16 touchdowns. All of these were career highs.

With a stellar season under his belt, Kupp carried that momentum into the postseason, where he proved to be practically unstoppable. His 478 receiving yards, 33 catches, and six touch down grabs pushed the Rams over the championship hump as they secured last season’s Lombardi.

For his efforts, Kupp’s trophy collection grew as he was given the Super Bowl MVP.

This upcoming year, Kupp’s rapport with Matthew Stafford figures to grow even stronger. Meaning, NFL defenses could be in for a long year as Kupp shreds them for even more yardage on his way to an MVP season.

2. Tyreek Hill

In Kansas City, Tyreek Hill mostly blended into the shadows. The speedy receiver's contribution, while harmful to the opposition, was mostly irrelevant when juxtaposed to quarterback Patrick Mahomes' production.

In what turned out to be his final season as a Chief, Hill left his mark on yet another incredible season. The nearly impossible-to-stop wideout registered 1,239 receiving yards to go along with nine touchdown grabs for what amounted to be his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl year.

Despite the numbers, Kansas City decided against signing Hill to a long-term extension. So, in a bit of a surprise, Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins.

Over the past few seasons, Tua Tagovailoa, their current signal-caller, has been lambasted in the public eye because of his poor numbers. It's now up to Tagovailoa to take the next step in his development and solidify himself as Miami’s quarterback of the future. He needs to push them to their first playoff berth since 2016. If Tagovailoa does this, Hill will receive the lion’s share of the credit. He’ll also be firmly entrenched in the MVP discussion.

3. Justin Jefferson

Although blessed with God-given talent, Justin Jefferson’s rookie season appeared to be an outlier. In 2020, Jefferson effortlessly caught lofted passes over two defenders and easily scored in the end zone. With 1,400 receiving yards and seven touchdown grabs, Jefferson was forced to prove his time near the top of the football world wouldn’t be transient.

In year two, Jefferson was a load. He aggregated 1,616 receiving yards and 10 scores. Unfortunately for Jefferson, his star doesn’t shine as bright as several of his wide receiver contemporaries due to the Minnesota Vikings and their inability to compete at the highest level.

Still, the Vikings have all of the needed pieces to turn things around. Kirk Cousins will rack up eye-catching numbers as always. Jefferson, as previously mentioned, will dominate on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, Dalvin Cook should get back to his bruising running ways.

If Minnesota can simply put it all together, Jefferson won’t need to bellyache loudly over his need to be mentioned as one of the best wideouts in the league. His newly won MVP trophy will simply do the talking for him.