Which player will be the non-quarterback MVP for each NFC team in 2026?
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- Myles Garrett is the Rams' non-QB MVP, described as 'the best defensive player in football,' and may soon pair with Aaron Donald on LA's defensive line after the team 'paid such a premium to land him.'
- Lane Johnson is the Eagles' pick and 'might be the most important player on the team, even including Jalen Hurts,' with Philly's on-off splits reading 120-62-1 with him in the lineup versus 18-27 without him.
- Micah Parsons is the Packers' selection despite being set to miss a 'non-insignificant portion' of the season recovering from a torn ACL, because 'he's so good and so key' to the defense.
- Trent Williams for the 49ers anchors the San Francisco line, where the team has averaged 0.07 EPA per play with him on the field since 2020, dropping to just south of 0.00 without him.
- Quinnen Williams is the Cowboys' pick as the key to a defense now run in Christian Parker's Vic Fangio-style scheme, where he's 'one of the best two-way interior linemen in the league.'
- Jaelan Phillips signed a four-year, $120 million contract with Carolina and is being counted on to fix a Panthers pass rush that has struggled 'for the last several seasons.'
- Bijan Robinson led the NFL with 2,298 scrimmage yards last season, just signed a 'monster contract,' and is again Atlanta's offensive centerpiece with major question marks at quarterback.
Why it matters: Eight of the 16 picks are trenches players (four offensive tackles, four edge rushers), showing that protection and disruption carry franchise-altering value — Tampa's EPA per play drops from 9th-best to 22nd-best without Tristan Wirfs, and Philly goes 120-62-1 versus 18-27 without Lane Johnson. Teams paying premium contracts (Phillips at $120M, Robinson's extension) are betting that non-QB stars swing contender windows as decisively as any signal-caller.
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