The NFL regular season hasn’t started, yet the MVP odds are already on the move.
The Associated Press started giving out the NFL MVP award in 1957, and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the most recent winner of the prestigious honor.
Allen was the favorite to win the award for a good portion of the year, but Lamar Jackson’s odds made a charge as the season wound down.
The vote ended up being the closest since 2016, when Matt Ryan topped Tom Brady.
Allen received 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23, and Allen finished with 383 points. However, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback was named first-team All-Pro over Allen, making the Buffalo signal-caller the first outright MVP winner to not be a first-team All-Pro since John Elway in 1987.
Let’s take a look at the MVP oddsboard for this upcoming season at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Aug. 28.
2025-26 NFL MVP odds
Lamar Jackson, Ravens: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Joe Burrow, Bengals: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Josh Allen, Bills: +600 (bet $10 to win $70 total)
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: +700 (bet $10 to win $80 total)
Jayden Daniels, Commanders: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Jalen Hurts, Eagles: +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)
Justin Herbert, Chargers: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
C.J. Stroud, Texans: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Jordan Love, Packers: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
2025-26 NFL (non-quarterback) MVP odds
Saquon Barkley, Eagles: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Derrick Henry, Ravens: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Christian McCaffrey, 49ers: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Bijan Robinson, Falcons: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Leading up to the season, Jackson and Allen were tied atop the oddsboard, but now Burrow has joined the two-time MVP Jackson atop the board, while the reigning MVP Allen has slipped.
Burrow set career highs in passing yards (4,918) and passing TDs (43) last year, leading the NFL in both categories. With that, he earned the Comeback Player of the Year, after he missed seven games the year prior due to injury.
Burrow also finished last season with the league’s third-best passer rating (108.5) and ranked fourth in completion percentage (70.6).
As mentioned, Jackson finished second in last year’s MVP race, but already has two to his name.
In 2024, Jackson threw for a career-high 4,172 yards and a career-high 41 touchdowns, while tossing just four interceptions. He led the league in passer rating (119.6) and QBR (77.3), and finished second in Offensive Player of the Year voting as well.
Allen also had a historic season in 2024, with 41 total touchdowns (28 passing, 12 rushing, and one receiving). He became the first player in NFL history to record 25-plus passing TDs, 10-plus rushing TDs, and a receiving score in a single season.
The first three non-quarterbacks to crack the oddsboard are Saquon Barkley (+6000), Derrick Henry (+6000) and Jahmyr Gibbs (+8000).
The last non-quarterback to win the award was Adrian Peterson in 2012, preceded by LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006, Shaun Alexander in 2005, and Marshall Faulk in 2000.
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