Deshaun Watson +1200 (now +1800 at Bovada)
Now we start talking purely about value at the position. Watson was firmly in the MVP race for a long time last season and has the playstyle to accomplish it. Hopefully, the Texans improve both his offensive line and his defense this offseason, which would give Watson a chance to dominate the AFC South and put his name firmly in the hat for the award. Watson actually tied Wilson for the most game-winning drives in the 2019 season with nine, but his sometimes conservative nature when it came to throwing the ball meant he finished with less than 4000 passing yards and out of the conversation altogether by seasons end. If the Texans can win 12 games this season and Watson can continue to make clutch plays then he has a real chance to place himself in the Mahomes and Jackson group as a future superstar of this league.
Compensating for the loss of DeAndre Hopkins is a way to catapult yourself into the MVP discussion.
Dak Prescott +2000 (now +1800 at Bovada)
Prescott’s chances are largely based on the change of head coach and what that could mean for his play. We have plenty of evidence that the previous Cowboys’ regime lacked aggression and now the change to Mike McCarthy means we may see the ball in Prescott’s hands more. The Cowboys have leaned on Ezekiel Elliott for the last four years and ultimately came up short each time, so the incentive for McCarthy is there. McCarthy was the head coach when Aaron Rodgers won both of his MVP awards, and while Prescott is not as talented as peak Rodgers, it demonstrates the scheme can set a quarterback up for glory.
Carson Wentz +2000 (same)
The knock on Wentz has always been his injury history having missed time in two of his four seasons. However, Wentz was on track to be the MVP in 2017 prior to his injury, demonstrating he has the pedigree. He further reinforced that last year with a solid year that looks even better when you realize that none of his wide receivers had over 500 receiving yards. Entering 2020, these odds are fantastic value for a quarterback we have seen has the ceiling, and hopefully will have a stronger cast of pass-catchers around him.
Baker Mayfield +4000 (now +2800 at Bovada)
The Browns have an extremely talented roster, now with an additional piece in Austin Hooper. If they can fix their offensive line in order to give Mayfield more time, then he has the pieces to produce impressive numbers in 2020. With a fresh coach and direction from the front office, hopefully, the Browns can come close to living up to the hype they had in 2019.
Picks
0.2u – Carson Wentz | +2000
0.2u – Baker Mayfield | +4000