2025/26 NFL MVP Predictions: Who will be your MVP?
In the ultimate team game, where every victory is forged by 53 men pulling in the same direction, the NFL MVP is the most coveted and contradictory individual prize.
It’s an award for the player who doesn't just excel, but transcends; the one who carries an entire franchise on their back, shatters expectations, and delivers the moments that define a season.
To win it is to have your name etched alongside legends. Before we predict who will join that immortal club this year, here’s a look at the players who have recently claimed the honour:
- 2024: Josh Allen
- 2023: Lamar Jackson
- 2022: Patrick Mahomes
- 2021: Aaron Rodgers
- 2020: Aaron Rodgers
At the time of writing, the odds for the favourites this year include:
- 13/4: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
- 5/1: Lamar Jackson Jr (Baltimore Ravens)
- 15/2: Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
- 9/1: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
- 10/1: Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders)
Which of that talent-filled list will have their moment in the limelight come the end of the season? We make our predictions below.
NFL MVP Prediction 1: Jayden Daniels @ 10/1
It’s easy to forget how much of a mess the Washington Commanders were in before Jayden Daniels joined as a rookie in 2024.
The season before he joined, the Commanders were emerging from the farcical Daniel Snyder era and finished 4-13, allowed the most points by any franchise in the regular season, and had the worst points differential.
He won the Heisman Trophy in his season for LSU in 2023 but not even the most seasoned of college football observers could have foreseen one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history unfold.
He became renowned for clutch plays, with a post-merger record four touchdown passes in the last 30 seconds of a fourth quarter or overtime. He also pioneered 16 straight scoring drives – a record in the NFL.
He registered 3,568 yards at a completion percentage of 69%, the fifth-highest of quarterbacks to have played 17 games or more. He also managed more than 900 rushing yards.
All of those achievements helped him land the Offensive Rookie of the Year award last season.
The Commanders need to improve defensively on last year, but if they can shore up and allow Daniels to strut his stuff, we could see a tilt at the Super Bowl and, in kind, a potential MVP award for their prodigiously talented quarterback.
At 10/1, he’s attractively priced.
NFL MVP Prediction 2: Lamar Jackson @ 5/1
He is the second favourite in the betting and it’s easy to understand why.
Jackson has won the award twice before and was selected by the Pro Football Writers of America as the MVP last season – his third such title.
Only Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Johnny Unitas have won three MVPs. If Jackson performs to his extremely high standards, he would join an exclusive list.
Although he was narrowly outvoted by Allen to the main award last year, Jackson continues to push the limits of his talents.
He landed a 4,000+ yard season for the first time in his career in 2024 and was the first player to throw more than 40 touchdown passes and fewer than five interceptions in the same season. He also led in yards per pass attempt and yards per carry.
Jackson has everything – a ruthless combination of elite athleticism and quarterback instincts. His unmatched speed and agility alongside his movement, which is akin to a top running back, makes defenders miss and turns broken plays into big gains. It makes him a dual-threat. Defenses throughout the league must respect both his arm and his legs, which provides plenty of opportunities for the Ravens to exploit.
Jackson is always looking for the quickest route to downtown and if he can tap into his genuine hall of famer potential once more, he’s going to be there or thereabouts.
NFL MVP Prediction 3: Matthew Stafford @ 40/1
There’s always a dark horse but Stafford perhaps deserves more respect in the market than that moniker affords him.
Provided his persistent back injuries abate, he now has the most exciting offense he’s had for a good few years, with wide receivers Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell and running back Kyren Williams able to deliver some high-scoring returns.
He’s 37, so Father Time is against him. But he has experience in abundance and the quality remains intact.
Of course, a successful Rams side will help his efforts. They are currently 20/1 outsiders to become Super Bowl champions, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make a deep run. After all, they have made six playoff appearances in the previous eight seasons.
If he can repeat the antics of his 2021 Super Bowl-winning season with the Rams, where he was the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 6,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in the regular season and postseason combined, then he’ll almost certainly be in the mix.
NFL MVP Prediction 4: Josh Allen @ 11/4
The favourite in the market is Josh Allen and with good reason.
He is the superstar of a Buffalo Bills side that also happens to be the front-runners for the Super Bowl.
There are other obvious factors as to why he leads the market: he is the reigning MVP for one, having registered a total of 4,269 total yards and 41 total touchdowns in the regular and postseason games.
He only gave up eight turnovers, which was the lowest figure of his career.
Allen blends an elite arm strength with rushing power that few quarterbacks can match. He’s an attractive bet in this market, partly because the Bills’ offense runs almost entirely through him.
He can pile up passing yards, rushing scores, and highlight-reel plays–all the time burgeoning his appeal as an MVP.
Allen’s production and leadership could get him in the conversation once more.
NFL MVP Prediction 5: Myles Garrett @ 300/1
A massive long shot completes our list – but there is a good argument as to why Myles Garrett should be in the conversation.
Sure, he would become the first defensive end in history to land the award and only the third defensive player ever. And, yes, he plays for an unfancied Browns team.
However, Garrett is aiming for a fifth consecutive season of 14 sacks – he’s already the only player in the history of the competition to register 14 sacks or more across four consecutive seasons.
He finished third last season in the Defensive Player of the Year award and legitimately stakes a claim as a leader and best player on the Browns’ roster.
If the Browns put together a deep run, it will be because of his performances. Treat with caution, though, he is 300/1 to win for a reason. The stars would truly need to align for this one to land.
Explore the rest of our NFL futures markets – not only MVP but also Super Bowl winners, conference champions, individual awards, and more.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change