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5 NFL MVP candidates flying under the radar

By Rucker Haringey

Matt Ryan #2, Atlanta Falcons (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Matt Ryan #2, Atlanta Falcons (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Nick Bosa, San Franciso 49ers
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 19: Nick Bosa #97 of the San Francisco 49ers runs onto the field prior to the start of the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are the favorites to win the NFL MVP Award, but don’t rule out the possibility of a long shot taking home the trophy.

The NFL MVP award is the most coveted indidual accolade available in football. Players may not talk much about wanting to win the prestigious honor, but it’s a trophy coveted by lots of guys around the league.

It’s incredibly difficult to win the award if you play for a bad team. As such, anyone worthy of backing to take home the honor must be on a playoff team. Someone like Saquon Barkley or Matthew Stafford might put up video game numbers in 2020, but their team’s lack of success is going to cost them in the voting.

Bovada has Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson installed as their betting favorites. Here are five long shots that provide better value.

5 underrated NFL MVP candidates in 2020

5. Nick Bosa

It will require a special season for a defensive player to win the award. Bosa might have to flirt with 20 sacks to really get into the mix. Fortunately for the 49ers, their edge rusher has the natural talent to make that happen.

In addition to putting up a monster sack total, Bosa will need the 49ers to be an elite regular season team to support his candidacy. San Francisco has a solid blueprint for success. It’s not out of the question that they could rack up 13 or 14 wins if everything breaks their way.

The sheer odds stacked against a defensive player winning the MVP Award have pushed Bosa’s odds all the way down to +15000. That makes him a really intriguing play if no one puts up monster offensive totals for an elite team. At the very least, Bosa is worth backing as a hail mary that could pay off big in the end.

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