Andrew Ortenberg
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The 2019 NFL MVP race wasn’t very competitive. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson surprisingly took control very early on, and never looked back. He became the second-ever unanimous MVP, but can he repeat and take home the hardware yet again in 2020? Jackson has the second-lowest odds at +600 at Draftkings, and that’s not a price I’m looking to lay. There are a couple of more under the radar options that present great value as longshots, and without further ado let’s dive into the two best NFL MVP bets:
Kyler Murray +2500
Murray could follow a very similar trajectory as Jackson. Jackson showed plenty of flashes of electric talent as a rookie but didn’t put it all together consistently, then exploded as a sophomore. Murray showed all those same flashes, and he was the first overall pick last year for a reason. Jackson had way better weapons in his second campaign, and that will be the case for Murray as well. The Cardinals pulled off the best trade in recent NFL history this offseason, landing Deandre Hopkins from the Texans for virtually nothing.
Hopkins is one of the best receivers in the game and he’ll be paired with Larry Fitzgerald in the desert, so the Cards now have a lethal receiving duo. They also have Kenyan Drake in the backfield, who was tearing it up down the stretch last year, so I think this Arizona offense is going to surprise a lot of people. Murray already had some huge performances, and if he can shine in a stacked NFC West then he’ll get plenty of national media attention. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury is a brilliant offensive mind, and now that he has a full year to design his system around Murray, the sky is the limit for 2020.
Philip Rivers +3300
Rivers had a down 2019, that much is undeniable. But I also think it’s clear he’s still got something left in the tank physically, and these odds are too steep to pass up. In 2018 Rivers was one of the best passers in the league, and people seem to forget that he was in the MVP conversation for much of the year before Patrick Mahomes ended up running away with the award. Rivers has been playing under mediocre head coaches like Anthony Lynn, Mike McCoy, and Norv Turner for the past decade, and now he’s finally getting an upgrade.
Frank Reich is a brilliant offensive mind, and he’s done a great job with the Colts. Rivers also routinely had one of the worst offensive lines in the league with the Chargers, and now he’ll have one of the best in Indy. He’ll also now be playing in a dome, and won’t have to play 16 road games per year like he has been the last few seasons in Los Angeles. Virtually everything about his situation is getting drastically better, and he was already playing at a near-MVP level just two seasons ago. The Colts are all in on 2020, as evidenced by their recent trade for All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. At 33/1, it’s worth an investment.
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