Russell Wilson’s NFL MVP Odds Improve to +300 After Week 2, Now Favored Over Mahomes and Jackson
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
Updated: March 9, 2021 at 2:32 pm ESTPublished:
- Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson is now the +300 favorite to be NFL MVP
- The Seattle QB threw five TD passes in Sunday’s win over New England
- Wilson has never received a single MVP vote during his nine-season NFL career
Russell Wilson has a Super Bowl ring. He’s played in the big game twice. He also owns the best Twitter handle in the NFL (@DangeRussWilson).
What Wilson’s never had during his NFL career is a single vote for MVP.
Unlike the NBA and NHL which employ weighted systems in MVP voting, the NFL asks for one name on its MVP ballot. No one’s ever thought Wilson should be that name.
However, this situation could be about to change. Wilson is currently the favorite to win the award.
Two weeks into the season, Wilson has moved into the driver’s seat in the 2020 NFL MVP odds. He leapfrogged over the previous two winners – Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs – to become the +300 chalk at DraftKings.
2020 NFL MVP Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Russell Wilson (Seahawks) | +300 |
| Lamar Jackson (Ravens) | +500 |
| Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) | +500 |
| Aaron Rodgers (Packers) | +800 |
| Kyler Murray (Cardinals) | +1400 |
| Josh Allen (Bills) | +2000 |
| Cam Newton (Patriots) | +2000 |
| Dak Prescott (Cowboys) | +2000 |
| Drew Brees (Saints) | +2800 |
| Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) | +2800 |
Odds as of Sep. 21 at DraftKings
Wilson was at average odds of +600 entering the weekend. The betting lines of Mahomes (+350) and Jackson (+525) were both shorter than his.
Wilson Stands and Delivers
In 16 regular-season games last season, the New England Patriots surrendered four touchdown passes. Sunday, Wilson lit the Pats up for five TD passes during a 35-30 victory.
He joined Drew Brees (2009) as the only QBs to throw five TD passes against the Pats during the Bill Belichick era.
What a game last night! Felt like a playoff atmosphere in week two! Cam looks like his old self. Yes sir! Seattle must have the leaders in the clubhouse for MVP on both sides of the ball. Russell Wilson & Jamal Adams. These Gents are puttting on a show every Sunday. 💯💯
— Jamal Anderson (@jamthedirtybird) September 21, 2020
Through two games, Wilson has almost as many TD passes (nine) as he does incompletions (11). He leads the NFL in completion percentage (82.5), TD passes, TD pass percentage (14.3), average yards per attempt (11.8) and passer rating (140.0).
Consider His Weapons
Wilson is efficient. Over his NFL career, he owns a 6.1% TD percentage against a paltry 1.8% interception percentage.
He’s durable. Wilson has started all 131 games of his NFL career. He’s done so behind an offensive line that has often displayed all the blocking ability of a turnstile. Wilson was sacked an NFL-high 48 times last season.
Russell Wilson through two games this season:
âž– 52/63
âž– 9 TDs
âž– 11 incompletions
âž– 2-0Dude is different @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/i7gxU5ho9U
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 21, 2020
Other than the days when Beast Mode operated out of the backfield, Wilson’s never been surrounded by weapons that could be considered among the NFL elite.
Unlike Mahomes, Wilson has never been able to connect with a receiver with the breakaway ability of Tyreek Hill. Jackson can hand the ball off to Mark Ingram. Chris Carson, Seattle’s leading rusher, has gained 93 yards through two games.
Russell Deserves Some MVP Love
Perhaps this is the year that Wilson’s name is finally scrawled on an MVP ballot. But is this the year that he finally wins the MVP?
Wilson offered the best analysis of that assessment. “It’s early,” he said after Sunday’s win. “I haven’t done anything yet.”
People always like something new and fresh. That’s why Mahomes and Jackson came to the fore the past two seasons, and both did so in their second season as a starter.
From @NFLResearch:
— Russell Wilson was the 2nd QB to throw 5 TD passes against the #Patriots in the Bill Belichick era.
— #Packers scored 40 points for the 2nd straight game, the third time they have done it in the SB era. The last two seasons Aaron Rodgers did that, he won MVP.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 21, 2020
You know who’s also lighting it up in his second season as a starter? Arizona’s Kyler Murray, that’s who.
The Cardinals are 2-0 and Murray is doing a fairly stellar impression of Jackson. If he gets them in the playoffs, the MVP chants will grow loud in Arizona.
Keep an eye on Kyler Murray in that MVP race
— Mike Wallace (@Wallace17_daKid) September 20, 2020
At this stage last season, you could’ve got +933 odds on Jackson.
Wilson’s the safe bet but this point, why not grab some value?
Pick: Kyler Murray (Cardinals) +1400
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
