Teammates and coaches on the Arizona Cardinals are convinced that running back David Johnson, who is on pace for over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 20 total touchdowns, stands alone as the best player in the NFL.
“I think he is the best player in the NFL, point-blank,” quarterback Carson Palmer said, via ESPN. “I think he has proven that. Our wins and losses have affected some of the hype that he has not gotten and other guys have gotten because they are on winning teams. He is the best player in the NFL.”
Receiver Larry Fitzgerald said Johnson should be the NFL MVP, while head coach Bruce Arians compared his running back to Edgerrin James and Marshall Faulk.
“There’s nothing he really can’t do,” Arians said.
Johnson gained 175 yards from scrimmage—84 yards rushing, 91 receiving—and scored two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) as the Cardinals beat the Washington Redskins on Sunday. It marked his 12th straight game with 100 or more yards from scrimmage this season.
Johnson now has 1,005 rushing yards, 704 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns in 2016. He ranks first in the NFL in total touchdowns, third in rushing yards and 32nd in receiving yards.
At his current pace, Johnson would gain 2,279 yards from scrimmage. That number would rank 12th all-time in NFL history. He’s also on pace to become just the 10th running back to gain 2,000 yards from scrimmage and score 20 touchdowns in the same season.
Johnson is overlooked as the NFL’s MVP because the Cardinals are just 5-6-1 this season. It will likely take an incredible run to the postseason for Johnson to get any serious consideration for the award, which almost always goes to a top player on one of the NFL’s top teams.
No one should doubt that Johnson has MVP numbers. Now he needs the Cardinals to keep winning.
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