San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy Emerges as MVP Betting Favorite

 

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the reigning MVP. Mahomes is +850 odds to win the prestigious award in consecutive seasons and is attempting to win a third MVP trophy.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the 2019 MVP winner, is +900 odds to win his second MVP in a five-season span.

Mr. Irrelevant: Purdy the MVP Favorite

The 49ers selected Purdy with a seventh-round pick and the overall pick #262 in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Iowa State quarterback was the last player picked in the draft, which earns the moniker of Mr. Irrelevant every season. Purdy bucked tradition when he came out of nowhere and led the 49ers to five straight victories to end his rookie season.

Purdy began the 2022 season as the third-string quarterback behind starter and backup Jimmy Garoppolo. He took over as the starter in December after Lance and with season-ending injuries.

Purdy went 5-0 in his first five career starts and then led the 49ers to two victories in the playoffs and a trip to the .

A Disaster struck in the NFC Championship s first quarter when Purdy sustained an elbow injury. The 49ers also lost their backup quarterback to a concussion and were forced to finish the game without a quarterback. The Eagles defeated the 49ers, 31-7, and

The 49ers and Purdy circled Week 13 on their calendars when the 2023 NFL schedule was released. They couldn t wait to enact revenge on the Eagles.

The 49ers went on the road and demolished the Eagles, 42-19, improving to 9-3 on the season. Purdy completed 19 of 27 passes for 314 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Oddsmakers adjusted their MVP odds after the impressive victory, and Purdy emerged as the new favorite at +300.

In 12 starts this season, Purdy leads the NFL with a 116.1 passer rating and a 75.6 QBR rating. He completed 70.2% of his passes for 3,185 yards. He s thrown 23 touchdowns and six interceptions and rushed for two touchdowns.

CMAC: Top Running Back in MVP Race

There s an ongoing debate in the Bay Area among 49ers fans: how can Purdy be the MVP favorite when he s not even the best player on his team?

Dual-threat running back Christian McCaffrey has been a beast this season, even while . McCaffrey has posted 17 touchdowns in 12 games. He s rushed 210 times for 1,032 yards and caught 51 passes for 429 yards.

McCaffrey is the highest running back on the MVP board at +1600 odds. He s tied for seventh overall.

Adrian Peterson, a former running back with the Minnesota Vikings, was the last non-quarterback to win the regular season MVP award back in 2012. Since the 2007 season, Peterson was the only non-quarterback to win the MVP.

Cheetah: Making an MVP Case for a WR

Down in South Florida, you ll hear a tsunami of MVP support for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Cheetah Hill. If any non-quarterback has a legitimate chance to win the MVP, it s Hill during a magical season.

In 12 games this season, Hill hauled in 93 receptions for 1,481 yards and 12 touchdowns with a league-best 15.9 yards per catch. He s also recorded the fastest speed for any player this season. He lived up to his Cheetah nickname when he topped out at 22.01 mph during a 64-yard touchdown run in Week 5.

Hill has the same MVP odds as McCaffrey at +1600. But those numbers put both candidates behind six quarterbacks, including Purdy, Hurts, Prescott,  Mahomes, and Jackson.

The last time a wide receiver came close to winning the MVP occurred during the 1987 season. That s when 49ers legend Jerry Rice finished second in voting behind Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway.

The MVP award was shrouded in controversy in 1987 because Rice had superior stats than Elway with 65 receptions for 1,078 yards and 23 touchdowns in just 12 games. In addition, teammate Joe Montana was named a first-team All-Pro quarterback, and Elway was named to the second team.