Is Justin Fields a legitimate NFL MVP candidate?

Aaron Rodgers. Lamar Jackson. Patrick Mahomes.

Those are the last four NFL MVPs (Rodgers won it twice). Each player has something in common. First, they’re quarterbacks. But more importantly, they lead winning teams, which makes the Justin Fields MVP talk all that more incredible.

The Chicago Bears fell to 3-7 after losing their sixth game in seven weeks on Sunday to the Detroit Lions. The 31-30 defeat was arguably the worst of the season for coach Matt Eberflus’ squad, the Bears led by 14 points in the second half against a Lions team that had no business flipping the scoreboard.

Fields, however, was remarkable. He totaled four touchdowns and dazzled with highlight plays throughout the game. He was so good that ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky made a case for Fields to be in the MVP conversation during Monday’s episode of Get Up.

.@danorlovsky7 says he believes Justin Fields could play himself into the MVP conversation

“I honestly believe Justin’s play is going to warrant him getting into [the MVP] conversation. … He has been so remarkable over this last month.” pic.twitter.com/aEHBEEAaey

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 14, 2022

Orlovsky didn’t say Fields would win the award, but his points are valid. Imagine if Fields was playing like this for a team with a playoff-worthy roster. There’d be little doubt he’d lead the MVP race through 10 weeks.

Fields’ incredible development is the best-case scenario for a Chicago Bears team in the first year of a rebuild. The hardest piece to find for any championship puzzle in the NFL is the quarterback. The Bears not only have one, they have an MVP-level talent.