Entering today, Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud had NFL MVP odds of +9000, making him quite a long shot to win the award. This was even after setting the NFL rookie record for passing yards in a single game last week when he threw for 470 to go along with five touchdowns in a comeback win.
But after today’s upset over the Cincinnati Bengals, has Stroud played himself into the NFL MVP conversation?
NFL MVP Odds Update: Does C.J. Stroud Have a Legitimate Shot?
With a road win in Cincinnati, Stroud has seen a big shift in his MVP odds today. After entering the day as a +9000 long shot, Stroud is now +2500 to win the award at DraftKings Sportsbook. That is a very noticeable shift, as he now has the ninth-shortest MVP odds.
Stroud’s argument for MVP is that he has led the Texans to a winning record in nine games, and they are in the race to win the AFC South. This comes after Houston won four or fewer games in three straight seasons.
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As of right now, the Texans are currently one of the three Wild Card teams in the AFC. If they make the playoffs, it will be their first time in the postseason since 2019.
If Stroud wins MVP, he would be the first NFL rookie to win the award since Jim Brown in 1957.
Is Stroud a Good MVP Bet?
At +2500, the value is clearly gone on Stroud to win MVP, especially when you could’ve bet him at far greater odds at any point this season prior to today.
MVP usually goes to the quarterback on the best team as well, which is why Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Lamar Jackson are the co-favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook at the moment.
But if you believe that Stroud will continue his stellar play and lead the Texans to an AFC South division title, you won’t get better odds than +2500 for the rest of the season. It seems unlikely he will win the award, but Stroud is a legitimate candidate and has firmly played himself into the conversation.
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