MVP race through Week 6: Mahomes on top after BYE, Jackson out duels Daniels, Allen

We are a third of the way through the regular season and one thing remains the same. Patrick Mahomes started the season as the favorite to win the MVP, and through six weeks he is still at the top of the odds makers board. Mahomes had the week off so he got to sit back and watch two MVP candidates duke it out in the game of the week from Baltimore. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens topped Jayden Daniels and the Commanders while C.J. Stroud and the Texans eased past the Pats and Josh Allen led the Bills past the Jets to wrap up the week on Monday night.

Here is the updated MVP odds according to our friends at MGM Grand.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs (+300)

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs had a much deserved BYE week. KC is the only undefeated team in the AFC, despite two of their top stars on the offensive end suffering long term injuries. That hasn’t stopped Mahomes from rattling off five straight wins. His numbers aren’t great and he has as many TDs as he has INTs but the odds makers still think Mahomes is the favorite to take the MVP through six weeks.

Pass stats: 66.6% CMP, 1,235 YDS, 6 TD, 6 INT, 88.9 RTG

Rush stats: 23 CAR, 83 YDS, 0 TD

Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens (+500)

There have been early comparison between the reigning MVP and the shoe in for Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, but on Sunday in Baltimore Jackson showed that is a cut above the rest with a nearly perfect day. He had second straight 300 yard game while completing over 75% of his passes and led the Ravens to their fourth straight win. His job is getting easier and easier with Derrick Henry finding his rhythm with the Ravens and Baltimore is currently looking like the best team in the league.

Pass stats: 67% CMP, 1,529 YDS, 10 TD, 2 INT, 108.4 RTG

Rush stats: 64 CAR, 403 YDS, 2 TD

C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans (+600)

Before this past weekend, we hadn’t really seen the Texans blow out a team. They know they are the en vogue team in the AFC, and opponents are giving them their best shot every week. C.J. Stroud finally got their blowout in Foxborough against the lowly New England Patriots. Stroud lost Nico Collins last week, but got Joe Mixon back in Week 6 and that brought a balance to the offense that is going to be needed against better teams than New England. The Texans put up 41 points but Stroud threw for less than 200 yards on his way to a three TD day. Stroud is more than capable of having huge days, but he has to be happy knowing that he doesn’t need to have huge days with Mixon in the backfield and a loaded arsenal of weapons on the offensive side of the ball.

Pass stats: 68.3% CMP, 1,577 YDS, 10 TD, 4 INT, 98.6 RTG

Run stats: 17 CAR, 75 YDS, 0 TD

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills (+650)

It was a battle of heavyweight QBs from the Meadowlands on Monday Night. With no James Cook in the backfield, Josh Allen was set for a huge game against the Jets. Instead it was Ray Davis that stole the show in the first start of his career. While the rookie made the headlines, Allen had an efficient day passing the football and accounted for three TDs, two passing and one QB sneak on a windy night in Jersey. Allen’s streak of games without a turnover stretched to 6 on Monday night and that is a large part of why the Bills are winning games. The Buffalo passing game is going to get even better after the Bills made a midseason move to bring in Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns.

Pass stats: 62.8% CMP, 1,160 YDS, 10 TD, 0 INT, 106.8 RTG

Run stats: 35 CAR, 178 YDS, 3 TD

Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders (+1400)

The Commanders may not have beaten the Ravens in Baltimore on Sunday, but they showed they can hang with the top teams in the league. Jayden Daniels went toe-to-toe with the two time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, and even earned the honor of Jackson asking for his jersey after the game. Every time the Ravens tried to pull away, Daniels would put together a drive that would put his team right back in the ball game. He threw two TDs, and passed for 269 yards but fell just short of what would have been a stunning win for the rookie QB and his team.

Pass stats: 75.3% CMP, 1,404 YDS, 6 TD, 2 INT, 107.1 RTG

Run stats: 63 CAR, 322 YDS, 4 TD.