Durant Picks Purdy as 2026 NFL MVP
Kevin Durant named Brock Purdy his 2026 NFL MVP as the 49ers enter their Week 8 bye at 6-1.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Football
Kevin Durant picked Brock Purdy as his 2026 NFL MVP while making his weekly game picks with FanDuel. Purdy has completed 146 of 211 passes for 1,748 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions, and the 49ers are 6-1 entering their Week 8 bye.
Why it matters
Durant said Purdy is playing at an insane level, accurate and moving well inside and outside the pocket. The pick adds to the growing MVP conversation around Purdy after his strong start to the season.
Purdy has completed 69.2% of his passes (146 of 211) for 1,748 yards with 15 touchdowns and four interceptions. He leads NFL quarterbacks with a 53.0% success rate, while his 110.1 passer rating ranks third in the league, though his full-season MVP standing remains unsettled.
The players
Kevin Durant
Durant is a retired NBA star and Phoenix Suns forward who now makes weekly NFL picks with FanDuel.
Brock Purdy
Purdy is the San Francisco 49ers quarterback who finished fourth in NFL MVP voting in 2023.
Kevin Petra
Petra is an NFL.com analyst who ranks players in weekly MVP rankings.
The details
Durant made the MVP selection while picking NFL game winners each week with FanDuel. NFL.com's Kevin Petra dropped Purdy to No. 2 in his MVP ranking behind Josh Allen after the 49ers lost to the Atlanta Falcons, without Mike Evans in the lineup for Atlanta.
Timeline
2023: Purdy finished fourth in NFL MVP voting.
Week 7: Petra ranked Purdy first before the Atlanta loss.
Week 8: The 49ers enter their bye with a 6-1 record.
Season Trajectory
Purdy's 2023 fourth-place finish in NFL MVP voting set the stage for his 2026 candidacy, which now depends on whether the 49ers can turn a 6-1 start into an NFC top seed. A strong finish after the bye would put him in the middle of the MVP race.
Purdy's league-leading 53.0% success rate and third-ranked 110.1 passer rating make him a strong option for fantasy managers weighing quarterback starts. Fans tracking MVP races should watch how he performs once the 49ers return from their bye.
The takeaway
Purdy's advanced metrics suggest his 2026 MVP case rests on efficiency as much as raw totals. Watching his performance after the bye will show whether that efficiency holds.
What happens next
The 49ers return from their Week 8 bye, where Purdy's play will shape his MVP standing.
Further reading
Follow the latest in Football coverage for context on Purdy's season.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NBC Bay Area.
