Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has put to rest any fears about his surgically repaired knee with a hot start through two weeks, inserting himself back into the early MVP conversations.
But it could be one of Mahomes’ own teammates keeping him from rising on the list.
Kenneth Walker III Lands in MVP Conversations
A list of early MVP odds from CBS Sports showed that Mahomes jumped into the top-6 thanks to three strong performances. Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III, who has helped open up the offense, landed just above Mahomes at No. 5.
Walker has 65 carries for 360 yards with two rushing scores through the first two weeks. The report noted that he’s also made a big impact in the passing game.
“The reigning Super Bowl MVP, Walker, is first in the league with 360 rushing yards,” the report noted. “He is on pace to become only the 10th player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season. Walker has also been an asset for Patrick Mahomes as a receiver. He caught his second touchdown pass of the season during Sunday’s win.”
The report added that Mahomes is back in a familiar spot after both he and the team struggled in 2025.
“Already a two-time league MVP, Mahomes has again put himself in the conversation this year,” the report noted. “In helping lead the Chiefs to a 3-0 start, Mahomes has thrown seven touchdowns against just two picks while completing an impressive 68.4% of his passes. ”
CBS Sports added that even if Mahomes falls short on winning MVP, he is the frontrunner for another top league honor.
“Mahomes, who missed the final three games of the 2025 season after he tore his left ACL and LCL, could also be considered the front-runner for Comeback Player of the Year through three weeks,” the report noted. “For him to have a chance at winning MVP, Mahomes and the Chiefs will likely need to dethrone Denver as AFC West champions.”
Kenneth Walker III Earns Praise for Opening Up K.C. Offense
The Chiefs made a big investment in their offense when they signed Walker, aiming to add a strong rushing counterpart to Mahomes and the pass attack. Mahomes completed all 14 pass attempts off play action in this week’s win over the Miami Dolphins.
“It’s helping out a ton,” Mahomes said of the impact Walker’s presence has one the passing gamei via ESPN. “I think people look at the stats and they see the touchdowns that Kenneth has and [rookie running back Emmett Johnson] when they’re running the ball. But I don’t think they really understand how the play-action and the movements [within the pocket] is really opened up in our offense. That’s a credit to [the running backs] and the offensive line firing off the ball, run and pass.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Lands in Tough Spot in Early MVP Race