Aaron Rodgers and 4 Other Under-the-Radar MVP Candidates for 2024 NFL Season

The start of the 2024 NFL season is still more than a month away, but it isn't too early to start looking into the upcoming MVP race. Bookmakers like DraftKings Sportsbook are already offering odds and taking wagers on which player will take home the hardware, making it a perfect time to start looking at some of the best value bets on the board.

Despite being a 17-1 long shot in the preseason, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson eventually captured last year's award, edging out familiar stars like Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes who were in the running for much of the season.

Dark-horse candidates like Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill, Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the dynamic San Francisco 49ers duo of running back Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Brock Purdy all made compelling cases for the honor as well.

The usual suspects figure to be right back in the hunt for the 2024 NFL MVP award. But here, we're focused on some of the under-the-radar players who could spice things up and make a relatively unexpected run at the accomplishment.

Read on for a look at five players with odds longer than +1500—putting them outside the top seven on DraftKings' list of favorites—who could still win MVP next season.

MVP Odds: +1600

Aaron Rodgers' first season with the New York Jets was a massive disappointment, but the veteran signal-caller refused to let a campaign marred by a torn Achilles be his NFL swan song. Rodgers has worked his way back to full strength and is now gearing up for a 2024 season that could be remembered as one of the best of his Hall of Fame-worthy career.

Rodgers is only two years removed from winning the second of his back-to-back MVP awards and his fourth MVP overall. While he left the Green Bay Packers on the heels of a down campaign, the 40-year-old should still have enough left in the tank to help break Gang Green's 13-year playoff drought.

Heading into his 20th professional season, Rodgers is surrounded by some of the top playmakers he's ever gotten to work with.

Rising star Breece Hall leads one of the league's most exciting young backfields, a group that will help keep defenses honest and give Rodgers time to throw. The quarterback also has one of the NFL's deepest receiving corps at his disposal, with incumbents like No. 1 wideout Garrett Wilson being joined by free-agent pickup Mike Williams and rookie Day 2 pick Malachi Corley.

New York's offensive line was an area of major concern last year, but it has been heavily overhauled. The Jets brought in veterans like Tyron Smith, John Simpson and Morgan Moses to help keep Rodgers upright, making this a loaded unit that may even see prized first-round pick Olu Fashanu start his career on the bench as a depth option.

If the Jets avoid the injury bug and live up to expectations, Rodgers could break Tom Brady's record by becoming the oldest MVP in league history.

MVP Odds: +3000

The Indianapolis Colts took a major gamble when they selected Anthony Richardson at No. 4 overall in the 2023 draft. They saw a small glimpse of the potentially immense returns on that risk early last season, and they could be further rewarded with an MVP-caliber season from the young signal-caller in 2024.

While Richardson dominated the combine and had unprecedented size and athleticism for the quarterback position, his lack of experience and production in college were legitimate concerns. Those fears turned out to be unfounded after Richardson looked dominant right out of the gates.

Although injuries limited the quarterback to only four appearances as a rookie, Richardson made the most of them by completing 50 of his 84 throws for 577 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception. His dynamic rushing skills were on full display as well, as the 6'4", 244-pound signal-caller went off for 136 yards and four scores on his 25 carries.

According to ESPN's Stephen Holder, the 24-year-old hinted that he has more in store, saying that "people didn't really get to see everything I could do on the field" before an AC joint sprain cut his rookie season short.

Considering the lasting impression Richardson made on only 173 offensive snaps in 2023, an MVP award isn't out of the question if he shows growth in Year 2 while remaining on the field for a majority of the season.

The Colts prioritized building around the potential franchise quarterback this offseason, locking down top wideout Michael Pittman Jr. on a long-term extension and spending a second-round pick on Adonai Mitchell to work as a No. 2 option.

With his pass-catching unit solidified, Richardson has a sky-high ceiling moving forward. He just needs to tap into that potential and stay healthy to reach his MVP heights.

MVP Odds: +3500

The Atlanta Falcons secured the biggest prize on the 2024 free-agent market when they signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract. His signing was a major coup for a Falcons squad that has struggled to find consistency under center since the departure of Matt Ryan in 2021.

