Put OROY in the Trash. Jayden Daniels Is the MVP.

For the last five to seven years, at least one rookie quarterback per season is ready for the bright lights of the NFL more than the rest. C.J. Stroud filled the role last year, Justin Herbert before that, and Lamar Jackson was pretty damn game-ready in 2018. Those are a handful of examples.

Put OROY in the Trash. Jayden Daniels Is the MVP.

This year, Jayden Daniels is the latest, slicing and dicing defense through five games en route to his team’s 4-1 record. Yes, the Washington Commanders are in the NFC East driver’s seat and only trail the Minnesota Vikings in the conference. Daniels is assuredly the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, but that isn’t it.

He’s the NFL MVP through five games. You’re just not really allowed to say it aloud because he’s a rookie.

A no-brainer for OROY isn’t enough. It doesn’t do the man justice. Of course, the usual suspects will be there during January MVP voting: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, C.J. Stroud, and perhaps Joe Burrow if the Cincinnati Bengals turn it around. There’s also an unusual name, Sam Darnold, who deserves MVP consideration.

And then there’s Daniels, who, by the numbers, deserve the award if it were handed out in October. Here’s Daniels’ statistical pace:

• 3,859 Passing Yards
• 1,020 Rushing Yards
• 28 TDs
• 7 INTs

Minus the rushing yards — suppose for a moment they didn’t exist on Daniels’ stat line — he’d still be a quasi-reasonable MVP candidate. The LSU alumnus is that efficient. But on top of a quarterback who’s avoiding mistakes, the Commanders also employ an extra running back’s production with Daniels — in addition to Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler running the rock. Daniels is like a young Lamar Jackson who doesn’t have any issues throwing all over the field. Sometimes, during games, Jackson’s ability to throw surgically outside the numbers falters. Daniels doesn’t have that problem, nor was it a weakness on his scouting report leading up to the draft.

The dual-threat aspect is the game-changer for Washington and the league’s MVP race. Daniels shouldn’t be able to throw for nearly 4,000 passing yards and rush for another 1,000 … as a rookie. Or ever. That’s video game stuff.

Yet, that’s Daniels’ pace through five weeks, and his team could absolutely flirt with homefield advantage throughout the postseason, which feels unthinkable because this is the Commanders. They’re right there, nevertheless. Daniels does it all. The Commanders are also close to making a playoff appearance automatic.

Daniels is also the best quarterback in the sport per EPA+CPOE. Not bad.

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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His NFL obsession dates back to 1989. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.