The NFL MVP hasn’t been awarded to a non-quarterback since 2012, when then-Vikings running back Adrian Peterson won the award.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is the odds-on favorite as the next player to change that trend.
In the latest MVP odds released by Westgate SuperBook, Elliott has the best chance for a non-quarterback to take home the trophy at 60-1. He has the same odds as Jared Goff and 2015 MVP Cam Newton.
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Ezekiel Elliott Has Eyes On Another Rushing Title With Cowboys
Since he entered the league as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Elliott has been the unquestioned centerpiece of the Cowboys’ offense.
With a workhorse mentality and explosive skillset, Elliott has been the league rushing champ in two of his first three years. He burst onto the scene by going for 1,631 yards and 15 touchdowns as a rookie, and did it again last year with 1,434 yards and six touchdowns.
If healthy, he’ll have the opportunity to once again lead the league and maybe even make history.
“At the end of the day, we want to get him as many touches as we can. At the same time, you got to recognize what a 16-plus game season is,” first-year Cowboys offensive coordinator Moore told reporters. “We’ll see how it progresses (with the other RBs), but if we can get it to Zeke, we’re gonna get it to Zeke.”
When Peterson on the award in 2012, he broke the vaunted 2,000-yard barrier, collecting 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Vikings. Only 11 players have ever rushed for 2,000 yards and Peterson did it one-year removed from ACL surgery.
There’s not a rich history of running backs being MVPs, but once and a while they tend to outdo the quarterback crop for the NFL’s top honor. Before Peterson, LaDainian Tomlinson was the last running back to win. He did so in 2006, going back to back with fellow running back Shaun Alexander.
GettyKansas City TE Travis Kelce and QB Patrick Mahomes
MVP Odds: Best of the Rest
Defending MVP Patrick Mahomes leads the way on the list at 4-1. Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs star completed 66 percent of his passes and threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns in his first season as the full-time starter.
Green Bay quarterback and Colts QB Andrew Luck are next on the list at 8-1, followed by a bunch of other quarterbacks like Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott is 100-1 to take home the honor. Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper and linebacker Leighton Vander Esch are both 200-1.
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Cowboys’ Star Ezekiel Elliott Is in the MVP Conversation