Darkhorse NFL MVP Candidates

Football's back and, thank goodness, it's back. Between the seven-month hiatus and other sports, it can be a long, grueling wait for the average fan. Since football is pretty much back, who can steal the NFL MVP award by the end of the season?

• Kareem Hunt (Kansas City Chiefs): The NFL's leading rusher for last season, the Kansas City running back had 1,327 rushing yards on 272 carries and eight touchdowns to boot. Hunt averaged 4.9 yards per carry and only lost one fumble all season, showing he can be trusted to secure the football.
  
• Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers): Allen came back from a 2016 season that saw him miss most of that season with an injury by putting up solid numbers. 1,393 receiving yards, six touchdowns, and 102 receptions make for a solid stat line for an underrated receiver.
  
• Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh Steelers): As good as Brown is, nobody talks about him as a potential MVP. If Pittsburgh breaks through and dominates the AFC this year, expect Brown to play an integral role in Pittsburgh's dominance.
  
• Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers): The way this 49ers team rallied after starting 1-10 last year when Garoppolo was named the starter is impressive. If the Niners carry that moment into a playoff berth this season behind their new franchise quarterback, there should be some talk about Jimmy G winning the MVP.
  
• Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions): Stafford has gotten better over the years, cutting back on his interceptions (he had ten last season). Stafford also had 4,446 passing yards, a 99.3 rating, and 29 passing touchdowns to boot. If the Lions do well this season, Stafford should get some love in the MVP discussion.