2015 NFL MVP Odds: Aaron Rodgers Behind Andrew Luck on Updated Betting Props

The reigning NFL MVP’s job got a little tougher when he lost his top target for the season in an exhibition game last Sunday. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers was a co-favorite with Andrew Luck of the Indianapolis Colts to win the 2015 NFL MVP but slipped behind him despite seeing his betting odds drop at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

That’s right, Rodgers went from 5-1 to 4-1 to repeat as the league’s top player while Luck fell even further down to 3-1 from 5-1 following news that Green Bay wide receiver Jordy Nelson will miss the regular season due to a torn ACL suffered against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The moves make sense for both players because Rodgers will likely need to do more with his receiving corps without Nelson, and Luck should now be the front-runner to win the award as he leads arguably the best team in the AFC.

The Colts still have to get by Tom Brady (20-1 on the NFL MVP odds) and the New England Patriots in the playoffs if they are going to take the next step and make it back to the Super Bowl. But it does help them that Brady is suspended for the first four games of the season, which could potentially cost the Patriots home-field advantage somewhere down the road.

Another strong candidate to win NFL MVP honors is Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (12-1), who won the award in 2012 but missed most of last year due to a personal-conduct suspension. The Vikings appear much improved with Peterson back in the fold, and he will get an excellent opportunity to prove his worth this season.

One team to watch closely in 2015 with a couple of potential dark-horse MVP betting picks is the Pittsburgh Steelers with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Le’Veon Bell. Roethlisberger (20-1) threw for a career-high 4,952 yards a year ago and figures to top that number in a pass-happy offense designed by coordinator Todd Haley.

However, Bell (25-1) is also one of the league’s most well-rounded backs in terms of rushing and receiving, and he could challenge his teammate for the honor. The only problem for Bell, who rushed for a career-high 1,361 yards in 2014, is that he is suspended for the first two games after violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.