New Orleans Saints MVP odds for 2021

Sportsbooks have begun releasing their odds for the 2021 NFL MVP. This award has evolved into the quarterback award for the most part so naturally all the favorites are of this position. A quarterback has won the award in 17 of the past 20 years. The other three years were won by running backs. So examining the New Orleans Saints possible MVP candidates will start with quarterback, whoever that might end up being. The DraftKings Sportsbook provides the numbers for this deep dive into Saints MVP candidates and their odds in 2021.

New Orleans Saints MVP Futures

The longest shot at being an NFL MVP on the Saints is Michael Thomas at +15,000. This is no detriment to Thomas, it has just been an incredibly long time since any wide receiver has won the award. As in, that no receiver has ever won the award in the Super Bowl era, beginning in 1970. If any receiver in the league has a shot at this award, it could very well be Thomas. Setting records is not foreign to Thomas, as he holds the single-season NFL records for receptions. If Thomas were to lead the Saints into contention this year, especially with a limited or mistake-prone quarterback under center, he could very well make history again.

As previously mentioned, running backs do have a small chance at the MVP award. The ever-dangerous Alvin Kamara comes in at +10,000 odds at this years award. Three running backs come in with better odds and two others are tied with the same odds. Kamara and Thomas might cost one-another the chance at this award though. Having two players at the top of their positions on the same team will likely split big plays. If the Saints transform into more of a running team with Taysom Hill however, then Kamara could feast on defenses. With such long odds, it might be worth a gamble. Kamara showed what he is capable of last year against the Minnesota Vikings, putting up six touchdowns in a single game. The talent is not the question, opportunity is. If Hill wins the quarterback job for the Saints, Kamara might be worth a shot, especially at +10,000.

Which Saints quarterback to bet on?

Sportsbooks are not sure how to assess the Saints quarterback competition. Jameis Winston comes in at better odds than Taysom Hill but both players are not super longshots. Hill has the longest odds of the two quarterbacks at +10,000. Sean Payton has already proven that he can win with Taysom Hill. Hill started four games for the Saints in 2020, winning three of those. On the season, Hill finished with a completion percentage above 70%. The rushing is what separates Hill though. On the year, Hill finished with 457 yards rushing and 928 yards passing in limited action. Lamar Jackson won the MVP in 2019 running a similar offense to what the Saints might be under Hill. Betting on a quarterback who might not even win the starting job could be a waste though. Hill’s role in 2021 could be similar to his role in 2020, a specialist with certain plays drawn up, which would destroy his chances at the NFL MVP.

Jameis Winston has the best odds of any Saints player in 2021. Purely passing the football has never been Winston’s issue. In his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Winston passed for over 4,000 yards in every season in which he played the entire season. This includes the 2019 season where Winston actually had 5,109 yards. The issue with Winston will always be interceptions. In 2019, Winston had 30 on the year to go with only 33 touchdowns. The good news for Winston, is that he has never had an offensive coach like Sean Payton mentoring him. Winston learned under Drew Brees in 2020 and now gets to compete for the Saints starting job. The 2021 iteration of Jameis Winston is likely to be the best version of him that has ever played in the NFL. For a player who can put up over 5,000 yards in a season, Payton could very well have a gem-in-waiting next year. Winston’s +6,000 odds on DraftKings might be the best value of any player on the board.

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Saints MVP potential wagers

DraftKings has four New Orleans Saints players on their list of potential NFL MVPs. Positional players Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara have the longest odds. Meanwhile, potential quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston have slightly better odds. Kamara might be the best bet of any Saints player. If the Saints transform to a running team because of Hill, then Kamara benefits. If Sean Payton pulls back the offense to limit Jameis Winston’s mistakes, it would also benefit Kamara. Kamara’s role is cemented in the Saints offense. No matter who the quarterback is, Kamara will have his touches behind the usual great offensive line. At +10,000, a simple $100.00 wager might be worth the long-shot.

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