Lamar Jackson Slightest Favorite in NFL MVP Race

The NFL offseason is now a week into the preseason. Yes, regular season football will be on your televisions and streaming devices in a little over three weeks. At Online Sports Betting, we dive into the awards for the upcoming season. So, now, we get a little more focused on several 2025 NFL MVP Bets. Then, we explain our rationale and maybe lament the running backs.

WHAT: 2025 NFL MVP Bets
WHEN: From September, 2025 until the end of the regular season
WHERE: Across NFL stadiums nationwide
WHY: Which players could take home the MVP award?

Bettors revel in August because there is preseason action. More and more actions opens up just for the NFL alone. The 2025 NFL MVP Bets take a guess at which players are at least in the MVP conversation. Now, NFL Futures Betting Odds add twists and turns. After all, there are so many quarterbacks in the tables. The NFL tends to be a quarterback league and the best NFL football betting sites highlight that well along with the usual longer shots.

2025 NFL MVP Numbers
Lamar Jackson	+550	+500	+500
Josh Allen	+550	+550	+550
Joe Burrow	+650	+650	+600
Patrick Mahomes	+700	+700	+650
Jayden Daniels	+750	+800	+800
Jalen Hurts	+1700	+1600	+2000
Justin Herbert	+1800	+1800	+1800
C.J. Stroud	+2500	+2200	+2500
Baker Mayfield	+2500	+2500	+3000
Jordan Love	+2500	+2800	+2500
Caleb Williams	+2800	+3000	+3500
Kyler Murray	+2800	+3300	+4000

2025 NFL MVP Bets Feature Lamar Versus Josh

2025 NFL MVP bets feature Lamar versus Josh. So, once more, the place and show quarterbacks in the AFC take the regular season spotlight. As Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs loom later, the regular season is a little different. Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen have excelled beyond words the past few seasons. Jackson has a little help from Derrick Henry and one of the best lines in football. Allen improvises and has kept Buffalo overachieving especially during the regular season.

Yes, currently the numbers stand with Jackson as a very slight favorite to co-favorite when compared to Allen. The shortest odds for the Baltimore signal-caller roll in at around +500. Allen has pretty much been +550 across the board aside from a few outliers. Allen won the MVP last season with Jackson winning the year below. Some correctly argue that the Ravens' quarterback had a better season in 2024 compared to 23. No one expects Lamar Jackson to average 10.15 yards per passing attempt again.

Now, pass defenses are again a little more suspect in the AFC aside from maybe the Denver Broncos and New York Jets. That matter is up for some debate. However, these two quarterbacks put up prolific numbers and for what it is worth, I believe Lamar Jackson was the league MVP last season. Maybe, enough people felt that way to slightly tilt things toward the Baltimore quarterback.

Some secretly hope that multiple other candidates truly break out at the level of these two stalwarts. The argument may be that they did but were not noticed by voters anyway. Choosing between Jackson and Allen is not quite the coin flip most project. Jackson runs for more yards and gets more through the air too. The combined touchdowns are closer but the edge here leans on a fired up Jackson.

Lamar Jackson To win the regular season NFL MVP

+500

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What About Patrick Mahomes And The Rest?

2025 NFL MVP Bets ask what about Patrick Mahomes and the rest? One prevailing truth is that Mahomes wants to improve his numbers from 2024. His average passing yards per game dipped to 250 for the first time in his career. Kansas City did not have the best receiving corps and it is an aging one. Even Mahomes turns 30 next month.

Anyhow, Mahomes (+700) gets a boost from name recognition alone. His flair for the dramatic has not translated into MVP votes the past few years. The 2022 NFL MVP winner had a league high seven game-winning drives last year. Sometimes that is just not enough. Sustained brilliance is valued more for this award. Jayden Daniels (+800) did not have the most gaudy numbers in 2024 but had four comebacks and game-winning drives. Yet, he barely registered a blip on the MVP radar.

The crazy thing is a player like Joe Burrow has shorter odds (+600 via BetUS). Going down the boards and Dak Prescott (Dallas) is considered a longer shot but is nestled in a more pass-happy offense. If he can stay healthy, Prescott could be a look around +4000. Do not be afraid to go further down the line. After all, the key is smaller wagers on awards. Do not commit a significant amount of bankroll here.

Again, at OSB, we believe Mahomes has the most to gain here for Kansas City. He wants to get back to his 2020-2022 glory days. That is because time may be running out on what is the Kansas City "dynasty".

Cameron Ward To throw for 3500+ passing yards

+185

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2025 NFL MVP Bets Explore A Running Back

Finally, 2025 NFL MVP Bets explore a running back. The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. However, their two best players (Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley) are a little down on MVP lists. Hurts is around +1700 to +2000 while Barkley is the first running back listed at +5000. When Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence are at +4500, it is a sign that this is the league of the signal-caller.

Just ask Derrick Henry, who ran for more than 1900 yards in 2024. He finished Top 10 in the NFL MVP voting once in his career. As for Barkley, he finished third but was somehow the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. No one counts on Barkley replicating his 52.5% successful rush rate but that Philadelphia offense will be just as dangerous as last year. At the least, Barkley could be worth a look as this might be one of the last prime years in the league.

With the assumption, he gets around 250-300 carries again, another year of 2000+ yards from scrimmage seems certain. He could be the contemporary version of Marshall Faulk when it comes to prolific numbers from this position.

Saquon Barkley To take the NFL MVP Award

+5000

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