Tag: most valuable player

Saints one of the few teams without a league MVP in team history

No Saints player has ever won the NFL MVP award. History and current roster construction tell you the drought likely won’t end soon:

The New Orleans Saints are one of seven teams in the NFL to never have a regular season Most Valuable Player. That drought likely won’t end any time soon. Drew Brees has a Super Bowl MVP and a couple of snubs for the regular season award, but he was never named league MVP.

This is a quarterback award. Ironically, the last non-quarterback to win this award was LaDainian Tomlinson who won it in Brees’ only first-team All-Pro season in 2006. If any player on the current Saints team would win it, it would have to be Derek Carr.

Derek Carr turned 33 this offseason, and it’s unlikely he has an MVP season left in him. Klint Kubiak’s system is quarterback-friendly, and the hope is he will improve from last year. Being the best quarterback in the league is just a longshot.

History just doesn’t suggest a 33-year-old quarterback will turn into a MVP candidate at that age. There’s been very few players to win the award at that age, let alone win the first ever of their career.

Positional value means the Saints likely won’t have an MVP until they get a young quarterback in the building. Of the seven teams looking for their first winner, four of them have a young quarterback currently on the roster.

The New York Jets have Aaron Rodgers, so they feel that MVP window is still open. That leaves the Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the two teams who don’t feel like they have a quarterback who could win an MVP in 2024 or grow into an MVP candidate.

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Derek Carr projected as Saints’ team MVP by NFL.com analyst

Chris Olave, Demario Davis, and Tyrann Mathieu were options but this NFL.com writer predicts Derek Carr will be the Saints’ team MVP in 2024:

NFL.com lead draft writer Eric Edholm recently predicted each team’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024 season, and he’s a believer in Derek Carr. Edholm selected Carr to take a step up in his second year with the New Orleans Saints and earn recognition as the team’s MVP.

Edholm expressed his hesitance to lean too heavily into quarterbacks when making these selections around the league. Positional value plays a part in this award yearly, as was the case for Edholm with the Saints, but Carr was the beset choice for what he was looking for:

I sat and stared at the Saints’ roster for longer than I want to admit, trying to figure out if Carr was indeed the right choice. I couldn’t quite pick Demario Davis or Tyrann Mathieu, two guys heading into the gloaming of their careers, terrific as both might have been last year. Chris Olave was naturally an option, but I couldn’t forget how he and Carr struggled to get on the same page at times last season, unsure how to weigh that. And in the positional hierarchy of things, quarterback trumps receiver every time. 

Quarterback does trump receiver nine times out of ten. If Olave has a great season, it would just likely be a part of a great Derek Carr season. When you look at receivers who won Offensive Player of the Year recently, they were the the only true receiving option on their teams. They also had at least 1.700 yards. Neither of those things are likely in Olave’s 2024 future with guys like Rashid Shaheed, Alvin Kamara, and Juwan Johnson drawing targets.

Carr is the best option when looking at all the factors. Mathieu and, specifically, Davis feel like more sure things, but they aren’t at positions of “high value.” Carr is looking for a bounce-back season after an uneven 2023 campaign in New Orleans.

If he can achieve success in Klint Kubiak’s offense, Carr will earn the team’s MVP award, and the Saints will end the season in a better place because of it.

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2023 Saints season awards: Team MVP, Rookie of the Year, and more

It wasn’t all bad for the Saints in 2023. Some individual performances deserve recognition. Here are our picks for Team MVP, Rookie of the Year, and more

It wasn’t all bad for the New Orleans Saints in 2023. Some individual performances deserve recognition for doing their part to help the team end the year with a winning record.

Here are our picks for the Saints’ team awards:

  • Most Valuable Player
  • Rookie of the Year
  • Breakout Player of the Year
  • Most-Improved Player
  • Comeback Player of the Year

Chris Olave, Demario Davis make ESPN’s list of top-100 most valuable players

Rookie WR Chris Olave and Pro Bowl LB Demario Davis represented the Saints on ESPN’s list of the top-100 most valuable players in the NFL:

A pair of New Orleans Saints playmakers were listed in the top 100 most valuable players of the 2022 season by ESPN’s Seth Walder, and their inclusion shouldn’t surprise anyone. Rookie wide receiver Chris Olave made an instant impact on the Saints offense this year, and veteran linebacker Demario Davis continued to show off what makes him special.

It’s just the latest bright light to shine on their performance, which is a welcome silver lining after what ended up being a very difficult season to sit through. Olave is a finalist for the NFL’s Rookie of the Year award, and he’s a betting favorite for recognition as the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Davis was selected for the Pro Bowl for the first time in his NFL career, and he again earned a spot on the AP All-Pro list.

Here’s what Walder had to say of Olave’s selection at No. 69 overall:

“Olave’s superb rookie season was obfuscated by poor quarterback play. But make no mistake, the former Ohio State receiver was exceptional. His Receiver Tracking Metrics overall score was 77 — tied for 10th-best — and his 2.5 yards per route run ranked eighth-best in the league despite playing with Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton. Olave, in my view, is the Offensive Rookie of the Year.”

Olave is one of 16 wide receivers to make the cut, and he has a tough climb ahead in ascending the ranks given all of the talent stacked up at that position these days. But he’s in a great spot to stand out if the Saints can find him a quarterback. As for Davis: the Pro Bowl linebacker was one of seven linebackers featured on ESPN’s list, though he just got in at No. 93. Davis is aging like a fine wine (he recently celebrated his 34th birthday) and continues to play like someone New Orleans can rely on as Olave begins his own impressive career.

