Latest NFL MVP Odds List Kyler Murray as Co-Favorite
By Bryan Thiel in NFL Football
Published:
- Tom Brady and Kyler Murray put up big performances in Week 2
- Patrick Mahomes did just enough on Sunday Night Football to hold the pair off and retain his lead in the 2021 NFL MVP odds
- See the updated odds below
Week 2 provided plenty of intrigue when it came to the 2021 NFL MVP odds.
While Patrick Mahomes put on a show on Sunday Night Football, and Matthew Stafford had a strong showing as well, it was an old favorite that had the best afternoon. Tom Brady finished with a 276 yard, five touchdown performance against the Falcons.
It marked the latest step in a steady upwards climb in the MVP odds for Brady.
2021 NFL MVP Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Patrick Mahomes, KC | +500 |
| Kyler Murray, ARZ | +500 |
| Tom Brady, TB | +700 |
| Matthew Stafford, LAR | +1000 |
| Josh Allen, BUF | +1200 |
| Russell Wilson, SEA | +1300 |
| Dak Prescott, DAL | +1400 |
| Aaron Rodgers, GB | +1400 |
| Lamar Jackson, BAL | +1600 |
| Derek Carr, LVR | +2000 |
| Justin Herbert, LAC | +2000 |
| Teddy Bridgewater, DEN | +5000 |
| Jalen Hurts, PHI | +5000 |
| Ryan Tannehill, TEN | +5000 |
| Joe Burrow, TEN | +5000 |
| Baker Mayfield, CLE | +5000 |
| Jamie Winston, NO | +5000 |
| Christian McCaffrey, CAR | +6000 |
| Derrick Henry, TEN | +6500 |
| Kirk Cousins, MIN | +8000 |
Odds as of September 20th from FanDuel
The farthest Brady was from the top of the board was +1625 on May 3rd. Since then he’s been scaling the 2021 NFL MVP Odds mountain. The seven-time Super Bowl champ already made one big jump following a four-touchdown performance against Dallas.
Last week Brady sat third at +900, trailing only Mahomes (+600) and Stafford (+800).
QBs Continue to Pace MVP Leaderboard
Brady isn’t the only QB to reap the rewards of a big Week 2.
In fact Kyler Murray’s big day moved him all the way into a tie for first.
Notable Week 2 QB Performances
| Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Rushing Yards | Rushing TD | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Brady | 24/36 | 276 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 129.2 |
| Patrick Mahomes | 24/31 | 343 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 131.5 |
| Matthew Stafford | 19/30 | 278 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 101.8 |
| Kyler Murray | 29/36 | 400 | 3 | 2 | 31 | 1 | 117.6 |
| Russell Wilson | 22/31 | 343 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 128.8 |
| Josh Allen | 17/33 | 179 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 75.2 |
Murray was the only 400-yard game on the board among his counterparts. He was also the only one to notch a rushing TD on Sunday too. The two interceptions hurt his cause, but with four of the top six QBs throwing one, and Murray finishing with more yards than the two that didn’t, his rise was safe.
Tom Brady has 17 Pass TDs in his last 4 games 🔥 🔥
The last time he did that was during his 2007 MVP season 👀 pic.twitter.com/I8fl5El0ks
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 19, 2021
After missing only five passes in Week 1, Wilson topped his opening week yardage by nearly 100. Tyler Lockett popped for 8-178-1, and once DK Metcalf gets mixed it going in the deep passing game (6-53), Wilson’s arrow will only continue to point up.
When comparing the two, Murray came into the season with the harder strength of schedule. His Cards join the Rams and 49ers atop the division at 2-0. Wilson’s Seahawks are 1-1.
CMC, Henry Highlight Non-QBs
While the MVP award is typically QB-dominated, there are always some non-QBs that make noise in the race. Even if they don’t have the staying power of the passers.
After Week 1, Christian McCaffrey (+5000) and Derrick Henry (+6000) were the top non-QBs. Strong Week 2s have at least kept them in the picture.
Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry: Week 2
| 24 | Carries | 35 |
| 72 | Rushing Yards | 182 |
| 1 | Rushing TDs | 3 |
| 3 | YPC | 5.2 |
| 5 | Receptions | 6 |
| 65 | Yards | 55 |
Henry carried the Titans to victory in Week 2 against Wilson and the Seahawks. Seattle scored on touchdown in the second half; Henry scored three. After totaling just 77 all-purpose yards a week ago, he’s over 40 yards ahead of Joe Mixon for the NFL’s rushing crown.
Most career games with 150+ rush yards AND 2+ rush TD since at least 1950:
HOF Jim Brown – 13
HOF LaDainian Tomlinson – 12
𝗧𝗘𝗡 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘆 – 𝟭𝟬 👀
HOF Barry Sanders – 10
HOF Eric Dickerson – 9
HOF Emmitt Smith – 9— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) September 20, 2021
CMC meanwhile, is just two receptions off of the league lead with 14. When you consider the fact he’s pulling double-duty as a running back, sitting just outside the top-20 in terms of receiving yards isn’t that bad either. One of the NFL’s premiere all-purpose backs, if the Panthers’ strong start continues, McCaffrey will definitely be getting some love.
Stick With QBs in MVP Race
While both Henry and McCaffrey are enticing picks at long odds, we all know what it takes for someone other than a QB to win the award. An out-of-this-world performance.
So the easy answer is to stick with the signal-callers.
This is normal behavior for @PatrickMahomes. #ChiefsKingdom
📺: #KCvsBAL on NBC
📱: https://t.co/SsXyNx0bwQ pic.twitter.com/FMoxv5O8Gw— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2021
Early in the season, it may be best to stay away from all three NFC West QBs. It’s likely one of those three misses the playoffs, which would kill there odds. It’s just too early to get a read on that yet.
Despite the loss though, Patrick Mahomes remains the best bet. As long as Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill are upright, he’s got two of the best weapons in the league. And through two games there’s been no reason to think he won’t be in it until the end.
The Pick: Patrick Mahomes (+500)
Sports Writer
Bryan has spent the last decade working in the sports industry. From the sidelines in the OHL and Rugby League to behind the scenes at TSN, Bryan has a wealth of experience with a soft spot for props and parlays.
