Now that we’re just two games away from determining the two teams that will square off in Super Bowl 50, the number of players vying for the coveted Super Bowl MVP trophy have also been cut down to the cream of the crop.
Considering that the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers are both favorites to win their respective conference championship matches this Sunday, having both New England and Carolina’s top performers as the favorites for the Super bowl MVP award is only fitting and expected.
Still, there are a handful of other talents that can certainly make waves in Santa Clara next month, and these stars could just as well net you a solid haul when the NFL’s 2015-16 wraps up. Let’s now take a look at several of the entrants and each of their prospects of adding another piece of hardware to their resume apart from the Lombardi Trophy.
Then, head on over to our complete preview and the experts’ picks for the conference championship games this weekend to keep betting on all the intense football action before the granddaddy of all sporting championships kicks off on February 7.
Super Bowl 50 MVP Props Update
Favorites
Tom Brady
If not for Brady, the New England Patriots are likely another run-of-the-mill NFL team this season. But alas, the 38-year-old phenom is still healthy and as imposing as his age would suggest otherwise. In fact this season, Brady has arguably done more with less than what he had already been through in the previous seasons, with members of his receiving corps dropping in and out of the Pats’ lineup all throughout the regular season.
However, the adopted son of Foxborough still managed to put up huge stats and wins alike. What’s even more frightening is that New England’s offensive roster is as healthy as it has been entering Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Broncos. With the four-time Super Bowl champion determined to bag his fifth, another Super Bowl MVP trophy is just as likely to be added to his already glowing career.
Cam Newton
Last week, Cam Newton topped the oddsmakers’ lists of Super Bowl MVP contenders. But after a relatively quiet outing against the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round this past Sunday, Newton’s stock dropped slightly to +280 and ultimately have Brady as the new and current frontrunner.
Then again, the Carolina Panthers didn’t need their agile quarterback’s A-game that afternoon, as running back Jonathan Stewart (who’s also a dark horse of a contender for the Super Bowl MVP award himself at +2,200) torched Seattle’s defense for the majority of the team’s offensive output. Plus, It’s still hard to disregard Newton’s accomplishments and his overall impact for Carolina, and “Superman” will certainly be the one to lead the surge in Santa Clara should he and his Panthers indeed take home the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in franchise history.
Sleepers
Peyton Manning
A lot of people are rooting for Peyton Manning to ride off into the sunset in the grandest of fashions, and what better way for that to happen than by winning his second Super Bowl title and MVP Award at the same time?
With a price of +800, though, Manning’s prospects are not as they ought to be compared to his previous Super Bowl runs. His performances of late have also been far from impressive too, especially after failing to throw for a touchdown in the Denver Broncos’ narrow victory over the Steelers this past Sunday.
The 40-year-old still has a lot of fight in him, and it’s not even foolish to think that Manning is just saving his best performance this season – or even his entire NFL career – for last. Given how the defense is actually winning games more so for the Broncos than their offense, one final magical moment might be all that the future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer needs indeed to further cement his legacy as one of the game’s all-time greats.
Rob Gronkowski
Let’s be honest: would Tom Brady be as prolific as he is this season without Rob Gronkowski (+700) in the Patriots’ starting lineup?
Sure, Brady basically turns all his receivers into studs. But when the going gets tough, it’s Gronkowski that almost always bails him out of a pinch. New England’s massive and albeit goofy tight end accounted for nearly a third of the Patriots’ receiving yardage this regular season (even having to sit out a few games due to an injury at that), and also hauled in both of Brady’s touchdown passes in Saturday’s crucial playoff win over the Chiefs.
However, Gronk must be the only dominant force in the Patriots’ offense come Freuary 7 in order for him to win the Super Bowl MVP award. Seeing that Brady has all his weapons at his disposal right now, we might be better off cheering for the big teddy bear to just put on a great show in Santa Clara and ultimately come up short for the individual award when all is said and done.
Long Shot
David Johnson
Did anybody else anticipate rookie running back David Johnson as a candidate for the Super Bowl MVP? The third-round pick out of Northern Iowa turned a lot of heads by filling in extremely well for the Arizona Cardinals’ backfield when Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington both went out due to injuries.
However, Johnson’s recent outing against the Packers this past Saturday (a mere 35 yards on 15 carries) leaves little to be desired about his prospects of winning the Super Bowl MVP award right now. Throw in the fact that the last running back to win the award was back in 1998, his current price of +2,200 is as “high-risk, high-reward” as it gets, alright.
Complete List of Super Bowl 50 MVP Odds
*as of January 22
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tom Brady (New England Patriots) | +250 |
| Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers) | +280 |
| Carson Palmer (Arizona Cardinals) | +550 |
| Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots) | +700 |
| Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos) | +800 |
| Jonathan Stewart (Carolina Panthers) | +2,200 |
| David Johnson (Arizona Cardinals) | +2,200 |
| Demaryius Thomas (Denver Broncos) | +3,000 |
| Field (any other player) | +250 |
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