Jonathan Taylor & Lamar Jackson are Dominating Plus 3 More MVP Candidates

Jonathan Taylor and Lamar Jackson headline our early-season fantasy football MVP ladder, joined by three more elite candidates making their case in Week 4.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) celebrates a touchdown during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We've only had three weeks of fantasy football, and the fantasy MVP race is already heating up. We have had some massive surprises and have seen some of the same familiar faces as expected. Heading into Week 4, this is our fantasy MVP ladder. 

1. RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts

After a mediocre Week 1, Taylor has exploded over the past two weeks. Already this season, he has 338 rushing yards and three touchdowns to go along with nine receptions for 93 receiving yards and another TD. His league-best 75.1 fantasy points for running backs is 5.2 more fantasy points than the RB2 Christian McCaffrey. It's been complete dominance for our current frontrunner for the 2025 fantasy football MVP. 

Jonathan Taylor won the most fantasy games for his managers for the second-straight week 🏆 pic.twitter.com/frFRKLi5HP

— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) September 23, 2025

2. QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) practices before the game against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium. | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

Jackson maintains his spot at No. 2 on our MVP ladder and once again garnered serious consideration for the top spot. He's once again dominating fantasy football, averaging 27.6 fantasy points per game. That's 3.1 more fantasy points per game than the QB2 Josh Allen. After a massive Week 1, Allen has fallen far off the pace being set by Jackson in what looks to be another historic season in the making. 

3. WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams

Nacua has been a volume-based monster in PPR leagues this season. He already has 29 receptions on 35 targets, which he's taken for 333 yards. However, it is his 45-yard rushing TD in Week 2 that has put him over the top as the current WR1 in fantasy football. If he can start scoring more TDs to go along with the receptions and yards, then he could really pull away from the pack and establish himself as that new elite fantasy wide receiver.  

Most receptions/game in a season:

9.67 — Puka Nacua this season
9.31 — Michael Thomas in 2019 pic.twitter.com/YIzF9F1Z0A

— StatMuse (@statmuse) September 23, 2025

4. WR Amon-Ra St Brown, Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) reacts after a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

St Brown is right behind Nacua, but those two are well ahead of the rest of the pack at this point. Nacua has scored 73.5 fantasy points, St Brown 68.4, then you have a drop off to Rome Odunze, who has scored 62.7 fantasy points. After a slow Week 1, St Brown has scored four TDs over the past two weeks. On the season, he has caught 20 of 25 targets for 237 yards and four TDs. There has been no fall off from St Brown with the offensive coordinator change, as many feared this offseason.   

5. TE Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys

After three weeks, Ferguson is the TE1 on the season. He's now averaging 15.1 fantasy points per game, which is 0.9 more points per game than the TE1 Juwan Johnson. While it's tough for a tight end to climb up the MVP ladder unless they are having a magical season, he deserves his spot at No. 5.