Week 9 of the NFL campaign is almost over, with only a stylistic clash between the high-octane Buffalo Bills offence and the stout-as-they-come Minnesota Vikings defence remaining on the slate.
At the conclusion of that game, the regular season will officially be halfway to its conclusion.
That's as good a time as any, and a large enough sample size from which to start pontificating about just who the players most likely to feature in award discussions are going to be.
Whether it be for output that looks set to re-write record books, or for the sheer ability to keep a side decimated by injury competitive, we count down five players charting a course to the NFL's most prized individual honour; the Most Valuable Player gong.
3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Ohio State standout wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had himself a sensational 2025 season.
The Associated Press' Offensive Player of the Year rode a wave of scintillating momentum all the way to a famous Super Bowl victory. He also did some serious heavy lifting for my middling fantasy team.
However, questions naturally arose as to the Seahawks' offence ability to replicate last season's heroics, given the lack of a genuine superstar at the quarterback position (with all due respect to a reborn Sam Darnold), and the departure of Super Bowl MVP, running back Kenneth Walker III.
It would appear "JSN" took that noise personally, and on a never-before-seen trajectory as a result.
No wide receiver has ever been awarded the MVP, but if this standout Seahawk can maintain his current production, his case come season's end would be as compelling as any wideout to have come before him.
Through eight games, Smith-Njigba has registered 985 yards and nine touchdowns from 64 receptions. He has registered an outstanding 331 yards after the catch, and netted 49 first downs for Mike Macdonald's offence - eight more than second-best.
His current average of 123.1 yards per game the 2023 first-round pick on track for 2093 yards in the regular season - a number that would comfortably best the single-season receiving yards record of 1964, set by Detroit Lions legend Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, in 2012.
All that in a team utilising a rookie running back, who has just returned from injury, and a quarterback whose passer rating is the fourth-worst among starting quarterbacks. Only Justin Herbert, Cam Ward and Daniel Jones - three quarterbacks who have combined for three wins from 25 starts this season - have worse passer ratings than Darnold.
Mind-boggling stuff from a receiver who has rather rapidly ascended into the very upper echelon of pass-catchers in the league.
He finds himself third because it would be truly unprecedented for this award to be given to a receiver.
