Lamar Jackson

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler was first. Monken's first two seasons in Baltimore resulted in two top-five scoring offenses and has Lamar Jackson on the cusp of winning back-to-back MVP awards. Monken, 58, interviewed with the Jaguars and Bears this offseason regarding their head coaching vacancies but was ultimately passed over for two younger offensive minds. His decision to remain with the Ravens for the foreseeable should be viewed as an organizational win for a team that has ranked second in EPA per play and offensive success rate since 2023. Fantasy managers should also be happy to see Monken remain in the mix.

Allen was stuffed short of the line to gain on three separate quarterback sneaks, one of them a controversial near-make that instant replay in this era is simply not equipped to overturn without making referees look bad. That is the most in a game since at least 2016 (when NFL Next Gen Stats started being able to keep track), and it was a main reason the Bills weren't able to keep up. After a dismal first drive where Allen nearly threw two interceptions, he bounced back in a big way. His 34-yard touchdown pass to Mack Hollins with 23 seconds left in the half kept the Bills in striking distance, he tied the game with a four-yarder on fourth-and-goal at the 4 to a wide-open Samuel after Hollins split the safeties again for 32 more yards. But on the biggest down of the game, fourth-and-5 from the Buffalo 47 down three at the two-minute warning, the Chiefs found two free rushers. Allen was able to get the ball in the area of Dalton Kincaid, but Kincaid dropped it and the Bills turned it over to the Chiefs. Allen finished the regular season second behind Lamar Jackson with 22.6 fantasy points per game, but it was a distant second. His yardage total dwindled from 4306 to 3731 as the Bills adopted a run-heavy approach, but he also had his first year under 10 interceptions since 2019 and added 12 rushing touchdowns despite James Cook's breakout season. He'll remain an easy top-2 quarterback pick in fantasy leagues in 2025.

Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Saquon Barkley are finalists for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. Josh Allen and Jared Goff join them as MVP finalists.

Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson headline list of MVP candidates

Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson headline list of MVP candidates