In each of the last two years, the Los Angeles Rams have had legitimate MVP candidates deep into the season. In 2017, Todd Gurley finished runner-up to Tom Brady and many would argue the Rams running back should’ve won the award.
Last season, Aaron Donald, Jared Goff and Todd Gurley were all contenders to win MVP late in the year before they tailed off after the Week 12 bye. Granted, it would’ve been difficult to overcome Patrick Mahomes’ stellar season, but the Rams were well-represented in the MVP race.
Entering 2019, the same three studs from L.A. will have a chance to win the award again. The Westgate Las Vegas Superbook released its initial MVP odds and four Rams have 200/1 odds or better.
- Jared Goff: 60/1
- Aaron Donald: 100/1
- Todd Gurley: 100/1
- Brandin Cooks: 200/1
Goff is unsurprisingly the Rams player with the best odds to win MVP, considering it’s a quarterback award. Some players ahead of him, however, include Baker Mayfield, Matt Ryan and Ben Roethlisberger. Ezekiel Elliott, the top non-quarterback, has the same odds at 60/1.
Gurley’s knee injury has definitely dinged his chances to win MVP next season because no one truly knows how much he’ll be used. The Rams might make him a part-time player like they did at the end of last season by forcing him to share the workload with Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown.
Donald is tied with Khalil Mack, Von Miller, Melvin Ingram, J.J. Watt, Joey Bosa and Myles Garrett as the defensive players with the best odds to win MVP, all at 100/1. Each of those players will need a remarkable 2019 season and a down year from the quarterbacks if they want to have a chance to take home the hardware, which no defensive player has done since Lawrence Taylor in 1986.
Cooks is a long shot to win it, as is every wide receiver. No wideout has ever been named MVP, and with the Rams so deep at wide receiver, it’s hard to imagine Cooks having any chance to be the first.
