Even though the 2025–26 campaign has concluded, the NFL fuels year-round wagering and coverage, so early MVP futures are already drawing attention.
Last season’s MVP race was extremely close: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford edged out Patriots QB Drake Maye. Stafford finished with 4,707 passing yards and 47 touchdowns (against eight interceptions), steering Los Angeles to a 12–5 regular-season mark and a playoff spot.
Buffalo’s Josh Allen, the 2024–25 MVP, is the early favorite for next year at +600 on BetMGM, trailed by Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson at +700 and Drake Maye at +900.
Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, who is rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in Week 16, opened at 11-1 but has been bet down to about 10-1; BetMGM’s John Ewing said Mahomes accounted for 46% of the money wagered in the market’s opening days.
Dallas’s Dak Prescott is listed at 12-1 after a strong personal season, though the Cowboys’ defensive shortcomings limited the team’s overall success.
Early betting has Chicago Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams with the most individual bets at 16-1, followed by Denver’s Bo Nix at 35-1. Nix suffered an ankle injury in the AFC Divisional Round but is expected to be fully recovered well before next season.
Stafford opened at 14-1, placing him eighth on the board behind Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold sits at 25-1, behind Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels (20-1) and 49ers starter Brock Purdy.
Among non-quarterbacks, Rams receiver Puka Nacua and Seahawks wideout Jackson Smith-Njigba lead the field, each priced at 100-1.
Fan Take: Early MVP markets give fans a sense of which players and teams sportsbooks expect to impact next season, and they can shift quickly with injuries, coaching changes, or offseason moves. For the sport, these odds highlight rising young quarterbacks and the sustained star power of established passers—storylines that will shape narratives and betting into training camp.
