Dak Prescott vs. Lamar Jackson: Which MVP Candidate Should You Buy Low On?
By Ben Heisler
Both the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens are 2-1 this year, but despite the same win total, their respective fan bases would likely give two completely different answers about the state of the team.
Dallas is a two-point loss away from being 3-0 to start the year, with Tom Brady charging down the field on the NFL's opening night to hand Dallas a 31-29 defeat. The next two weeks, it was the Cowboys' turn to win by a field goal with a 20-17 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers on the road, followed by a Monday night 41-21 beatdown of their division-rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Baltimore, on the other hand, coughed up a road win against the Las Vegas Raiders in Vegas, needed a fumble from Clyde Edwards-Helaire of the Kansas City Chiefs to pull out a 36-35 home win on Sunday night in Week 2, and somehow miraculously got an NFL record 66-yard field goal by Justin Tucker on the road vs. the Lions to survive 19-17.
Both quarterbacks are off to decent starts on the season, but have not come close to hitting their ceiling. If not for a costly fumble in the Raiders game, Lamar Jackson's NFL MVP odds at WynnBET may be even higher as he leads all quarterbacks with 251 rushing yards through three games.
Meanwhile, Prescott has been remarkably efficient, completing 77.5% of his passes to go with 6 touchdowns and two interceptions, but the eye-popping numbers he was putting up last season have not been there this year. Here's how their stat lines look through their first three games 2021:
Lamar Jackson 2021 Stats
53/87 (60.9%) | 761 passing yards (253.7/game) | 3 TDs, 3 INTs | 251 rushing yards (83.6/game) | 2 rushing TDs
Dak Prescott 2021 Stats
86/111 (77.5%) | 878 passing yards (292.6/game) | 6 TDs, 2 INTs | 19 rushing yards
So, the question becomes. Who has the higher upside at lowered odds to win MVP?
Latest NFL MVP Odds
- Matthew Stafford +500
- Kyler Murray +600
- Tom Brady +650
- Patrick Mahomes +750
- Justin Herbert +900
- Josh Allen +900
- Aaron Rodgers +1300
- Lamar Jackson +1500
- Dak Prescott +1500
- Russell Wilson +1800
- Derek Carr +2000
Who is a better bet to win NFL MVP? Dak Prescott or Lamar Jackson?
I'll lean in on the Dak Prescott train, knowing that Dallas' road to winning the division against a pathetic NFC East should be much easier than Baltimore's in a more competitive AFC North. Prescott also has the narrative on his side coming back from his gruesome ankle injury that cost him the season in Week 5. If the media hypes up the Cowboys, and we know that they do, it's easy to see the narrative (along with the odds) continue to shift his way.
Dallas also has opportunities for some further statement games in October, beginning when they host the 3-0 Carolina Panthers and the league's No. 1 defense so far this season on Sunday. Dallas is currently a 4.5-point favorite at WynnBET with the total hovering at 51.5.
Jackson, of course, won the MVP two seasons ago in 2019, so he's proven his ability to play at the highest of all levels. It just may not be enough to pass the competition he has in front of him.
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