The mid-point of the NFL season is always a good time to reassess some preseason futures bets and either double down on early favorites or bet on an overlooked long shot. Below, we look at BetMGM‘s odds for the player to be named the NFL’s 2020 MVP, and make our best NFL futures picks and predictions.
2020 NFL MVP predictions: Favorites
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 1:45 p.m. ET.
Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson (-164)
Wilson is finally getting some long-overdue credit in his ninth NFL season. He leads the NFL with 26 touchdowns through just seven games while completing 71.5% of his passes for 2,151 yards. He has thrown just 6 interceptions and has added 260 yards on the ground.
The Seahawks are among the Super Bowl LV favorites atop the NFC West at 6-1 and are well on their way to a third straight postseason berth. Seattle has scored at least 30 points in all but one game, and Wilson’s passing attack is the main reason.
Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (+300)
Mahomes is second to Wilson by the odds. His 21 touchdown passes through eight games are just 5 fewer than his total from the 2019 regular season. He has thrown for 2,315 yards with just one interception on 284 attempts with a completion percentage of 66.9.
The trouble for Mahomes is the same fate that has previously befallen Tom Brady in the NFL and LeBron James in the NBA. With one regular-season MVP and a Super Bowl MVP under his belt already, his performance in 2020 seems oddly pedestrian by his own elite standards.
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2020 NFL MVP predictions: Contenders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady (+1100)
Brady has the Buccaneers atop the NFC South at 6-2 in his first season in Tampa Bay. Getting the Bucs to the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and holding off the New Orleans Saints for the division title could be enough to win him his fourth MVP in his first season outside of the New England Patriots organization.
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (+2200)
The Steelers (7-0) are the NFL’s last undefeated team of 2020. Roethlisberger is leading a strong turnaround after Pittsburgh went just 8-8 in 2019 with Big Ben missing all but two games due to injury. The 38-year-old has never won an MVP, either, so voters could view this as somewhat of a lifetime achievement award for the likely future Hall of Famer.
2020 NFL MVP predictions: Long shots
Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen (+3500)
Allen, and the Bills, have cooled off since starting the season 4-0. They’ve gone 2-2 in their last four games, and while they’ve won two straight, Allen has zero touchdown passes and one interception in those two wins.
The third-year signal-caller has taken big strides from his sophomore season and is completing 67.1% of his passes. He has led two fourth-quarter comebacks and three game-winning drives, and has run for four scores.
Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook (+10000)
A running back hasn’t won the NFL MVP since Adrian Peterson did so as a member of the Vikings in 2012. Cook’s Vikings are last in the NFC North at 2-5 through eight weeks, but they have an outside shot of still getting to the playoffs or even the top of the division after beating the Green Bay Packers 28-22 in Week 8.
Cook scored a total of four touchdowns in that game and leads the NFL with 11 rushing and receiving scores, despite playing just six games. He’s the focal point of the Minnesota offense and if the Vikes can overcome a horrible start, he’ll get his share of the credit.
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