Colorado Buffaloes star wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter believes that Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley helped his MVP case this past weekend. While discussing the matter on his popular “The Travis Hunter Show” YouTube channel, Hunter explained how Barkley beat Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the game and, in his opinion, surpassed him for MVP as well.
Since leaving the New York Giants in free agency, Barkley has completely rejuvenated his career and shown that he is one of, if not the best player in all of football. This season, Barkley has 1,499 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, and is averaging 6.1 yards per carry. As a receiver this year, he has 29 receptions for another 267 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
What Did Travis Hunter Say about Saquon Barkley and the MVP?
Hunter expressed his belief that Barkley drastically improved his case for the league’s MVP following the Eagles’ 24-19 win over the Ravens.
“I think he is definitely going to win,” Hunter outlined. He added how defeating Jackson in the game also improves the optics for those voting in favor of Barkley.
“That win over the Ravens definitely helped him because I think it was just him and Lamar. Yeah, he has a slight edge because he beat Lamar, and he had a good game and tough game,” he added.
The full comments and discussion can be found at the 22-minute mark onwards in the video above.
Is Barkley the NFL MVP Favorite After Dominant Ravens Performance?
Though Barkley is having arguably the best season of his career and still has five more games to add to his tallies, there are other players around the NFL who are right there in the MVP conversation as well — specifically Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Allen is having a phenomenal campaign in a year in which many football fans and analysts believed he would take a step back. The offensive departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, as well as numerous defensive subtractions, made people question whether the Bills and Allen would succeed this season.
However, Allen has shut down all of those questions and thrived under Buffalo’s new offensive scheme. He currently has 2,691 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, and only five interceptions. Allen has also run for an additional 334 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
As of now, Barkley and Allen appear to be the two favorites for the prestigious award. If history tells us anything, it’s that the MVP does favor the quarterback position. Thus, Allen does have the advantage. However, Barkley is having a remarkable campaign that shouldn’t go unnoticed, a sentiment echoed by Hunter.