5 non-QBs who could win the NFL MVP race this year

It has been eight years since somebody other than a quarterback has won the NFL’s MVP award.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson’s 2,097-yard season in 2012 made him the only non-QB winner in the past 14 years. Prior to that, running backs won in back-to-back years, when Shaun Alexander triumphed in 2005 and LaDainian Tomlinson followed up in 2006.

Why is it so difficult for non-quarterbacks to claim the award? For a player to be the most valuable, they need to not only be the star player on the team, but be able to lift the team above their shoulders and carry them over the line to victory.

If a receiver has an explosive year, the chances are that his QB has facilitated that achievement. No defensive player has won the MVP award in 34 years, but with the NFL transitioning to a passing league in recent years, perhaps the time is coming where a dominant pass rusher becomes the biggest impact player.

Which 5 non-QBs could be MVP contenders in 2021?

#1 – Aaron Donald, defensive tackle, Los Angeles Rams

Aaron Donald has claimed Defensive Player of the Year honors three times in four years, a prize no player has ever won four times. The Los Angeles Rams wrecking ball is running out of awards to collect, so perhaps if the defensive tackle has another monster season, it's time to elevate him into the MVP conversation.

No non-QB has affected the NFL more than Donald in the past few years. His relentless pressure through the middle of the offensive line ruins gameplans and constantly unsettles quarterbacks. Donald is 1.5 sacks away from the Rams franchise record and he is only 30 years old. If Donald were to win MVP, it would be recognition for an unparalleled body of work over the past half decade.

#2 – T.J. Watt, outside linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers

Only two defensive players have ever been recognized as MVP and no defender has broken through since Lawrence Taylor in 1986, but if anyone can smash the MVP glass ceiling, it could be the Pittsburgh Steelers' pressure cooker, T.J. Watt.

Fresh off signing a $112 million contract to become the NFL's highest paid defensive player, Watt could be poised to reach territory his big brother J.J. never did. The 26-year-old led the league in sacks, QB hits and tackles for loss last season to establish himself as the NFL's most dangerous pass rusher.

It was not quite enough to prise the DPOY award from Donald's hands – but another year like 2020 and Watt could be hitting new heights in the MVP race.

#3 – Derek Henry, running back, Tennessee Titans

History dictates that if any player is going to snatch the MVP award away from a QB, it will be a game-changing running back. For that, look no further than Derek Henry. His 182-yard, three-touchdown outing against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 reminded the NFL how Henry has the ability to single-handedly drag the Tennessee Titans to victory on the road against a Super Bowl contender.

Henry rushed for 2,027 yards in 2020, the same milestone that won Peterson the MVP award back in 2012. No running back in NFL history has ever put together back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons. If Henry can shatter that record and lead the league in rushing yards and touchdowns for a third straight year, it would be hard to deny the 27-year-old a place at the MVP table.

#4 – Christian McCaffrey, running back, Carolina Panthers

Christian McCaffrey is the heartbeat of the Carolina Panthers offense and were his team to produce an unexpectedly dominant season, like when they went 15-1 in 2015, it would be the all-purpose running back that would be the star of the show.

In 2019, McCaffrey became the third player in NFL history to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same year. Injury ruined his 2020 season, but the 25-year-old seems back to his best already, averaging 85 rushing yards and 77 receiving yards per game with the Panthers at 2-0 through Week 2.

In an extended 2021 season, McCaffrey could hit 1,500 yards in each category, which would certainly deserve MVP consideration.

#5 – Nick Chubb, running back, Cleveland Browns

Perhaps the biggest wildcard on this list, Nick Chubb will need to have the biggest breakout season of his career to enter the MVP race. The Cleveland Browns roster is stacked and if head coach Kevin Stefanski's group were to become the standout team of the 2021 season, Chubb would be one of their driving forces.

On that basis, this nomination could equally have gone to teammate Myles Garrett, but history suggests running backs get more MVP looks than defensive players. Cleveland's offense is built around Chubb and the fourth-year tailback is entering a contract year, with all of the motivation to surpass his previous best 1,494-yard season.