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Josh Allen Named Second Favorite to Win NFL MVP; Who’s No. 1?

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Sep 2, 2025 9:31 AM EDT

The start of the National Football League gets underway on Thursday with the Dallas Cowboys on the road at the Philadelphia Eagles. Fans across the country are getting everything ready for a full season of thrilling action on the gridiron.

One of the growing trends in the preseason for many fans around the world is preseason bets in the NFL. The latest preseason odds from FanDuel were released, specifically for the league’s Most Valuable Player.

The names at the top of the list are very familiar with being in the running for the league’s most prestigious award. Three of the top four on the list have accounted for five MVPs, each within the last seven seasons.

Josh Allen, who won the award in 2024, is listed second on the list, at +500. The favorite for the award? Lamar Jackson, a two-time winner (2019 and 2023).

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Allen, still squarely in his prime, just 29 years old out of Wyoming, tossed for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. The Buffalo Bills’ signal caller had just six interceptions and was sacked just 14 times. Buffalo reached the AFC Championship, but lost 32-29 to the Kansas City Chiefs. That came after downing Buffalo 27-25 in the divisional round.

Lamar Jackson will turn 29 years old at the start of 2026. The former Louisville quarterback threw for 41 touchdowns and four interceptions, with more than 4,100 yards via the air and an additional 915 on the ground. Many projected Jackson to win the award last season, but voter fatigue could have been a factor, allowing Allen to win his first.

Another 29-year-old quarterback is Patrick Mahomes. But the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback will turn 30 years old this month. The 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft went for 3,928 passing yards last season, with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Once again in 2025, Mahomes will be looking for his top target, Travis Kelce, commonly in the news for his relationship with Taylor Swift.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15). — Source: Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The only one in the top four without an MVP award is Joe Burrow. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback has been in the league for five seasons and will reach 20,000 passing yards this season. Burrow has 140 touchdown passes and 46 interceptions in his career. He is teamed up with one of the most dominant receivers in the game, Ja’Marr Chase.

It’s a long season, and plenty of games. These four individuals will get plenty of opportunities to showcase their skills, even against each other. All reside in the AFC. There is a case for all of them to win the prestigious award, but in the end, it’s hard to count out the defending champ, Josh Allen, who goes in with a little lack of respect, not starting as the favorite.

About the Author

Rodney Knuppel