Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud named potential dark horse MVP candidate for 2024 NFL season
Ah, offseason discussion around awards for the upcoming year. Throwing darts at a dart board, basically. That being said, it is interesting to preview how award races may shake out. 2024 has plenty of narratives to watch, and the Houston Texans quarterback deserves plenty of respect. C.J. Stroud listed as dark horse MVP candidate for […]
Ah, offseason discussion around awards for the upcoming year. Throwing darts at a dart board, basically. That being said, it is interesting to preview how award races may shake out. 2024 has plenty of narratives to watch, and the Houston Texans quarterback deserves plenty of respect.
C.J. Stroud listed as dark horse MVP candidate for 2024
Judy Battista listed a handful of candidates, and the Texans QB made the ranks.
Stroud likely won't be a dark horse much longer, if he even counts as one at all now following a dynamic rookie season in which he overcame a shuffled offensive line and absences from each member of a superb group of pass catchers. How could Stroud make the leap from 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year to MVP in just one season? The addition of Stefon Diggs to the cast of weapons will help. Diggs has had six straight 1,000 yard receiving seasons. He scored eight touchdowns in a diminished role in Buffalo in 2023, but he still has the route-running ability and the hands to give Stroud the big-moment security that only a veteran like him can bring. Stroud is already on the MVP radar. Big play in the Texans' slate of prime-time games will elevate him into the conversation quickly, and he will probably stay there for years to come.
As Battista noted, it is tough to see Stroud as a dark horse at this point. He got MVP discussions in 2023 as a rookie. Now, he is at the forefront of the top quarterback talks around the league.
As a rookie, Stroud took care of the football last season. He threw just five interceptions competed to 23 touchdowns. His receiving core dealt with a plethora of injuries, too. Now, they are healthy and improved. Stroud threw for over 4,000 passing yards as well.
Stroud was the only AFC South QB named to list
None of the other signal callers from the Texans' division made the cut for Battista. Some may argue that Anthony Richardson has an MVP-level ceiling, but he must stay healthy. He was impressive in 2023 when he played, but he missed a bulk of the year due to injury.
As for Trevor Lawrence, it was an overall disapppoitnig campaign for him and the Jags as they sputtered down the stretch. He's got some new faces around him on offense, including rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr., so we will see how he progresses.
Will Levis in Tennessee is the other starter in the AFC South. He played better than many expected last season once he became their starter, but Stroud certainly deserves the recognition as a potential MVP candidate for 2024 over him.
If Stroud leads the Texans to another postseason berth, he will be at the top of the running for the award – most likely.
Expect players like Stroud, Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson to be a few of the often-mentioned names for years to come.
Houston Texans are already showcasing the chemistry between C.J. Stroud and Stefon Diggs at OTAs
The Texans will have an elite WR corps.
