2016-17 NFL MVP: Winner Prediction and Complete Odds for Top Candidates

This NFL season has seen one of the closer MVP races in recent years.

Last year had little to no doubt, as Cam Newton stood out as an elite talent who carried the Carolina Panthers to the playoffs and a Super Bowl berth last season.

But this year? The field is much more crowded, and there isn't a clear-cut winner.  

Here are the latest odds for the MVP award this season, according to OddsShark. 

Player	Pos.	Odds
Matt Ryan (ATL)	QB	+125
Aaron Rodgers (GB)	QB	+150
Tom Brady (NE)	QB	+350
Ezekiel Elliott (DAL)	RB	+750
Dak Prescott (DAL)	QB	+5000
Le'Veon Bell (PIT)	RB	+5000

This season has been an entertaining campaign, to say the least. At some points, it looked like Dallas Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott was the favorite for MVP. Even his fellow rookie, quarterback Dak Prescott, was garnering some attention as well.

Don't forget about Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers' late-season charge, either. Through a six-game winning streak, Rodgers has thrown for 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions, an impressive feat for a quarterback who lost his first-string running back, Eddie Lacy, early on in the season.

But the MVP award is not necessarily about late-season achievements, but rather the entire body of work. And looking at the award in that frame of mind, there is only one choice for the award: Atlanta Falcons standout quarterback Matt Ryan.

Matty Ice has been anything but cold this season. With the help of Julio Jones and a dynamic duo in the backfield (when healthy) of Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman, Ryan has had a few dangerous weapons at his disposal during the season.

More impressively, it's been Ryan's consistency throughout the season that has put him and his team in the position they are in today.

But don't just look at at passer rating, Ryan's been great in every statistical category this season.  

With 4,944 passing yards and 38 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, Ryan is verging on historic numbers as a signal-caller in the NFL. 

Not only is he in command of the NFL's most potent offense, but he also ranks second in the league in passing yards behind Drew Brees and third in completion percentage behind Sam Bradford and Brees.

While Tom Brady will be thrown into the equation for MVP, there is something to be said about a player who has been able to play over the duration of a season and without serving a four-game suspension.

Brady has put up some incredible numbers this season, especially for someone his age, but he is not the league's most valuable player when you consider that the New England Patriots still went 3-1 without his services to kick off the season.

Could the Atlanta Falcons win three games without Matt Ryan? How about one? Didn't think so.

Say what you want about Ryan having easier sledding with the likes of star wideout Jones at his disposal, but nowadays, what great quarterback doesn't have a great No. 1 option on offense?

Whether you like it or not, Ryan has elevated his game to an MVP-caliber level this season. While his name doesn't carry the same weight as a Brady or Rodgers, Ryan is in the conversation as one of the top five signal-callers in the league today and has proven himself more than worthy of being the league's MVP this year through his consistency and ability to make plays for his team.

Predicted winner: Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons

All stats are courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.