Saquon Barkley, the Philadelphia Eagles’ star running back, is turning heads in the MVP race, with sportsbooks taking notice. He’s on a mission to become the first non-quarterback to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award since Adrian Peterson did it back in 2012.
At the start of the season, Barkley was a longshot for the MVP award, sitting at +30,000 odds at BetMGM. But by Week 11, those odds had already dropped to +15,000, and just last week, they were down to +5,000. But after an incredible performance in a 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams, where he rushed for 255 yards, scored two touchdowns, and added 47 yards receiving, Barkley’s odds skyrocketed to +650. He’s now leading the league with 1,392 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns.
By Tuesday, Barkley had become a serious MVP contender, with odds dropping to +400. Only quarterbacks Josh Allen (+150) and Lamar Jackson (+250) have better odds. Barkley is now BetMGM’s biggest liability in the MVP market, meaning more people are betting on him than any other player.
Barkley’s chances of winning Offensive Player of the Year have also taken a leap. He’s now the heavy favorite at -400, a huge jump from +2500 when the market first opened. Derrick Henry, the running back for the Ravens, is still in the running but far behind at +275.
“Nobody can stop Saquon right now, and bettors are catching on,” said BetMGM’s trading manager Christian Cipollini.
DraftKings has also seen a similar trend. Barkley’s MVP odds have dropped from +4,000 to +475, making him the third favorite behind Allen and Jackson. Meanwhile, some quarterbacks saw their MVP chances fall dramatically after Week 12 losses. Washington’s rookie Jayden Daniels went from +2,500 to +6,000 after a loss to Dallas, and Houston’s C.J. Stroud dropped from +2,800 to +9,000 after the Texans lost to Tennessee. On the flip side, Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield’s odds improved from +5,000 to +3,500 after the Buccaneers’ big win over the New York Giants.
Barkley’s rise is turning the MVP race upside down, and right now, he’s on fire.