10 likeliest players to win MVP

Super Bowl 57 is set to kick off on Sunday and these 10 players are the likeliest to take home MVP honors in the big game.

Sunday’s Super Bowl LVII matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles figures to be a thriller based on the dominant showings of both teams during the regular season.

There are storylines galore, including Andy Reid’s matchup against his former employer and the first-ever meeting between black starting quarterbacks in a Super Bowl, but one piece of intrigue that won’t be settled until late in the night will be who takes home MVP honors.

The history of the Super Bowl MVP has been dominated by quarterbacks, who have won 31 of the 57 MVPS (thanks to a tie that resulted in co-MVPs in Super Bowl XII). Wide receivers have won two of the past four MVPs, however, including Cooper Kupp last season with eight catches for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

Who is most likely to hoist the Super Bowl MVP trophy this year? Let’s break down the ten most likely candidates, with a nearly even split coming from each team since this game is such a toss-up.

10. Likeliest Super Bowl MVP Candidates – Kansas City Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

The Chiefs have overhauled their receiving corps after trading Tyreek Hill to Miami prior to the season but Valdes-Scantling has been their most productive pass catcher in the playoffs. MVS stepped up in a big way when multiple receivers got hurt in the AFC Championship Game, catching 8 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Eagles may look to try and take Travis Kelce out of the passing game, which could create one-on-one opportunities for Valdes-Scantling on the perimeter. Beating either Darius Slay or James Bradberry won’t be easy but with a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes you can’t rule out another monster performance from MVS in the big game.

9. Likeliest Super Bowl MVP Candidates – Philadelphia Eagles LB Haason Reddick

Only nine defensive players have won the Super Bowl MVP award, with the most recent being Von Miller for the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50, but Aaron Donald had a legitimate case to win it last season. The easiest way to win the award on defense is to create havoc in the pass-rushing department, which makes Reddick the most likely defender to take home this award.

Reddick has been a pass-rushing menace for the Eagles all season, racking up 16 sacks during the regular season and another 3.5 during the playoffs, including the pivotal strip-sack of Brock Purdy in the NFC Championship Game that changed the momentum of the entire game. With Mahomes dealing with a high-ankle sprain that could impact his mobility, Reddick can wreck the game and win MVP honors in the process.