The NFL regular season has just one week to go, with Week 18 the last chance for players to gain ground in the pursuit of the 2024 MVP award.
Saturday and Sunday will see the final set of NFL games in the regular season, with a couple of playoff spots still on the line. While much of the focus will understandably center on the postseason chase, the race to win the MVP award is going to draw plenty of attention.
As the season has gone on, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson have emerged as the leading contenders, but several star players have had spectacular campaigns. Oddsmakers are leaning towards the two quarterbacks, but a few other offensive stars are among the top five candidates to claim the MVP title.
Here’s how the latest NFL MVP odds look, as of Friday, Jan. 3, courtesy of BetMGM.
NFL MVP odds entering Week 18
1. QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (-300) (Last week: -250)
Oddsmakers seem to be leaning more and more towards Allen, despite two straight games where he didn’t play his very best. In Week 17, Allen was involved in three touchdowns, but his stat line (16-for-27 for 182 yards, plus 17 rushing yards) didn’t exactly stand out.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Still, the Bills crushed the New York Jets 40-14, and Allen has a great opportunity to solidify his hold on the 2024 MVP award in Week 18, with Buffalo going on the road against the struggling New England Patriots.
2. QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (+220) (Last week: +160)
Jackson is the only other MVP candidate oddsmakers see as having a serious chance, but he came out of Week 17 having lost ground to Allen. That came despite Jackson’s stunning 48-yard run for a touchdown being among the top highlights in Week 17 and Baltimore demolishing the Houston Texans 31-2.
The Ravens quarterback has one more chance to change some minds, as Baltimore hosts the lowly Cleveland Browns in Week 18.
3. QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (+2000)
It speaks to just how good Burrow has been that he’s got the third-best MVP odds despite being on a Bengals team that needs a Week 18 miracle to sneak into the playoffs. The Cincinnati quarterback leads the league in passing touchdowns and yards, making his team’s plight all the more remarkable.
No matter how things go for the Bengals, expect Burrow to air it out one more time Saturday, in what is a must-win game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
4. RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles (+4000)
Barkley is in striking distance of the NFL single-season rushing record, yet sits in fourth place in the MVP odds. That’s in part due to how good the other candidates have been … but it’s also down to the fact that Eagles coach Nick Sirianni confirmed that his star running back is going to sit out Week 18.
Barring a highly unlikely series of events, Barkley will remain 101 yards off of Eric Dickerson’s record, and that will end any shot he has at the MVP crown.
5. QB Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (+10000)
Darnold is a real long shot, but as an acknowledgment of how good he and the 14-2 Vikings have been this season, he’s got the fifth-best odds of being named MVP. The Minnesota quarterback is in the top five for touchdowns (35) and yards (4,153) despite sitting just 12th in pass attempts league-wide.
He’ll get a great chance to improve his odds in Week 18 with a huge game against the Detroit Lions that will determine the NFC North title and NFC’s top seed going into the playoffs.