While Cousins should make Atlanta the team to beat in the wide-open NFC South, he could also elevate the franchise to a legitimate Super Bowl contender and become an MVP candidate. Although he's entering his age-36 season and coming off an Achilles injury, Cousins will have ample opportunity to shine for his new employer.

There is no shortage of talent surrounding the four-time Pro Bowler. The Falcons acquired a slew of elite skill-position prospects in recent drafts, including running back Bijan Robinson, wideout Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts. While those three have yet to reach their respective ceilings, a dearth of quality quarterback play and questionable scheming have held them back more than a lack of skill.

Some scheduling luck may end up greatly aiding Cousins' MVP case as well. The Falcons are slated to play the league's softest schedule in 2024, with their upcoming opponents posting a combined 131-158 record last season.

Atlanta has dream matchups against the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Chargers and twice faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That means Cousins will have five games to pad his stats against the league's four worst passing defenses from last year.

Although there is a mild quarterback controversy in play after Atlanta took Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick, Cousins can put any concerns to rest with an elite showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season-opener and begin what may be a dominant march to an unexpected MVP award.

MVP Odds: +4000

The MVP award almost always goes to a quarterback in the NFL. Only four running backs have won an MVP since 2000, but the last one was Adrian Peterson in 2012.

Christian McCaffrey could turn back the clocks this year.

McCaffrey has been sensational since joining the San Francisco 49ers via trade during the 2022 campaign. He was third in MVP voting last year—his first full season in the Bay Area—after amassing a league-leading 2,023 yards and 21 touchdowns on 339 touches.

While McCaffrey was clearly the league's best running back and earned Offensive Player of the Year honors, he still finished well behind eventual winner Lamar Jackson in the MVP race. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott also finished ahead of him.

It's worth noting that voters were split on which player they believed was truly the driving force behind San Francisco's elite offensive production. McCaffrey's 147 points were only slightly ahead of Niners quarterback Brock Purdy, who finished fourth with 97 points.

While a voting base unified behind McCaffrey would have vaulted him ahead of Prescott—who only finished five points ahead to claim the No. 2 spot—it still wouldn't have made enough difference to usurp Jackson. He finished with 493 points after being one first-place vote shy of claiming a second unanimous MVP award.

It will likely take an even more impressive campaign from McCaffrey, as well as a down year from all of the top passers, to convince voters to give the MVP to a running back in 2024.

If McCaffrey can break Chris Johnson's long-standing record of 2,509 yards from scrimmage while guiding San Francisco to the league's best record, it may just be enough to break the streak of quarterback MVPs.

MVP Odds: +5000

The Chicago Bears punted on the chance to take a quarterback at the top of the 2023 draft, but history didn't repeat itself in 2024. Instead, they stood pat and took Caleb Williams with the No. 1 overall pick this year.

The Bears can only hope that the USC star has a similarly transformative effect as C.J. Stroud had for the Houston Texans last year.

Williams is taking over a team that struggled to live up to its potential with Justin Fields at the helm. Chicago has gone a disappointing 16-35 since the start of the 2021 campaign and hasn't won a playoff game since the 2010 season, but it has of all the pieces in place to finally exit its rebuild and start contending again.

The Bears not only landed Williams on Day 1 of the draft, but they also got one of the top wideouts in the class at No. 9 overall in Rome Odunze. The Washington star will be joining forces with incumbent No. 1 pass-catcher DJ Moore and prized trade acquisition Keenan Allen to round out what looks to be the league's most loaded receiving corps.

With D'Andre Swift now leading the backfield and Cole Kmet emerging as one of the NFL's top young tight ends, there are no skill-position holes on Chicago's roster. The offensive line is a slight concern after giving up 166 sacks between the 2021 and 2023 seasons, but picking up veteran guard Ryan Bates via trade should help bring stability to a unit brimming with potential.

Williams will have the Windy City's championship hopes resting squarely on his shoulders, but he should be up for the task after throwing for more than 10,000 yards and racking up 93 touchdowns at USC and Oklahoma. The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner was already the best player in all of college football, and he soon could become the top NFL player as well if he reaches his ceiling.