NFL MVP tracker: Kansas City Chiefs QB Alex Smith remains in lead

Nate Davis | USA TODAY

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From Week 1 through Week 17, USA TODAY Sports' NFL staff will be handicapping the race for league MVP. A first-place vote is worth five points, a second-place vote is worth three, and a third-place vote is worth one.

Our MVP tracker after Week 2's games:

1. QB Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (18 points): Reports are already circulating that he'll be on the trade block after the season, and Smith himself has admitted he probably won't be in Kansas City in 2018 with first-round pick Patrick Mahomes positioned to succeed him. But if Smith maintains his current pace, the Chiefs are going to have to think long and hard about letting him go even though his skyrocketing price tag will likely make the decision a foregone conclusion. Smith's 77.8% completion rate, 134.1 passer rating and five TD passes all rank him among league leaders. More important, the undefeated Chiefs are part of a three-way tie atop the AFC West, and the offense has never been more explosive during the Andy Reid era. Last week: 1

2. QB Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (11 points): He was an MVP front runner last year before a broken ankle prematurely ended his candidacy in December. But Carr's picked up right where he left off, guiding the Raiders to a 2-0 start that's allowed them to keep pace in the AFC West. Carr's numbers (75.0% completion rate, 126.5 QB rating, 5 TD passes) are just a tick off Smith's pace — though, in Carr's case, it helped to fatten up on the woeful New York Jets defense. Last week: Unranked

3. RB Kareem Hunt, Chiefs (9 points): He's leading the league in rushing with 229 yards, including a whopping 7.6 yards per carry. Hunt's 355 yards from scrimmage are 111 more than Antonio Brown, who's second in that category. And he's already scored five touchdowns while becoming the first rookie in more than 60 years to hit pay dirt from beyond 50 yards in his first two games. Not bad for a third rounder out of Toledo. Last week: 2

4. QB Trevor Siemian, Denver Broncos (8 points): The guy who replaced Peyton Manning is suddenly starting to perform like him. Siemian's six TD passes are tied for the league lead after he burned the Dallas Cowboys four times in Sunday's surprising rout. Denver probably only needed the third-year passer to be steady in order to get them back to the playoffs. But if Siemian keeps this up, the Broncos will once again be a legitimate Super Bowl threat. Last week: Unranked

5. QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (5 points): The $135 million man has his team in first place courtesy of a signature fourth-quarter comeback in Week 1 and a steady performance in Week 2. Stafford's six TD passes match Siemian for the league lead, and he's also been accurate (71.0% completion percentage) and efficient (114.6 passer rating). Last week: 4

Also receiving votes: Antonio Brown (3 points)

— Week 1 MVP rankings (Alex Smith)

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Follow Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis

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