Jonathan Taylor Enters NFL MVP Conversation With 10th Shortest Odds

• Jonathan Taylor is now 10th in MVP odds after his outstanding performance in Week 11.
• He’s the top listed non-quarterback with +2000 betting odds.
• Taylor would be the first running back since Adrian Peterson to win the award.

INDIANAPOLIS – Jonathan Taylor has quickly emerged as the best running back in the NFL and has thus jumped into the MVP conversation with the 10th shortest odds in the field.

Jonathan Taylor As League’s Best Running Back

Jonathan Taylor is second in the NFL in carries, first in rushing yards, first in rushing touchdowns and third in rushing yards per attempt.

Since Derrick Henry got injured, Taylor has taken off. He’s run for over 100 yards in five of his last six games and has gone over 140 yards three times in doing so.

He's fresh off of his best game of the season, a 32-carry, 185-yard, four-touchdown performance on the ground while also adding a touchdown in the passing game. In wake of his dominance, NFL betting sites have entered Taylor into the top 10 for MVP Favorites.

2021/22 MVP Odds

• Tom Brady +225
• Josh Allen +450
• Matthew Stafford +850
• Patrick Mahomes +900
• Dak Prescott +950
• Aaron Rodgers +1100
• Justin Herbert +1200
• Lamar Jackson +1200
• Kyler Murray +1400
• Jonathan Taylor +2000

Although he’s clearly the top running back, the NFL MVP award has historically been a quarterback award as a QB has won in 18 of the last 21 years including in each of the last eight seasons.

Are The Quarterbacks Too Far Ahead Of The Pack?

Tom Brady’s odds are much shorter than the entire field, Taylor included. Brady is second in yards and first in touchdowns and for as long as the league is driven by quarterbacks, Brady ranking first and second will earn more votes than a running back who ranks first in rushing yards and touchdowns.

The last running backs to win MVP all had historic seasons. Peterson had the second-most yards in any season and both LaDainian Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander set single-season rushing touchdowns records. Even with an extra game of the schedule, Taylor isn’t in line to break any records which unfortunately means he won’t be in line to win MVP at the end of the season.

Those betting on the NFL can feel confident in avoiding Taylor on MVP futures as he would simply need to perform at a level that’s impossible to maintain over the next couple of months to be in the final conversation.