By the narrowest of margins, Matthew Stafford took home the NFL MVP award last season.
Stafford beat Drake Maye by one first-place vote (24 to 23) and 5 total points (366 to 361) in the 2025 NFL MVP voting.
Who will reign supreme in 2026? Let’s check out the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of July 24, as well as what to know about each contender.
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Josh Allen is the current favorite to win the 2026 NFL MVP at +550 (Perry Knotts/Getty Images).
2026-27 NFL MVP odds
Josh Allen, QB, Bills: +550
What to know: Allen won the award in 2024, receiving 27 first-place votes compared to 22 for Lamar Jackson. That year, Allen threw for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns, and he also rushed for 12 scores. Allen finished third in MVP voting this past season, receiving two first-place votes.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Ravens: +800
What to know: Jackson was named unanimous MVP in 2019, receiving all 50 first-place votes. He joined Tom Brady (2010) as the only player to ever win the award unanimously. Jackson again won the award in 2023, receiving 49 of 50 first-place votes. One voter tabbed Allen as MVP, despite the Bills going 11-6 and Allen throwing 18 interceptions that season. Jackson will look to bounce back after an injury-riddled 2025 season.
Joe Burrow, QB, Bengals: +850
What to know: Oddly enough, Burrow has never received a first-place MVP vote. Injuries certainly play a role in that fact. In six professional seasons, he’s missed six or more games three times. He finished fourth in MVP voting in 2022 and 2024. However, since the opening betting odds came out, Burrow has surged from +1100 to +850 to win his first ever MVP in 2026.
Patrick Mahomes is +1000 to win the 2026 NFL MVP (Cooper Neill/Getty Images).
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs: +1000
What to know: Mahomes won MVP in 2018 and again in 2022. He received 41 first-place votes the first time around (Drew Brees received the other nine), throwing 50 touchdowns that season, tied for second-most in a single season all time. In 2022, he got 48 first-place votes. After tearing his ACL late in the 2025 season, Mahomes is expected to be back in time for Week 1.
Justin Herbert, QB, Chargers: +1000
What to know: This past season, Herbert, in a way, decided the MVP race. Eventual winner Matthew Stafford received 24 first-place votes, and Drake Maye received 23. Two first-place votes went to Allen, who finished in third in voting, and the one other first-place vote went to Herbert, who finished sixth. Herbert will get both of his All-Pro offensive tackles back from injury, along with Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator in 2026.
Drake Maye, QB, Patriots: +1100
What to know: Maye nearly had it this past season, as outlined above. However, after the Patriots’ playoff run, pundits posited it would have been wrong for him to win over Stafford, based on New England’s regular-season strength of schedule and how Maye performed individually against top defenses in the postseason. But it’s a regular-season award, and in the regular season, Maye threw for 4,394 yards and 31 scores.
Dak Prescott is +1300 to win the 2026 NFL MVP (Cooper Neill/Getty Images).
Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys: +1300
What to know: Prescott often has his name mentioned in the MVP race, but he only came relatively close in 2023. He finished second to Jackson that year, but even then, he received zero first-place votes.
Caleb Williams, QB, Bears: +1300
What to know: Under head coach Ben Johnson, Williams took a massive leap in 2025. The former Heisman Trophy winner threw for 3,942 yards, 27 touchdowns and only seven interceptions while also leading the Bears to an 11-6 record, an NFC North title and their first playoff win since 2011. Williams also led seven game-winning drives last season, which was tied with Bo Nix for the most in the NFL.
Matthew Stafford, QB, Rams: +1400
What to know: Stafford will enter next season as the reigning MVP. This past season, he led the NFL in passing yards (4,707) and passing TDs (46). For context, second on the TD list was Jared Goff, who threw for 34 scores. It was Stafford’s first MVP award, arriving in his 17th NFL season.
