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AIPROPX ReportCBS Sports · 2h ago
Who will be the non-quarterback MVP for every AFC team in 2026?
The end-all, be-all in the NFL continues to revolve around the quarterback position. If you have one that's considered to be elite, well, you'll routinely be in the Super Bowl conversation. Being in the championship discourse, however, is a far cry from actually lifting the Lombardi Trophy. For that, the rest of the team enters the equation as championship squads need other star pillars to reach the mountaintop.
So, while we can simply pinpoint each team's quarterback as their most valuable player, we're going to cast the QBs off to the side for this exercise. Below, the non-quarterback MVPs for each AFC team in the 2026 season step forward.
Buffalo has had a major hole atop its wide receiver depth chart essentially since trading Stefon Diggs . Over the last two seasons, they've ranked 21st in receptions, 23rd in receiving yards, and tied for 21st in receiving touchdowns among wide receivers. That lack of top talent at the position has lowered their ceiling amid Josh Allen's prime, but they've looked to fix that with the addition of DJ Moore. The Bills struck a deal with the Chicago Bears to acquire Moore, reuniting him with head coach Joe Brady, who was his offensive coordinator during their shared time with the Panthers (2020-21). Over that stretch, Moore averaged 1,175 receiving yards. If he can provide that level of play with Allen now throwing him the football, it should make Buffalo's offense that much tougher to defend.
A new contract for Gonzalez is imminent, and Robert Kraft has already stated that the All-Pro corner will become the highest-paid player in team history. If the dollars and cents on a looming mega extension don't show how important Gonzalez is to New England's prospects in 2026, let's look at his on-field production. Last season, Gonzalez allowed just 44.9% of his targets against him as the primary defender in coverage to be completed. In the playoffs, that completion rate dropped to 36.7%, showing he elevated in the highest-pressure moments. If the Patriots want to get back to the Super Bowl, Gonzalez will be a major piece of the puzzle.
The Dolphins offense has major questions after an offseason where the franchise overhauled the unit. Tua Tagovailoa , Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are gone, and the keys of the offense under center are being handed to Malik Willis . One of the key holdovers from the previous regime, however, is De'Von Achane . The fourth-year running back has proven to be one of the more electrifying players in the entire NFL, possessing the ability to break off into the end zone with a single touch. He led the NFL with a 5.7 yards per carry average last season and posted a career-high 1,350 yards rushing during the regular season. What better way to help Willis as he embarks on his first season as the full-time starter in Miami than giving him the ability to hand it off to Achane, who can score in the blink of an eye?
New York is coming off a 2025 season in which the defense ranked at or near the bottom of the league in key categories. While most note that the Jets became the first team in NFL history to finish a season with zero interceptions, they also ranked 31st in total sacks (26) and dead last in pressure rate (28%). Naturally, those defensive inefficiencies forced New York to deploy a ton of resources on defense this offseason, including selecting Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft . Bailey was tied for the most sacks (14.5) and had the second-most pressures (81) in FBS last season. New York hopes he can come in and immediately help claw this pass rush out of the basement.
The Steelers' acquisition of Michael Pittman Jr. from the Colts is one of those moves that feels forgotten but will be quickly remembered once the regular season kicks off. Pittman is a pivotal answer to the No. 2 receiving question opposite DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh's offense. Last season, Metcalf led the team with 850 receiving yards. Meanwhile, the other Steelers receivers combined for just 866 yards receiving. Pittman comes in as not only a clear-cut second option for Aaron Rodgers , but the veteran quarterback (who averaged just 6.7 yards per attempt in 2025) could pepper the veteran on shorter routes. It wouldn't be surprising to see Pittman (who has the sixth-most receptions in the NFL over the last four seasons) lead the Steelers in targets.
The Ravens defense was mediocre in 2025, and a big reason why Jesse Minter was hired as head coach was to help restore Baltimore's reputation of having one of the toughest units in the league. One thing Minter will specifically need to focus on his getting that sack number up, as the Ravens were tied for the third-fewest sacks (28) in the league in 2025. To do that, they added Trey Hendrickson by signing the former Bengals edge rusher to a four-year, $112 million deal. Baltimore is looking for Hendrickson to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2025 season, where he was limited to just seven games due to a hip injury. Hendrickson has the third-most sacks (74.5) in the NFL since 2020, and it wasn't that long ago (2024) when he led the league with 17.5 sacks. If the Ravens get the 2024 version of Hendrickson, the defense will turn around overnight.
Cincinnati pushed the No. 10 overall pick into the middle of the table this offseason to land All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence in a trade with the Giants . This blockbuster was part of the Bengals' overarching offseason effort to elevate the defense to a more respectable level. In 2025, the unit ranked 30th in points per game allowed (28.9), 31st in yards per game allowed (380.9) and last in yards per play allowed (6.2). They also allowed the most rushing yards per game (147.1) and the second-most yards per rush (5.2) in the league last season. While the team did bring in other notable veterans, Lawrence is the linchpin to get this defense to play at a higher level. If they become an average unit, it could be enough ...
MVPAFCMoore'sBuffaloWill Anderson Jr.'sHoustonFrom D.J
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