Mahomes, Rodgers Are 2022 MVP Favorites

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes scrambles out of the pocket against the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter of their NFL game at Arrowhead Stadium

Between its young superstars and veterans who continue to play at an All-Pro level, the NFL might be in a golden age of quarterbacks. Ranking the best quarterbacks for the 2022 season is a difficult task, though the very early MVP odds shed light on how the league’s top players are perceived.

Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers rank as the best quarterbacks for next season. The signal-callers are the co-favorites for the 2022 NFL MVP award with +700 odds at BetMGM.

Josh Allen isn’t far behind with +900 MVP odds. Joe Burrow has +1200 odds, coming off his trip to Super Bowl LVI. Justin Herbert (+1400) ranks right in front of Matthew Stafford (+1500), the reigning Super Bowl winning quarterback.

Rodgers has won back-to-back MVP awards, giving the veteran four total MVPs in his illustrious career. The Green Bay Packers’ quarterback has thrown 85 touchdown passes and nine interceptions during that span, posting a league-high 121.5 passer rating in 2020 and an NFL-best 111.9 rating in 2021.

Each of Rodgers’ last two seasons have been marred by disappointing playoff exits. Mahomes had a similar ending, throwing two interceptions in a 2022 AFC Championship Game loss. The Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback could come back with a vengeance next season.

With a regular-season MVP and a Super Bowl MVP under his belt, Mahomes is off to a historic start to his young career. Mahomes has 151 touchdown passes and 37 interceptions at just 26 years old. Mahomes ranks first all time with 301.4 yards per game and a career 105.8 passer rating.

Allen did all he could to try to defeat Mahomes and the Chiefs in the divisional playoffs. The Buffalo Bills’ quarterback threw for 329 yards, four touchdowns and a 136.0 passer rating in a thrilling overtime loss. Allen’s increasing accuracy and his ability to use his legs give him a chance to potentially become the NFL’s top quarterback.

Burrow has drawn comparisons to Dan Marino, each reaching the Super Bowl in his second season. The former No. 1 overall pick was second last season with a 108.3 passer rating. The Cincinnati Bengals were 6-25-1 in the two years before Burrow’s emergence as an NFL star.

Many observers believe that Herbert is the best quarterback who is entering his third season. The 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year has thrown for 9,350 yards, 69 touchdowns and 25 interceptions in 32 career starts.

Stafford won a championship in his first season away from Detroit. The quarterback had a 108.3 passer rating in the Los Angeles’ Rams four playoff games.

Derrick Henry (+1800) is the only non-quarterback with better than 20/1 MVP odds. Dak Prescott (+2200) and Lamar Jackson (+2200) were among the early MVP candidates for the 2021 season and rank behind six other quarterbacks after disappointing finishes this past year.

Tom Brady (+2200) has better MVP odds than most starters, despite announcing that he won’t play football next season. Some of Brady’s recent comments suggest that the greatest quarterback of all time isn’t completely committed to the idea of retirement.

Kyler Murray (+2500) looked like a top-10 quarterback for the first half of last season. Russell Wilson (+3000) ranked among the NFL’s best quarterbacks for a few seasons until a finger injury derailed his 2021 campaign.

Jalen Hurts (+4000) and Derek Carr (+4000) are the only other quarterbacks with better than 80/1 MVP odds.