The NFL MVP race just flipped on its head once again. Matthew Stafford’s sitting at the top at last. Drake Maye’s right in his rearview, waiting for a chance to get the throne back. And here’s the twist. Not one, but two running backs, Jonathan Taylor and Jahmyr Gibbs, are now forcing their way into a QB-dominated conversation. Thanksgiving week’s coming up, the playoff pictures are crystallizing, and five names hold the spotlight. Each one’s got their own story: clutch moments, brutal setbacks, and everything in between.

Let’s dive into the Essentially Sports Week 13 NFL MVP Ladder and find out who’s making the most noise right now, and who are the ones just outside the spotlight.

5. Dak Prescott: History Made

Dak Prescott just got his revenge. Week 12 against the Philadelphia Eagles wasn’t just another division game. The Dallas Cowboys’ Week 1 loss to Philly was still fresh in everyone’s mind, and Dak made sure the sequel went differently. Three touchdowns, 354 yards, setting up scoring drives one after the other to mount the greatest comeback in franchise history. But the real moment? A 9-yard pass to George Pickens made him the Cowboys’ all-time passing leader, surpassing Tony Romo’s 34,183 yards.

But Dak didn’t celebrate until the clock hit zero. That’s the mindset he brings with ten seasons in Dallas and four divisional titles. Critics still point to playoff struggles, but Dak’s individual excellence has been undeniable this season. He sits atop the league with a 74.0 QBR and ties for the 2nd place with 23 passing touchdowns on the season. Kansas City comes to town on Thanksgiving next. Beat the Chiefs, and Dak climbs this ladder fast.

4. Patrick Mahomes: Hanging On

Patrick Mahomes finally beat the Indianapolis Colts. But his first regular-season win against them took a last-second field goal to get it done. While both teams looked rather sloppy in Week 12, this isn’t the Mahomes we’re used to seeing. Eighteen touchdowns and seven picks on the year, you just cannot unsee that 2nd-and-7 pass, which Laiatu Latu picked off with apparent ease. The Kansas City Chiefs, sitting at 6-5, are on the outside looking in. The magic’s been patchy all year.

But here’s the thing. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have made careers out of late surges and dramatic comebacks. Mahomes still ranks 2nd in passing yards (2,977) and third in QBR (71.9). Thanksgiving at the AT&T Stadium might be the perfect stage built for vintage Pat magic. One iconic performance could tip the scales back in KC’s favor, but the clock’s ticking.

3. Josh Allen: Week 12 Heartbreak

Josh Allen’s MVP defense hit a brick wall in Week 12. The Houston Texans’ defense devoured him: eight sacks, two picks, zero touchdowns. With career-high sacks and a second scoreless game this season, it was hard to believe this was the same quarterback who scored six touchdowns in Week 11. Allen notably gutted through a shoulder injury that left his arm numb, completing 70.6% of his passes for 253 yards. But the Buffalo Bills couldn’t convert when it mattered the most, and their 23-19 loss dropped them to 7-4 on the year.

Allen’s dual-threat chaos still scares defenses; cannon arm, bruising runs, the whole package. But Buffalo needs wins. The Bills have now fallen to No. 5 in the AFC. The next three weeks (Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and New England) will decide if Allen can stay relevant in this race.

2. Drake Maye: Competition Rising

Drake Maye started Week 12 with a brutal pick-six against the Cincinnati Bengals. If your team’s down 10-0 early, most second-year quarterbacks would fold right there. But not Maye. He regrouped and finished with 294 yards and a touchdown. Maye also helped build scoring drives that turned into four field goals in their 26-20 victory.

The New England Patriots go 10-2 into Week 13 with the best record in the league right now. Maye leads the league in passing yards (3,130) and ranks second in QBR (72.7). With his 21 touchdowns on the season and a 71.0% completion rate, the Patriots own the AFC right now.

Maye is the only real threat to Stafford at this point. His odds sit at +180 while everyone else trails much further below. He’s gone from a preseason longshot to an MVP finalist by dissecting defenses and making tight-window throws look easy. Week 13 against the New York Giants might just help Maye stretch his win streak to 10 straight games before finally getting their bye. If the Patriots can lock up the AFC’s No. 1 seed? This race goes down to the wire.

1. Matthew Stafford: Leading The Race At Last

Matthew Stafford’s cooking, but we all know that by now. Sunday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was absolutely clinical with no-look passes and sidearm flicks, all with surgical precision. He torched the Bucs for 273 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-7 beatdown. The Los Angeles Rams, with Stafford at the helm, now stand as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Stafford now has thirty touchdowns (league best) through 11 games and has just played his eighth straight game with no interceptions. That just shows you how unpredictable Stafford’s arm has been this year for defenses.

We called it a lot of things: a late-career bounce, a renaissance, but at 37, Matthew Stafford’s simply going to war. His odds sit at -210, the first odds-on favorite since Josh Allen held that spot early this season. The Carolina Panthers’ leaky pass defense is up next, and the Arizona Cardinals wait just beyond. A couple more statement victories, and this race might just end early.

Names On The Cusp: Taylor, Gibbs, Darnold, Jackson

Four names refuse to fade. Colts’ running back Jonathan Taylor still leads the league in rushing yards (1,197) and touchdowns (15), but the Chiefs bottled him up in Week 12. Just fifty-eight yards on 16 carries. A running back’s standing in this race is never easy, and with defenses keying on him now, his MVP odds have dropped down to +1600 from +650. With Indy trailing New England and Denver in the standings, his window to make explosions is now closing very fast.

The Detroit Lions’ running back Jahmyr Gibbs has exploded onto the scene. A career-high 219 rushing yards, a sixty-nine-yard overtime touchdown to beat the Giants. With 264 total yards and three touchdowns, he hit 22.17 mph on that OT run, becoming the second-fastest ball carrier for a score this season. Detroit’s 7-4, and Gibbs is forcing his way into the conversation.

Beyond them, Sam Darnold has bounced back for the Seattle Seahawks with 244 yards and two touchdowns in his 34-24 OT win over the Tennessee Titans. He now needs to keep up the steady sparks if he wants to enjoy a late-season MVP race shake-up in his favor.

Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson hasn’t thrown a touchdown in two games, but the Baltimore Ravens are still on a five-game win streak. The Ravens lead the AFC North and have been energized with their star play-caller back. They’re still the dark horse everyone loves to talk about.

So, what’s next? Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye headline this race. But Gibbs and Taylor prove running backs can still crash the party. Thanksgiving week brings Dallas-Kansas City, playoff stakes escalate by the day, and the next three weeks could solidify the race once and for all. The expectations now: vintage throws, explosive runs, and late-game heroics. The MVP ladder keeps shifting, and we’re really grateful that there’s still a lot of football left to be played. Nobody’s locking this down, not yet at least.