The NFL MVP odds for the 2021 season have received a big update as of Wednesday on SportsBetting.ag, and reigning award winner Aaron Rodgers is chasing front-runner Patrick Mahomes in the latest lines.
Mahomes (+500) is the clear heavy favorite, well out in front of Rodgers (+900), Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen (+1000) and new Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (+1400).
Here’s a look at the complete NFL MVP odds:
| Player | 2021 NFL MVP odds |
| Patrick Mahomes | +500 |
| Aaron Rodgers | +900 |
| Josh Allen | +1000 |
| Matthew Stafford | +1400 |
| Dak Prescott | +1600 |
| Kyler Murray | +1600 |
| Lamar Jackson | +1600 |
| Tom Brady | +1600 |
| Justin Herbert | +2000 |
| Russell Wilson | +2000 |
| Carson Wentz | +2500 |
| Deshaun Watson | +2500 |
| Baker Mayfield | +3300 |
| Joe Burrow | +3300 |
| Ryan Tannehill | +3300 |
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NFL MVP odds 2021: Breaking down biggest favorites
It didn’t even matter that Rodgers wasn’t given any new weapons to play with prior to last year. He used the fact that Green Bay drafted his eventual successor, Jordan Love, as motivation if anything, and put up probably his best season ever.
Once again, the Packers have failed to make any meaningful additions on offense. They should be feeling more heat to capitalize on Rodgers’ prime and earn more than one Super Bowl win, but alas. Whatever the circumstances in 2021, expect another monster showing from Green Bay’s golden-armed QB.
While Stafford should benefit greatly in moving Detroit to Los Angeles, it’s bold to have him as the fourth candidate for MVP ahead of others. Not only is it a new system he’s entering into, but he’s not the same type of dual-threat playmaker who can pile up yards on the ground like, say, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray or Russell Wilson.
Bottom line: Mahomes is the man to beat for a reason. He won the award in his first full year as a starter in 2018. Two full years removed from that, there’s no reason why Mahomes shouldn’t be considered the favorite. He’s due.
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Considering that Tom Brady is considered the greatest quarterback of all-time, and is returning all the starters from his offense that won the Super Bowl last season, he seems like really good value at +1600.
Brady might get an honorary, almost ceremonial MVP nod even if other players put up slightly better numbers. That’s partially because he played at such an elite level in 2020 despite joining a new team for the first time in two decades and getting acquainted with a whole new offense and personnel.
With more time to get on the same page with everyone, it stands to reason Brady can improve on a 2020 campaign that saw him finish third in the NFL with 4,633 passing yards and 40 touchdown tosses.
Moving further down the line, how about Justin Herbert at +2000? Although he’s transitioning to a new offense, many didn’t believe Herbert had the wherewithal to play as an NFL rookie last year. We all saw how that misguided prognostication turned out.
As long as the Los Angeles Chargers upgrade their offensive line well enough through the draft, Herbert should be in ideal position to be a legitimate MVP candidate.
Among the true long shots, Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns isn’t a horrible bet at +3300. He’ll be in the best situation among the other QBs with those odds. It’s just a question of whether he’ll get enough opportunities to air it out, since Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt form arguably the NFL’s best backfield tandem.
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