This season, we have three candidates who can realistically win the MVP, along with four other dark horses.The NFL MVP field is so deep this year that Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson, with 2,118 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns, isn't even in the discussion to win the award.Let's take a quick look at the MVP odds (viaOddsShark) and provide a quick write-up on each player in reverse order.NFL MVP Candidates and OddsPositionPlayerTeamOddsQBMatt RyanAtlanta-300QBAaron RodgersGreen Bay+325QBTom BradyNew England+375RBEzekiel ElliottDallas+3300QBDerek CarrOakland+3300QBDak PrescottDallas+6600RBLe'Veon BellPittsburgh+75007. Pittsburgh Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell (+7500)Much like Tom Brady (more on him in a minute), Bell's MVP candidacy will take a big hit because he only played 12 of 16 games this year.However, consider this: Bell probably had the best game of any NFL player this year when he gained 298 yards to go along with three touchdowns in snowy Buffalo in a 27-20 win.Bell finished with 1,884 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns in those 12 games. It won't be enough to get him in the discussion to win the award, but even landing on the short list is impressive. 6. Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (+6600)The rookie quarterbacked a team that made an astronomical nine-win turnaround in just one year, leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 record behind center.The Mississippi State standout finished with a highly efficient 67.8 completion percentage to go along with 23 touchdowns and just four interceptions.Prescott's issue is that he's going to split votes with fellow rookie teammate Ezekiel Elliott, who also had a phenomenal season. 5. Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott (+3300)Speaking of which, Elliott nearly topped 2,000 total yards this year (he would have if he wasn't rested in Week 17), going for 1,994 total yards and 16 touchdowns.Zeke had a knack for shining on national television, which it seemed like the Dallas Cowboys were on every single week this season.In particular, his 209-yard, three-touchdown performance against Pittsburgh in a 35-30 win topped a season of stellar performances for the young back, who just turned 21 on July 22 of last year.As great (and entertaining) as Elliott has been this season, however, the Cowboys offensive line is the real team MVP.Then again, there's a better chance of the Cleveland Browns winning the Super Bowl next year than an offensive lineman ever being considered for an NFL MVP award in our lifetimes. 4. Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr (+3300)No one performed better in the fourth quarter (and overtime) this season than Derek Carr.The third-year pro out of Fresno State had a knack for coming through in the clutch.Of note, he threw a touchdown pass and two-point conversation with under a minute remaining in a 35-34 Week 1 win over New Orleans that set the tone for the entire Raiders season.Carr threw three touchdown passes to wide receiver Michael Crabtree in a 28-27 win over the Ravens, including one with two minutes, 12 seconds remaining.And most notably, he threw for 513 yards and four touchdowns in a 30-24 overtime win over Tampa Bay that featured a seven-yard TD toss to tight end Mychal Rivera with 1:38 remaining in regulation and a game-winning 41-yard score to wide receiver Seth Roberts in overtime.Carr won't win the MVP this year because of the resumes of the three signal-callers ahead of him, but his name will be in the discussion plenty of times in what promises to be a stellar career. 3. New England Patriots QB Tom Brady (+375)If Brady played all 16 games, he'd be the MVP, no questions asked.But he missed four games due to the Deflategate suspension, which will likely prevent a third MVP award coming his way.Still, Brady managed an 11-1 record, 28 touchdowns, only two interceptions, a 67.4 completion percentage and a 112.2 QB rating. Most impressively, however, Brady did this while missing stellar tight end Rob Gronkowski for six of those 12 games.He'd be getting my vote if I had one, as he's the best player on the best team and won as many games (11) as the assumed favorite (Matt Ryan) did even though Ryan played all year and Brady was in 12.That being said, I'm sure Brady would much rather have a Super Bowl MVP. 2. Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers (+325)No one in football played better than Aaron Rodgers in the second half of the season.In his last seven games, Rodgers threw for 18 touchdowns and no interceptions. The Packers offense averaged nearly 30 points per game in that span.Rodgers finished with 40 touchdowns and seven interceptions in leading a Packers team that was left for dead at 4-6 to a 10-6 record and yet another NFC North title.Although playoff performances do not factor into the MVP voting, Rodgers proved why he's the best player in the NFL right now Sunday, as he threw for 362 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-13 win over a New York Giants team that hadn't allowed more than 29 points all season to anyone (and only above 24 points once).Still, the award won't be his this season. That will go to... 1. Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan (-300)Ryan checks off all the MVP award boxes.He's a quarterback, which more often than not wins the MVP award.He's on a good team (11-5, No. 2 seed in the NFC) that made the playoffs.He has gaudy stats (38 touchdowns, 4,944 passing yards, 117.1 QB rating).He's a fresh face in the MVP voting that folks may want to vote for over guys who have been in the discussion frequently (Rodgers, Brady).His team performed well from start to finish (interestingly enough, the Falcons lost their five games by only a combined 22 points) and finished second in point differential to only the New England Patriots.Ryan's not the best player in the league (that would be Rodgers or Brady at the moment), or even the best quarterback (ditto) or even the best player on his team (that would be Julio Jones), but he's going to be your MVP winner because he doesn't have a discernible weakness in his MVP resume.
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