I’ve been thinking a lot about how the 2026-2027 NFL season will pan out, and some intriguing thoughts came to mind. Attempting to keep my bias aside will be tough for this, but my top MVP favorites heading into the season are based off schedule strength, team chemistry, and of course, the odds that DraftKings has for each player. I have 5 players in mind that I believe will lead their teams to a successful season, as well as perform at a level higher than expected. The list is not in order of most favorite to least favorite, just a quick list of my favorite dudes heading into the year. Let’s dive straight into this and get some hot takes flowing.

#1 – Lamar Jackson, QB, +800

Heading into the 2026-2027 NFL season, Lamar Jackson was an easy choice to predict winning the MVP of the league. After a disappointing season last year, Lamar has a lot of pressure on his shoulders. With the release of John Harbaugh, Lamar enters the season with a fresh start. The AFC North is no joke, arguably one of the hardest divisions to conquer year after year. The Baltimore Ravens schedule looks relatively easy this year outside of division matchups. Taking on the NFC South and the AFC South divisions is not going to be a cake walk by any means, but the odds are in Lamar’s favor. If Lamar can get back to his MVP habits, there will be a lot of bloodshed when meeting the Ravens.

My predictions – Lamar finishes with over 4,000 passing yards, 35+ passing TDs, 750+ rushing yards, and 8+ rushing TDs. The Baltimore Ravens will finish the year with a 12-5 record, winning the AFC North, and securing the 2 or 3 seed for the NFL Playoffs.

#2 – Matthew Stafford, QB, +1400

Honestly, I have zero clue why Stafford isn’t at least Top 3 candidates for MVP heading into the 2026-2027 season. Stafford coming off his first MVP from last season, truly does not seem like he is slowing down anytime soon. With arguably the best 1-2 combo at WR in the league with Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, Stafford is only trending upward. This offense is not only going to finish top 5 in every category, but they have a Top 3 defense heading into the season as well. Looking at the Los Angeles Rams schedule, it is so hard to determine if they even lose a single game this year. Stafford has an A+ rating around him. All of his offensive weapons, the entire defense, and the mind of Sean McVay picking apart every single scheme that’s thrown at him. Need I say more? Rams are going to the bowl, Stafford MVP, Myles Garrett DPOY, enough said.

My predictions – Stafford finishes with over 5,000 passing yards, 48+ passing TDs, and less than 8 interceptions thrown. The Los Angeles Rams will finish the year with a 13-4 record AT WORST, winning the NFC West, and securing the 1 seed for the NFL Playoffs. Stafford has everything and more to lead this team to another Super Bowl trip, and as long as he keeps producing, I don’t see a world where he isn’t the clear MVP favorite.

#3 – Caleb Williams, QB, +1300

This one hurts to put up here, but I simply have to. Caleb Williams has done nothing but trend upwards since entering the league in 2024. Williams’ first season with the Chicago Bears was below par, but his second season turned heads across the league. A big part of that was the hiring of Ben Johnson before the 2025-2026 NFL season. The Chicago Bears enter the 2026-2027 season with a little easier schedule from last season, but still going to be a tough test for 18 weeks. Caleb has all of the weapons he needs to be successful in Ben Johnsons offensive scheme. Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, Kyle Monangai and D’Andre Swift in the backfield, and a great offensive line. In my eyes, as long as the Bears defense can stay healthy and produce at a similar level to last season, Caleb Williams will have a lot more success throughout the year. Limiting turnovers, taking the points when you can, and controlling the line of scrimmage from the first snap are the turning points to success for the Chicago Bears.

My predictions – Caleb finishes with his first 4,000 passing yard regular season, 35+ passing TDs, 600+ rushing yards, 6+ rushing TDs, all with less than 8 interceptions thrown. The Chicago Bears will finish 12-5 at best, just barely taking the NFC North Division, and securing a 2 or 3 seed in the NFL Playoffs. The Chicago Bears have a legitimate shot a making a run this season, but it starts by taking care of business week 1.

#4 – Josh Allen, QB, +550

Feels pretty necessary to place Josh Allen on this list, solely because he is the favorite heading into the 2026-2027 NFL season. I was a little skeptical placing Allen on this list because of their schedule heading into the year, but I think he will dog out each and every game, take the AFC East back, and make a deep run in the NFL Playoffs this year. The Buffalo Bills recently acquired DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears in the offseason, which should open up more options across the field for Allen. The main concern in my eyes for this team is the defense. The Bills defense has not been great the last few years, which has forced Allen to produce unreal plays on the other side of the ball. If the defense can just be a “little bit” better from last year, I truly see the Bills being a dangerous force in the AFC. The Bills offense only got better, but now it’s time for the defense to show up and help carry this team into a deep playoff run.

My predictions – Josh will finish the year with 4,200 passing yards, 35+ passing TDs, 800+ rushing yards, 15 rushing TDs, and less than 8 interceptions thrown. The Buffalo Bills will finish with an 11-6 record, taking back the AFC East Division, and securing a 3 or 4 seed for the NFL Playoffs. In my eyes, Josh Allen has to produce on another level this next season for the Bills to be contenders. If he can do just that, and the defense can pressure offenses for all 4 quarters, Josh Allen and the Bills will see a lot of upside this year.

#5 – Bo Nix, QB, +3500

This is my long-shot of the MVP race. Bo Nix has been showing tremendous upside this offseason while rehabbing back from his ankle injury. Sean Peyton has limited Bo in camp, but Bo is clearly eager to be at full-go for every practice. This is another guy in my eyes that reminds me a lot of Caleb Williams, just with an insane defense to back him up. The Denver Broncos have one of the toughest schedules heading into the 2026-2027 season. The first half of the year is make-or-break for playoff hopes and MVP consideration for Bo Nix. If Bo comes out to start the year slinging the rock, takes control of close games, and proves he can consistently take care of the playoff-caliber teams, don’t be surprised when his name starts popping up in MVP talks by the middle of the year. In my eyes, Bo is a guy that doesn’t have to throw for 5,000 yards with 45+ TDs—he just has to win big games, limit sloppy turnovers, and show that he’s the reason the Broncos are exceeding expectations. That’s why he’s my dark horse for the 2026-2027 NFL season.

My predictions – Bo finishes with 4,200 passing yards, 38+ passing TDs, throwing less than 6 interceptions on the year. The Denver Broncos must start the season with a bang, as they start the year facing 6 playoff contenders. If they start strong and carry that confidence into each and every week, I can see the Broncos finishing 11-6 with a toss up to win the AFC West. If they win the AFC West Division, they will secure that 2-3 seed in the playoffs. If they finish second in the division, they’ll most likely be in that 5-6 slot in the AFC. The Denver Broncos have a very tough year ahead of them, but when all is said and done, I think Bo Nix will lead this team through 18 weeks of battle and prove to the league that he should be considered in MVP talks.

I can’t wait to see how this pans out. Every season, someone exceeds expectations while another preseason favorite falls flat on their face. That’s what makes the MVP race one of the best storylines in football, and I’ll be keeping track of it every step of the way. You can bet that I already have wagers for each of these guys to win MVP, it’s only a matter of time to see how abysmal my takes were. Cheers!

~ Coach Tales