The NFL Offensive Player of the Year race is setting up to be one of the most competitive award battles throughout the rest of the season, with some of the best skill players in the world all off to great starts in 2025.
Even though Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson don't figure to be factors in the race due to injuries to both of their quarterbacks, but Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown have taken over the mantle as the most productive receivers so far this season. In addition, a deep stable of running backs is off to a great start through four weeks.
Who ends up at the top of the list? Let's dive into it.
Honorable mention: Bills RB James Cook, Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Eagles RB Saquon Barkley
5. Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Ever since a dismal Week 1 performance for the Lions offense against the Green Bay Packers, Dan Campbell's squad has been rolling on the offensive end in the last three weeks. The Lions are now 3-1, and the vibes are back to where they were last season for most of the regular season.
Jared Goff is back to playing great football, and the Lions are back to weaponizing Amon-Ra St. Brown and utilizing him all over the field. Even without Ben Johnson pulling the strings, the Lions have been very good at generating mismatches for St. Brown, and that should give him a chance to make a run at this award.
St. Brown is already racking up the counting stats: 27 catches for 307 yards and a league-leading six receiving touchdowns. His targets are down relative to what one would expect, but the Lions have been playing a lot of blowouts and running the ball in plenty of 4th quarters so far. Some more competitive contests as the schedule heats up could see an uptick in volume for the star receiver.
4. 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey
Christian McCaffrey is always a threat both on the ground and through the air, and that versatility has been on display through four games. The injuries to Brock Purdy and a number of San Francisco pass-catchers have only amplified the star running back's role in the offense.
The 49ers run game hasn't quite gotten going yet, as McCaffrey has just 225 yards on the ground through four games. He has been a feature in the passing game for the 49ers, catching 31 balls for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
The traditional running back production may not be there for McCaffrey, but he will have a real chance to surpass both 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards this season. If he can lift this 49ers offense and make it into a quality unit even with all the injuries, that could be enough to garner Offensive Player of the Year consideration.
3. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson
Bijan Robinson is another 1,000-1,000 candidate after his red-hot start to the season, but he has a chance to lead the league in rushing on top of it. So far this year, Robinson is ranked fifth in the league in rushing with 314 yards and a touchdown. On top of that, he has caught 18 passes for 270 yards and a score through the air.
Robinson is one of the best players in the league at making guys miss, and he currently leads the NFL in missed tackles forced with 24 according to PFF. The Atlanta offensive line has been banged up at the start of the year, so getting some of those guys healthy should open up some more holes for Robinson in the run game as well.
The Texas product splits carries at times with Tyler Allgeier, but there is more than enough to go around in the Falcons' run-heavy offense. Few teams run the ball as well as the Falcons do, and that should keep Robinson right in the middle of this race for the rest of the season.
2. Colts RB Jonathan Taylor
The Indianapolis Colts have been one of the surprises of the NFL so far this season, and Jonathan Taylor has been one of the main driving forces behind that resurgence. Taylor has looked like his peak self so far in 2025, and is one of the leaders in the clubhouse for the Offensive Player of the Year award as a result.
Through four weeks, Taylor leads the league in rushing with 414 yards on 77 carries and has found the end zone three times. He also has 113 receiving yards and has another score through the air, so he has been producing at a torrid rate for Shane Steichen's offense.
It's well-known that Steichen wants to pound the rock, and that is the way to take some of the burden off of Daniel Jones and the passing game. That is clearly the winning formula for the Colts, and Taylor will continue to see a heavy workload as the Colts chase an AFC South title.
Indianapolis' offensive line has also beeb performing at a high level this year, allowing Taylor to do his thing even against very good defensive fronts like the Broncos and the Rams. As the schedule lightens up a bit, his numbers could get even bigger.
1. Rams WR Puka Nacua
Puka Nacua has been playing at such a high level this season that he cracked the quarter-season MVP ballot, so naturally he is the leader for the Offensive Player of the Year award at this point.
Nacua is on a ridiculous pace this season, one that would see him shatter the single-season records for both receptions and receiving yards. He is up over 500 yards receiving through four games, and his versatility is what really unlocks this Rams offense and makes him more valuable than the typical star wide receiver.
Nacua can line up anywhere on the field. He plays out of the slot, on the outside or lined up in the numerous condensed sets that Sean McVay likes to deploy. Nacua is also essentially an extra tight end in the run game and is capable of holding his own as a blocker against any front seven member on the other side.
The blocking may not factor as much into the Offensive Player of the Year race as much as maybe it should, but at this rate, the receiving numbers will be more than enough to garner significant consideration for the award.
