NFL Power Rankings – Top MVP Candidates for 2012 Season

With the start of the NFL training camps just around the corner, its time to look at the players likely to battle it out for MVP this season. Several big name stars are in the running, but every year a sleeper or two come out of the wood work and here is a closer look at players that could take home the coveted hardware at season's end.

Aaron Rodgers won the award last year and he is the front-runner for the upcoming season. Green Bay has an explosive offense and their leader has several quality weapons to choose from. If the Packers play anything like they have the past two years, Rodgers could win his second straight MVP trophy.

The top running back in the race is Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson. While he missed several games with a knee injury last year, his progress has him ready to start the year at 100 percent. Peterson will see plenty of carries with young quarterback Christian Ponder running the offense, but the Vikings will need to bring along their best offensive weapon slowly during the pre-season and keep him fresh during the regular season to get his best performance each week.

The biggest sleeper this season is Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos. The veteran quarterback missed all of last year with a neck injury and will play his first year outside of Indianapolis, but with the added weapons the Broncos front office have added, health is the only thing keeping this All-Pro from having another terrific season on his résumé.

The NFL is more of a passing league with all the recent rule changes and that favors quarterbacks, but one big season from any player can have them in the running for MVP and most fans can't wait for the season to begin.

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