2015-16 NFL MVP: Latest Odds and Predictions Following Week 17

The NFL MVP plot thickened just in time for Week 17's conclusion. While the penultimate weekend created conflict, the season's final Sunday shattered any uncertainty.

Erasing the sour taste of the Carolina Panthers' lone loss, Cam Newton went 21-of-26 for 293 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and two rushing scores during a convincing 38-10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

As Newton cemented his candidacy, his top competitors stumbled.

After spending the week as the NFL's newest team to beat, the Arizona Cardinals suffered a 36-6 beating by the Seattle Seahawks. In his worst game of the season, Carson Palmer mustered 129 yards before taking an early seat to rest for the playoffs. And early front-runner Tom Brady torpedoed his chances by mustering 134 yards in the New England Patriots' 20-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, their second straight defeat.

It doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to solve this mystery: Newton is going to take home the hardware.

The star quarterback on the league's premier team won't get snubbed, so instead of dissecting Newton's chances against Palmer and Brady, let's take a look at three long shots deserving prominent ballot placement. They won't edge out Newton, but they deserve recognition for remarkable seasons.

Rank	Player	Team	Odds to Win	2015 Stats
1	QB Cam Newton	CAR	1-5	3,837 PASS YD, 35 PASS YD, 10 INT, 636 RUSH YD, 10 RUSH TD
2	QB Carson Palmer	ARI	7-1	4,671 PASS YD, 35 PASS TD, 11 INT, 1 RUSH TD
3	QB Russell Wilson	SEA	15-1	4,024 PASS YD, 34 PASS TD, 8 INT, 543 RUSH YD, 1 TD
4	QB Tom Brady	NE	20-1	4,770 PASS YD, 36 PASS TD, 7 INT, 3 RUSH TD
5	WR Antonio Brown	PIT	50-1	136 REC, 1,834 REC YD, 11 TD

Dark-Horse MVP Candidates

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

With Week 17 fresh in everyone's mind, Russell Wilson could leapfrog Brady and Palmer on ballots.

The Seattle Seahawks quarterback displayed his typical efficiency to cool down the Cardinals. He needed only 28 pass attempts to compile 197 yards and three touchdowns through their air, upping his final tallies to 4,024 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns. Both represent career highs.

And with the addition of his 553 rushing yards, he accomplished a unique feat which Newton fell 163 passing yards shy of obtaining. NFL on ESPN highlighted Wilson's dual-threat dominance:

So much for a game manager. He took Seattle's aerial attack to new heights down the closing stretch, amassing 24 touchdowns and one interception during the final seven games. Even though 10-6 marks the team's worst finish since his arrival, the Seahawks will remain a popular Super Bowl pick after dismantling the 13-3 Cardinals.

Injuries to Marshawn Lynch and Thomas Rawls—as well as a shaky offensive line—put the most pressure on Wilson in his four-year career. He responded in remarkable fashion, proving that the Seahawks are his team rather than an elite supporting cast carrying him along for the ride.

Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

David Richard/Associated Press

If Ben Roethlisberger played all 16 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Antonio Brown would receive serious consideration as the award's rightful winner.

Brown closed the season by exceeding 185 yards for the fourth time, but he didn't rewrite the record books, settling for second all-time with 136 receptions and fourth with 1,834 receiving yards. As noted by NFL's official Twitter account, he has reeled in catches at a historic clip over the past two years:

In the dozen games Roethlisberger played, Brown registered 119 receptions, 1,599 receiving yards and all 10 of his touchdowns. Prorated to 16 games, he would have broken the single-season records for receptions and receiving yards.

On one hand, who's going to flourish with Michael Vick throwing footballs outside his area code? Then again, how do you sell someone as the MVP when he fell off the earth without his starting quarterback?

Newton gets bonus points for overcoming a weak batch of wideouts, but conversely, Brown couldn't lift up his quarterback. Rather than becoming the first receiver to ever win the prestigious award, he'll have to settle for fantasy MVP honors.

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans 

Weston Kenney/Associated Press

Defenses couldn't slow Brown down, but backup quarterbacks did. That makes DeAndre Hopkins' superb season all the more impressive.

Playing alongside a revolving door of passers, the Houston Texans wideout recorded 111 catches for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns. Whether Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates or Brandon Weeden led the offense, Hopkins flourished.

Around the NFL's Chris Wesseling noted this sterling reliability, which the 23-year-old star acknowledged:

Houston can thank a strong defense, easy schedule and easier division for its playoff berth. Yet without Hopkins, its normally subpar offense decays into the abyss. 

Give him an above-average quarterback, and Hopkins would post even gaudier stats. His MVP chances are about as likely as the Texans' for winning the Super Bowl, but he deserves top-10 placement for keeping their ailing offense afloat.