We’re about four months away from the start of the 2020 NFL regular season, but it’s not too soon to start speculating about who the Most Valuable Player of the upcoming season will be. Last year’s MVP was Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who became the second player ever elected unanimously, along with Tom Brady in 2010. Jackson became the only player ever to win the Heisman Trophy and the NFL’s MVP trophy. Obviously, the MVP award is based only on regular season performance, as Jackson and the Ravens were shocked in the divisional round of the playoffs by the Tennessee Titans, turning a 14-2 regular season into a one-and-done postseason. Who will win this coming season? Take a look at the available NFL MVP betting odds and our thoughts on some of the contenders.
NFL Betting: Regular Season Early MVP Odds
Regular Season Contender Odds
- Patrick Mahomes +600
- Lamar Jackson +750
- Russell Wilson +900
- Kyler Murray +1000
- Tom Brady +1200
- Dak Prescott, Deshaun Watson +1800
- Carson Wentz +2000
- Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees +2200
- Christian McCaffrey, Jameis Winston +2500
- Ezekiel Elliott +2800
- Baker Mayfield, Matt Ryan +3300
- Ben Roethlisberger, Jimmy Garoppolo, Kirk Cousins, Philip Rivers +4000
- Cam Newton, Derrick Henry, Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford +5000
- Dalvin Cook, Daniel Jones, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen (QB), Michael Thomas, Nick Chubb, Tua Tagovailoa +6600
- Ryan Tannehill, Sam Darnold, Saquon Barkley +8000
- Aaron Donald, Alvin Kamara +10000
The favorite is Patrick Mahomes, who won the MVP in 2018 and then added a Super Bowl trophy to his case this past season. He missed some time during the 2019 season after injuring a kneecap, and that made it tough for him to garner consideration for the MVP as a result. However, he should enter 2020 with a full head of steam and confidence, and the Chiefs should be a dominant contender once again.
Lamar Jackson was a +4100 underdog to win the MVP when the 2019 campaign started. However, he threw 36 touchdown passes against just six interceptions, picking up 3,127 yards through the air. He also ran for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns, breaking Michael Vick’s record for rushing yards in a season by a quarterback. The problem came when the Tennessee Titans jumped out to a lead, and the run-first approach of the Ravens was unable to keep up with the Titans’ scoring. The Ravens had to change their approach to pass-first, and Jackson was not able to make the adjustment. I expect him to come back with plenty of motivation this time around.
What about Tom Brady? The expectations are sky-high in Tampa Bay, as Rob Gronkowski has come out of retirement to join his former teammate. The Buccaneers have speedy wideouts in a corps led by Mike Evans and a pair of talented tight ends. Can Brady excel in a division that also has the New Orleans Saints? The Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers are in a bit of a rebuild, but even a wild card finish would be gravy for the Buccaneers. I’m not sure that’s enough to give the GOAT an MVP nod, though.
Kyler Murray is an interesting pick. He now has DeAndre Hopkins as his top wide receiver, and he grew considerably as a passer in his rookie campaign. I like the Cardinals to snag a wild card, and Murray’s arm and legs will play a role if they can get there. Some sleeper picks I like include Baker Mayfield. I think he ate his humble pie last year in Cleveland, and having an NFL-caliber offensive line will help him dramatically. He has the talent on the field to lead the Browns up and down the field, and Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are looking like a team on the decline and a rebuild, respectively. If the Browns split with Baltimore again this year and can win the division, Mayfield could get that MVP. One more sleeper is Ryan Tannehill, who may have had the best second half of the 2019 campaign of any of the NFL’s quarterbacks. Now that he has his big contract, can he do it for a full season in a very winnable AFC South?
