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CJ Stroud for NFL MVP? Numbers back up potentially historic season for rookie QB

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

CJ Stroud is off to a dynamic start to his rookie season, leading the Houston Texans to a 5-4 record. The Texans are just one game off the lead in the AFC South, and Stroud most recently led a game-winning drive in the win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

That gives Stroud back-to-back weeks with a game-winning drive, and he’s undoubtedly the cog making Houston go right now. Last season, Houston went 3-13-1, so Stroud and this year’s Texans will already finish better than a season ago.

As for his potential MVP case, the numbers speak for themselves. Stroud is the first rookie to lead the NFL in passing yards per game since Davey O’Brien in 1939. Stroud is through 9 games, so he will need to keep up that pace of 291.8 yards per game, but it is an important note so far.

Here is a look at some of the biggest numbers in play for Stroud:

To go with those numbers, a handful of analysts are starting to believe in Stroud as a frontrunner for the MVP.

“For me, he’s the (MVP) leader,” said Dan Orlovsky during Monday’s broadcast of ESPN’s “Get Up.” “The context matters for me. No. 2 pick, middle November.”

Shannon Sharpe followed on “First Take” and gave a similar endorsement for Stroud.

“He gets this team into the playoffs, how do you not give him the MVP,” questioned Sharpe. “…He should be the favorite to win MVP …If they win the division, it’s a no-brainer.”

Paul Harvey

Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.