The vast majority of fans and experts believe the Rams improved by acquiring Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions this offseason. Whether they overpaid to land Stafford is something that’s been debated heavily, but the offense should be significantly better with Stafford than it was with Jared Goff last season.
It’s also reasonable to think Stafford will have better numbers with the Rams than he did in Detroit, largely thanks to a strong supporting cast and Sean McVay calling the plays. With the NFL adding a regular-season game, too, 5,000 yards shouldn’t be out of reach for the veteran – a number Richard Sherman expects Stafford to hit.
When it comes to MVP candidates, Stafford is up there among the favorites. According to BetMGM, only six players have better odds to win 2021 NFL MVP than Stafford, who is +1800 (18/1). That means a $100 wager would return a profit of $1,800 if Stafford wins MVP.
- Patrick Mahomes: +600
- Aaron Rodgers: +800
- Josh Allen: +1400
- Lamar Jackson: +1400
- Kyler Murray: +1400
- Tom Brady: +1600
Slightly behind Stafford are Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson, who are tied at +2000. The top nine contenders are unsurprisingly all quarterbacks, with Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry tied for 10th at +2500; they’re the top non-quarterbacks.
As for other Rams players, Aaron Donald’s odds sit at +10000, or 100/1. Cam Akers is a bit further down at +15000, with Cooper Kupp’s odds being +25000. Those are the only Rams players listed with MVP odds, but even Akers and Kupp are long shots to win the coveted award.
It’s worth mentioning that Goff’s MVP odds are +12500, which puts him lower than presumed No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence (+8000).
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