NFL MVP odds: Hurts closes gap in battle with Allen, Mahomes

The second half of the 2022-23 NFL season officially kicks off with the Thursday Night Football game between NFC South foes Atlanta and Carolina. As it does, the contenders on the NFL MVP odds board — and those vying for other postseason honors — begin the annual transition from steady trot to more spirited gallop, like a thoroughbred passing the half-mile pole.

With some awards, the sprint to the finish line will be a one-man race featuring a Flightline-like separation between the current leader and the rest of the field. Mostly, though, there figures to be a lot of jockeying for position on the way to the wire.

Can the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts outlast Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Buffalo’s Josh Allen in what (for now) is a three-quarterback race for NFL MVP? At the same time, can Hurts win a battle with explosive Miami wide receiver Tyreek Hill for NFL Offensive Player of the Year?

And can anyone come from the back of the pack and overtake Philadelphia’s Nick Sirianni for NFL Coach of the Year?

Here’s a look at where things stand in the NFL awards betting market heading into Week 10, beginning with an update on NFL MVP odds.

Note: All odds updated as of 10:30 a.m. ET on Nov. 9.

Buffalo’s upset loss to the New York Jets in Week 9 didn’t just impact the team’s Super Bowl odds. It also affected quarterback Josh Allen’s odds to win the NFL’s most prestigious individual prize.

In fact, after heading into New York as the +110 favorite on BetMGM’s NFL MVP odds board, Allen on Monday dropped into a tie with Hurts for second at +250. Then late Tuesday, Allen — who suffered an injury to his right (throwing) elbow in the Jets loss — tumbled to +300, with Hurts inching up to the +225 second choice.

Both Hurts and Allen are looking up at Mahomes. The 2018 NFL MVP saw his odds drop from +450 a week ago to +225 after completing 43 of 68 passes for 446 yards in Sunday night’s overtime home win over Tennessee.

Mahomes then dipped to +200 late Tuesday as the NFL MVP odds market reacted to Allen’s elbow issues. The severity of the injury remains unknown, but it’s possible Allen could miss Sunday’s home game against Minnesota.

Mahomes, Hurts and Allen — in some order — have been at the top of the MVP odds board for weeks. And the fact they are bunched together at the halfway mark makes sense, given their statistics.

Consider:

» READ MORE: NFL Super Bowl odds: Eagles still second choice to win it all

While it’s likely that the 2022-23 NFL MVP will end up in the hands of one of these three dynamic stars, it’s far from certain. Lurking in the bushes are two more quarterbacks within striking distance: Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (the 2019 MVP) and Tagovailoa are at +1000 and +1100, respectively.

Tagovailoa actually saw his odds sliced nearly in half Tuesday, as he initially came out of a Week 9 win at Chicago with +2000 MVP odds.

It’s easy to assume there’s zero difference between NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. But the reality is the former goes to the league’s best, most indispensable player; the latter goes to the league’s most dynamic and impactful offensive force.

That’s why Hurts and Miami’s Hill currently are the overwhelming favorites in the NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds market at BetMGM. As of midday Tuesday, Hurts (+325) was slightly ahead of Hill (+350). However, by Wednesday morning, Hill (+250) had zipped past Hurts (+400) at BetMGM.

We already broke down Hurts’ credentials, so what makes Hill worthy of the No. 1 spot? He leads the league with 76 catches and 1,104 receiving yards.

The latter figure is most impressive, because the player who trails him in both categories — Los Angeles Rams wideout and 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp — has nearly 400 fewer receiving yards (813).

The one knock on Hill is he’s been an infrequent end zone visitor. His three touchdown receptions are well behind the league leaders — Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs, Kansas City’s Travis Kelce and Las Vegas’ Davante Adams all have seven.

Still, Hurts and Hill are the only two Offensive Player of the Year candidates with single-digit odds at BetMGM. The nearest threats are Minnesota wideout Justin Jefferson (+1000); Diggs and Baltimore’s Jackson (+1100); and Kupp (+1200).

Meanwhile, Allen tumbled from +500 prior to Week 9 to +1000 on Monday to +1400 as of Wednesday morning.

» READ MORE: Eagles are biggest favorite in early lines for NFL’s Week 10

As a rookie last season, Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons was the Defensive Player of the Year bridesmaid, finishing behind Pittsburgh Steelers sack master T.J. Watt.

This season? Parsons can start clearing space on his mantel, because barring injury, the award is his.

The 23-year-old from Penn State enters Week 10 with 11.5 sacks — three more than anyone else — and he’s the odds-on -250 favorite on BetMGM’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds board.

As of now, Parsons’ only competition — if you want to call it that — are three other pass rushers: San Francisco’s oft-injured Nick Bosa (+900), Cleveland’s Myles Garrett (+1200) and New England’s Matthew Judon (also +1200).

Sirianni started the season among a group of 10 coaches who had the shortest NFL Coach of the Year odds, ranging from +1400 to +1600. But after guiding his team to a perfect 8-0 start, the second-year Eagles coach is now lapping the field.

Much like the Cowboys’ Parsons, Sirianni is the odds-on choice to win his profession’s top honor, checking in at -130 at BetMGM.

Heading into Week 10, only four of Sirianni’s colleagues have single-digit odds. Two are rookie coaches who were among the preseason frontrunners with Sirianni: Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell (opened at +1400, now +700) and the New York Giants’ Brian Daboll (opened +1400, now +800).

The others are longtime Seattle coach Pete Carroll (from +4000 to +700) and the New York Jets’ Robert Saleh (from +3000 to +900).

The teams led by that quartet of coaches have a combined 23-9 record. Impressive, to be sure … but not perfect.

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