2014 NFL MVP Odds

A telltale sign that the upcoming NFL season is fast approaching is the release of the 2014 NFL MVP odds. The MVP race is usually over by mid-season (barring injury) and the likely winner is almost always a quarterback. That said, laying money on a couple of long shots is never a bad idea, especially if said long shot is a signal-caller on a great offense. As for other positions, well, forget it. A wide receiver has never taken home the prize and the last defensive player to seize glory was Lawrence Taylor in 1986. Nevertheless, there are still a handful of excellent bargains, if one is inclined to make a wager or two. Here is the list of the most intriguing 2014 MVP candidates.

Peyton Manning 3/1 – Of course Pey-Pey is at the top. He’s won or shared the award five times and is coming of a historic season. Which is why he’s a bad choice. No Eric Decker and an older Wes Welker means fewer touchdowns. He’s still a good bet to toss 40-45, but there are others who are capable of posting similar numbers.

Aaron Rodgers 15/2 – Like this guy. The 2011 winner, Rodgers is a lock for 4000-plus yards and 35-40 TDs if he stays healthy. James Jones is gone, but Randall Cobb is back to 100% and rookie Davante Adams could make a splash as the season progresses. The lack of a reliable pass-catching tight end hurts, although Rodgers has a knack for elevating the stats of those around him.

Tom Brady 9/1 – Rob Gronkowski is supposed to return, but his recent track record suggests he won’t make it through a full season unscathed. However, if Danny Amendola and Aaron Dobson exceed expectations, Brady could be looking at 30-plus touchdowns and the top seed in the AFC. That will be more than enough to keep him entered in the MVP conversation.

Andrew Luck 16/1 – Two seasons, two playoff appearances. Luck has yet to set the league ablaze, but he did reduce his interceptions from 18 to 9 in his second year. If offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton stops handing the ball to the plodding Trent Richardson and unleashes Luck and an improved receiving corps on opposing defenses, 2014 could be a special season. These odds are too good to pass up.

Robert Griffin III 25/1 – If any QB is poised to bounce back in a big way, it’s RG III. He’s over a year removed from knee surgery and has a new toy named DeSean Jackson to play catch with. Factor in new playcaller Jay Gruden, who made Andy Dalton look competent more often than not, and you have a recipe for success. In addition, the ‘Skins defense will be awful, so several shootouts are possible.

LeSean McCoy/Adrian Peterson 25/1 – The two best runners in the game will duel for the rushing title, but it will take 2000 yards and 15-20 touchdowns to challenge the quarterbacks.

Calvin Johnson 25/1 – Speaking of 2000 yards, that’s what it will take — along with 15 scores and a Lions’ playoff appearance — for Megatron to even be considered a viable candidate.

Nick Foles 40/1 – With DeSean Jackson in D.C., it will be up to Jeremy Maclin and his two repaired ACLs and rookie Jordan Matthews to pick up the slack. Foles won’t come close to matching a 27-2 TD-INT ratio, but 35 touchdowns is possible as long as the running game is dominant.

Jimmy Graham 66/1 – Since he’s not classified as a wide receiver, Graham’s chances are even less than Megatron’s. Besides, any massive season he might have will be directly tied to Drew Brees, meaning Brees would steal his votes.