Dan Orlovsky says Vikings' Justin Jefferson is the NFL's MVP

Jefferson is putting up big numbers and unlocking the Vikings' entire offense.

Sep 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates his touchdown against the Houston Texans in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Sam Darnold is getting some MVP buzz during the Vikings' 4-0 start, ranking among the top five favorites for the award by betting odds through the season's first month. ESPN's Dan Orlovsky thinks the league MVP is a different player on Minnesota's offense.

"The Minnesota Vikings, 4-0, and a lot of people probably think, well, it's because of their quarterback, he's the MVP of the NFL," Orlovsky said. "No. The receiver is the MVP of the NFL right now."

The receiver, of course, is Justin Jefferson, the Vikings' superstar and face of the franchise. In a film session on ESPN with fellow ex-players Andrew Hawkins and Jason McCourty, Orlovsky broke down three plays against the Packers to explain what makes Jefferson so great.

The first clip shown is of his spectacular touchdown catch in the second quarter, where Jefferson was blanketed by Keisean Nixon and still managed to pin the ball against his chest with one hand. It was the fourth TD in as many games for No. 18.

"You know he just says 'Yo, put it literally anywhere and I'm gonna come down with it,'" Hawkins said. "There are so few wide receivers, even in the NFL, with that kind of ability."

The next clip is of Jordan Addison's touchdown catch on the Vikings' opening drive. How did Addison get single coverage that he was able to roast for a TD? Because the middle-of-the-field safety is fully shaded to the side of the field where No. 18 lined up.

"So Addison gets that touchdown because of Justin Jefferson and the gravity that he pulls," Orlovsky said.

Hawkins also pointed out how if the safety would've shaded towards Addison's side, Jefferson would've been wide open for a touchdown instead.

The final clip shown is actually a run by Aaron Jones. And it's not there because Jefferson makes a spectacular block, but because the corner covering him fully turns to run with him and there's a safety playing way over the top of him as well, giving Jones all kinds of space.

"Look at the advantage it is for your run game because Justin Jefferson lifts two defenders," Orlovsky said.

"The Vikings are 4-0, they're the best team in the NFC by record right now, and they have the MVP of football. He's not a quarterback, it's Justin Jefferson."

MVP@Vikings #nfllive @Hawk 👊🏻 @JasonMcCourty pic.twitter.com/nhZo5XwZdX

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) October 3, 2024

Now, to be clear, it is extraordinarily unlikely that Jefferson will win MVP this year, given that it's never happened in NFL history. When he led the league with 128 catches and 1,809 yards in 2022, he finished fifth in MVP voting and settled for winning offensive player of the year instead. History tells us that if anyone from the Vikings is going to win it, it'll be Darnold.

But Orlovsky makes a pretty compelling case that Jefferson is the piece that makes everything click in the Vikings' offense. Their hot start to this season has been as much about him, his talent, and his gravity as it's been about Darnold's strong play.