The Athletic asked its team beat reporters to project an MVP for their respective club in 2022.
Arif Hasan wrote the following of Minnesota:
If we ignore the obvious positional value of the quarterback, we can look at the other potential stars on the roster and take a stab at who might have the biggest impact: Justin Jefferson, Danielle Hunter, Dalvin Cook, Harrison Smith, Eric Kendricks and possibly Za’Darius Smith. Of those six, it very much seems like Jefferson could be the one who carries the team with his performances and stand out more at his position than the others in theirs, especially given his age and the new, pass-friendly offense.
Of course, it’s always valuable to note what teams around the division are looking like, as well.
The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain looked to Chicago’s defense to tab the most likely MVP candidate.
The Bears would love it if come January, the answer to this is Justin Fields, but it’s hard to get there right now considering the brand-new offense and the lack of help around him. The likely MVP is the team’s most reliable player, Roquan Smith. He’s put up Pro Bowl-type numbers in back-to-back seasons, and he should have more opportunities to make impact plays in Matt Eberflus’ defense. The Bears can count on Smith to be consistent and productive, a rarity for the 2022 team.
