The latest episode of “The Athletic Football Show” focuses on an unlikely MVP contender who refuses to fall back in the ongoing race.

Shaheed joins the Seattle receiver room that includes arguably the best receiver in the game right now, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He leads the league with 948 receiving yards through eight games. Now quarterback Sam Darnold has another key target.

The 2025 NFL season is now past the halfway point, which means the corresponding fantasy football campaign is rounding into the final turn.

Seattle's blowout of the Washington Commanders on Sunday night was a clinic by Darnold and also featured a swarming, attacking defense that ranks fifth in the league in scoring (18.8 points allowed per game) and is tied for third in sacks (27).

Darnold is playing as well as any QB in football, benefiting from what might be the Seahawks' best pass protection in over a decade.

When Sunday night's game hit halftime, Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was unaware that he had not thrown an incompletion in the first 30 minutes of play against the Commanders.

I think when it comes to MVP, and I have to clarify that I do have a vote, the first thing is the MVP vote does not include the postseason, which I wish it would, but there's a timing thing with the NFL honors and the Super Bowl and all that.

Seattle got exceptional performances from their MVP candidate quarterback, their Offensive Player of the Year favorite and an undrafted DB.