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2022-23 NBA MVP Ladder, Vol. 4: Anthony Davis is having a moment

AD is averaging more than 40 points in his last four games.

Just when I was ready to submit to what an awesome season Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having and add him back to the ladder despite OKC’s 11-16 record, another player on a team well below .500 came shooting up the rankings. And well, there’s simply too many good players on winning teams for me to add both Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Davis to my ladder.

So, it’ll be Davis cracking the top 10 on this edition, joining Joel Embiid in replacing Tyrese Haliburton and Devin Booker. Booker was a tough player to knock, but a recent hamstring injury threatens to keep him sidelined a little while and he was only averaging 14 points on less than 35% shooting in the three games before that, all losses.

So maybe, SGA makes it next time around. I also expect Zion Williamson to crack the rankings soon with the way he’s been playing lately.

(Odds via BetMGM)

NFL MVP Odds after Week 14: Jalen Hurts isn’t slowing down

And Tua Tagovailoa’s stock is dropping fast.

For the rest of the NFL season, BetFTW will take a look at the 2022 MVP race, breaking down the contenders and their most recent performances. Check back each Tuesday for a look at how odds have changed and to get an idea of how oddsmakers see things shaping up. Preseason odds can be found here.

With Week 14 in the books, now is as good a time as any to start looking at MVP odds.

The favorites entering the year — Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes — are still among the favorites with four weeks left to play. But some unlikely names have emerged too, making the likelihood of a first-time recipient very high.

These are the leaders, with odds from BetMGM.

Justin Jefferson: “I’m the Most Valuable Player in my own eyes”

The star wide receiver believes that he is the MVP

The Associated Press Most Valuable Player award has turned into a quarterback award and it’s easy to understand why.

The advent of analytics that has helped us understand the game better has shown that the quarterback position is unarguably the most valuable on the field. Since 2000, only four non-quarterbacks have won the award with all of them running backs.

  • 2000: Marshall Faulk
  • 2005: Shaun Alexander
  • 2006: LaDanian Tomlinson
  • 2012: Adrian Peterson

A wide receiver has never won the award, even with some of the dominant wide receiver seasons over the past 40 years from the likes of Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Calvin Johson and Cooper Kupp.

Outside of quarterback and running back, only three other positions have won the award.

  • Vikings DT Alan Page-1971
  • Commanders K Mark Mosley-1982
  • Giants LB Lawrence Taylor-1986

This season, there are two wide receivers who have a legitimate claim to the award and one of them is Justin Jefferson. He has been tremendous this season with 81 receptions for 1,232 yards and five touchdowns.

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Jefferson was asked about his candidacy for MVP and he didn’t hold back his words saying he was the guy.

“No receiver ever has won the award. But to consider me as an MVP candidate is something that I’m grateful for. …I’m the Most Valuable Player in my own eyes. Getting the award would be fantastic but to be in the discussion is good enough.”

The Vikings wide receiver is arguably the best candidate for the award and another great game from Jefferson could seriously accelerate that conversation. This is the year to deviate from the quarterback position and give it to the best wide receiver in football.

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2022-23 NBA MVP Ladder, Vol. 3: Stephen Curry emerges as Dubs continue to roll

The Warriors are rolling, and Curry is the reason why.

I am so happy the Golden State Warriors are winning again, because it would have felt criminal to leave Stephen Curry off another MVP ladder…but I absolutely would have done it.

There are so many players performing at a high level right now, and many of them are playing for teams that simply aren’t winning much. It makes you wonder how low the win threshold can get for an MVP. But I’m a firm believer that the MVP has to do a reasonable amount of winning (sorry SGA).

I also believe over time, the cream rises to the top. So I was never worried that Curry wouldn’t eventually crack this list, just like I’m not worried about Joel Embiid’s inevitable return with more games under his belt.

I am worried about Luka Doncic, however. His numbers remain otherworldly, but he fell a few spots on this ladder because the Mavericks are skidding. I’m afraid they may not be good enough for him to stay afloat for long. Here’s where things stand today, with odds from BetMGM.

(Stats are prior to games on 11/28)

2022-23 NBA MVP Ladder, Vol. 2: Giannis’ time off clears way for a new leader

There’s a shake-up at the top.

With all due respect to the players doing incredible things on .500 teams, but winning games is important when it comes to naming an MVP.

So while I think it’s possible for players like Kevin Durant, De’Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton to make this list in the future, or even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — who did make Vol. 1 — their play isn’t impacting winning enough yet. It took a monster 59-point outing for Joel Embiid to get a spot.

Luckily for everyone, we’re just four weeks into the season, so there’s still plenty of time to make MVP cases. These are the players with the best cases so far, with odds from BetMGM.

(Stats are prior to games on 11/14)

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Will Seahawks QB Russell Wilson be in contention for MVP this year?

Although successful already, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is still in the hunt for the elusive Most Valuable Player title.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has received numerous accolades throughout his career but he continues to chase one very important title – the league’s Most Valuable Player.

Could 2021 be the season he does just that?

Around the NFL writer Dan Hanzus took a look at every team around the league to determine who would be that club’s MVP this year and Wilson was the obvious choice for Seattle . . . and beyond.

“Wilson’s long-term future in Seattle still seems like it could be up in the air, making the 2021 season a massive one for both Wilson and the Seahawks as an organization,” Hanzus writes. “Wilson was reportedly involved in the decision-making process that led to Shane Waldron being selected to replace dismissed offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. I expect Wilson to return with a vengeance, lighting up the scoreboard while reigniting the TIME FOR RUSSELL WILSON TO WIN MVP media narrative.”

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