NFL Odds: Houston Texans Quarterback C.J. Stroud Surging Into MVP Race

Jim Brown is the only rookie to win the MVP award in the history of the NFL.

Will C.J. Stroud join him?

The Houston Texans’ rookie quarterback is off to a phenomenal start to his professional career, and the oddsmakers are starting to take notice.

Stroud was a 250-to-1 longshot to win MVP just a couple weeks ago, and those odds have now been slashed to +2000 at BetMGM, as of November 13th.

Stroud has thrown for 2,626 yards this season with 15 touchdowns and only two interceptions. His yards per attempt average of 8.3 is among the best in the NFL and he has a passer rating of 101.0.

He has been phenomenal the past two weeks, throwing for 826 yards and six touchdowns with one pick and a yards per attempt average of 10.2 in wins over the Buccaneers and Bengals.

The Texans are 5-4 on the season heading into a matchup with the Cardinals on Sunday, and if Houston makes the playoffs after preseason expectations that had them among the worst teams in the league, Stroud could very well be in the mix to win the MVP.

Two of the top statistical passers this season, Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa, are seen as beneficiaries of the talent around them, while it’s been somewhat of a down year for perennial MVP candidates Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow.

Here is a look at the ten top candidates to win the award, per BetMGM:

• Patrick Mahomes +275
• Jalen Hurts +300
• Tua Tagovailoa +600
• Lamar Jackson +600
• Josh Allen +1400
• Joe Burrow +1800
• C.J. Stroud +2000
• Dak Prescott +3000
• Brock Purdy +3000
• Christian McCaffrey +3000

Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft but it already seems clear the Panthers made a grave error by passing on him for Bryce Young.

He is the runaway favorite to win the NFL Rookie of the Year, with -2000 odds at BetMGM as of November 13th.

If Stroud gets even better down the stretch, he could make a push for MVP in a year in which no clear favorite has emerged after 10 weeks.