Best bets for NFL MVP from Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have only had one player ever be the NFL MVP. Let’s look at the three Kansas City players with the best odds of being the 2022 NFL MVP.

The NFL MVP remains the league’s top prize for an individual player. Numerous Hall of Fame players—like Peyton Manning, Walter Peyton, and Lawrence Taylor—have earned the accolade, but only one Kansas City Chiefs player has ever reached that mountaintop. In 2018, quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the franchise’s first NFL MVP in his first full season as a starter. He had a historic year, leading the Chiefs to the precipice of Super Bowl LIII.

The award is historically quarterback-centric, as the quarterback is arguably a football team’s most important position. Since 2000, a quarterback has been NFL MVP all but four times, on the heels of historic seasons from running backs like Adrian Peterson in 2012 and LaDanian Tomlinson in 2006. Quarterbacks have the inside edge, and that’s just the way modern football works.

Every offseason, Las Vegas starts taking bets for who the next season’s MVP will be. This offseason, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the odds-on favorite to with 2022’s MVP award, with a slight edge over Mahomes. Former winners in Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady round out the first betting tier. All have their paths and preseason cases for the award, but the MVP is named after the regular season, not before.

Looking further down the betting odds, several more Kansas City players appear. Who are the Chiefs’ top three MVP options, albeit very long odds for two?

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes: +800

Not surprisingly, Mahomes is Kansas City’s top MVP option. His +800 odds are second to Allen’s +700 odds, as both enter the 2022 season as the league’s top quarterbacks. Mahomes is coming off an up-and-down 2021 season, where he threw a career-high 13 interceptions. Mahomes did not appear on any All-Pro teams following the 2021 season, a first since 2018.

Despite a disappointing loss in the AFC Championship, Mahomes ended the 2021 season on a strong individual note. He averaged 352.3 passing yards per game and a 118.9 passer rating, both career-highs. Mahomes was not satisfied with the season’s ending, organizing workouts with receivers and working out with popular athletic trainer Bobby Stroupe in the offseason.

Betting against Mahomes is never wise, especially when his back is against the wall. 2022 figures to be an explosive season for Mahomes, especially with a new-look receiving corps. He could capitalize on unpredictability, as he did in 2018, and capture the league’s highest individual honor.

Tight end Travis Kelce: +15000

Tight end Travis Kelce has the highest MVP betting odds amongst tight ends, although he remains a significant longshot. No tight end has ever won the award, despite Kelce’s best attempts.

Kelce is on a historic receiving streak, with six straight seasons of more than 1,000 receiving yards. That is a positional record, and Kelce has defied age to stay the league’s best tight end. In 2021, Kelce made his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl and received second-team All-Pro honors.

Kelce being the first tight end to win MVP would be a deserved and amazing moment in his career. However, the chances of that are slim to none, leaning towards the latter. Kelce may not ever be an MVP, but he will be a key part of Kansas City’s championship aspirations in 2022 and beyond.

Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster: +50000

If fans want long odds, look no further than wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster. The former Pittsburgh Steeler is the presumable WR1 in Kansas City after the Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill this offseason.

Smith-Schuster’s odds are even longer, considering his injury-shortened 2021 season. His 2018 season, alongside polarizing receiver Antonio Brown, was something of a legend. Since then, he has not recorded a 1,000-yard season despite being a featured player. The Chiefs are hoping that he can return to his 2018 form, at least for 2022.

Smith-Schuster will certainly see plenty of looks in the Chiefs offense. However, no wide receiver has ever won the MVP award. History is firmly against Smith-Schuster, but his odds would make someone very rich if he defies the odds.