In a passing-dominated league, it's widely accepted that quarterbacks have the best odds to win the MVP award at the end of season. The last player to win it that wasn't a quarterback was Adrian Peterson in 2012, and the last before that was LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.

It's a testament to how pass heavy the NFL has become, and quarterbacks have a tendency to become the biggest stat-mongers over the course of the NFL season. However, there are always players that are worth talking about before the season, and several players are going into the 2017 season with legitimate chances to win the award.

Although the best odds will always go to a team's quarterback barring some notable exception, read on to find out the best dark horse candidate from every NFC team.

All betting odds provided by Oddsshark.

Arizona Cardinals: David Johnson (20/1)

The list starts out with one of the few non-QBs that actually is perceived to have a chance to win the MVP award. Johnson had an absolutely stellar 2016 season, and if Arizona had been more competitive he may have gotten serious consideration for the award last year.

In only his second year, Johnson's versatility is recognized as his best trait, and he may be one of the most effective multipurpose players in the NFL. Johnson finished his campaign with 293 carries, more than double his workload in 2015, and over 2,000 all-purpose yards. A force to be reckoned with out of the backfield, Johnson led the league in receiving yards among running backs with 879, more than 200 yards ahead of second-place pass catcher Le'Veon Bell (Steelers).

Johnson hopes to improve not only his game in his third year, but also the Cardinals themselves, who had a disappointing 2016 season after entering with high expectations.

Atlanta Falcons: Julio Jones (37/1)

File this one under "duh." Jones is coming off an absolutely absurd 2016 season and one of the best Super Bowl catches that no one will remember.

The favorite target of last year's MVP Matt Ryan, Jones continued to display absolute dominance. He missed out on 1,500 receiving yards (it would have been the third consecutive year he'd done so), going for "only" 1,409. This was due largely in part to Shanahan's offense finally taking hold in Atlanta, allowing Ryan to proliferate the ball more. But he never forgot who his No. 1 target was. Jones had 83 receptions, down a staggering 53 catches from 2015 when he caught 136, but he averaged 3.2 more yards per catch throughout the course of the season. Jones also managed to shed some of the fumbleitis that has dogged him, not coughing it up once in 2016.

Whether the loss of Shanahan forces Ryan into old habits and we see Jones get force-fed the ball a bit more remains to be seen, but sometimes when he's being singled out he has 300-yard receiving games like what we saw last season against the Panthers.

Carolina Panthers: Luke Kuechly (100/1)

Even though he's a longshot, Kuechly is one of exactly three defensive players that have legitimate odds to win this award. Carolina's face may be Cam Newton, but (and forgive the cliche) its heart is Kuechly.

Quite possibly the best middle linebacker in the NFL, Kuechly is looking to rebound after seeing his 2016 season shortened by a serious concussion he suffered during a Thursday night game against the Saints. Although the Panthers' defense slid after their stellar 2015 performance, Kuechly still delivered outstanding performance after outstanding performance. With 102 combined tackles and an interception, he played in coverage as well as taking on the point of attack, and he did so with consistency. Although his numbers weren't as bloated as his 2015 campaign, Kuechly was steadfastly among the best linebackers in the NFL, and he is a focal point for the Panthers' success along with his counterpart Newton.

Chicago Bears: Jordan Howard (125/1)

Howard was a pleasant surprise for the Bears in the 2016 season, and possibly the only pleasant thing about the year. The UAB alum had over 1,500 all-purpose yards, including 1,313 rushing yards.

Howard had big shoes to fill after the departure of Matt Forte, and he did so gracefully. With Alshon Jeffery shipping out to Philadelphia, Howard will have to shoulder even more pressure for the Bears. It's hardly a stretch to call him the veteran on the Bears' offensive roster with Jay Cutler now out, and if Mitch Trubisky ends up starting for the Bears, Howard may be called upon to be a leader for them. For a young player, that is a monumental task, but Howard handled himself so well in 2016 that it's hard to imagine that he'd be opposed to an increased role. The real question is how much his body can take.

Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott (12/1)

Elliott has the best odds of all non-quarterbacks to take the MVP award, and it's easy to see why. All of the pieces are there: a tremendously successful team, a gigantic stage to play on, and plenty of talent surrounding him.

Elliott ran behind the best line in the NFL in 2016, and he and Dak Prescott took the league by storm as rookies. With 1,631 rushing yards and 363 receiving yards, Elliott's 1,994 yards from scrimmage were second in the league behind David Johnson. Elliott used his vaunted line to perfection in 2016, picking holes so easily that some people started to wonder if it was easy. But make no mistake, Elliott ran angry, and the yards prove that. According to PFF, Elliott had 938 yards after contact, the highest in the NFL. His 2.9 yards after contact per carry was good for seventh among backs with 150-plus carries. Elliott's vision proved to be one of his greatest strengths, and he also showed a willingness to learn (and have fun) in a new offense. His aggressiveness has some curious about his longevity, but going into his second year Elliott doesn't seem concerned.

Rarely do players make the transition from college to the pros as easily as Elliott did, and the 21-year-old is nowhere near done. He has high aspirations for the Cowboys, and he and Prescott are looking to bring championships back to Dallas. 

Detroit Lions: Marvin Jones (n/a)

Jones showed flashes of his potential in 2016, and he made some incredibly athletic catches for the Lions. The Lions have proven that they will continue to live and die by their passing game, and a bona fide No. 1 receiver has yet to emerge since the retirement of Calvin Johnson.

In 2016, Jones had 36 less catches than Golden Tate, yet still finished second on the team in receiving yards at 930. He also led the team among receivers with more than five catches with 16.9 yards per catch. Despite the flashes of brilliance, Jones got the drop disease that seems to permeate the Detroit locker room outside of Tate. His six drops were 13th in the league. Perhaps going from Andy Dalton to Matthew Stafford presented a challenge that he just wasn't quite up to in his first year, but Jones is hoping to bounce back in 2017 and be the threat that he's demonstrated he can be.

Green Bay Packers: Jordy Nelson (80/1)

The important caveat with Nelson is the asterisk for "if he's healthy." He missed the entire 2015 season due to injury but bounced back with 1,257 yards and 14 touchdowns on 97 catches in 2016. In his last four healthy seasons (he missed time in 2012), he's topped 1,200 yards and scored at least eight times each year.

Nelson is among the elite flankers in the NFL, shedding DBs with his speed and agility. He's Aaron Rodgers' favorite target, and for good reason. It seems like the only thing Nelson doesn't do better than every other receiver on his team is catch Hail Mary passes, but luckily Green Bay does pretty well in that department with other guys anyways. Nelson has other ways to score in his arsenal anyways, and he's done that plenty, racking up 57 touchdowns in 76 games since 2011.

Los Angeles Rams: Todd Gurley (150/1)

For this to happen, Gurley is going to need a lot more help up front than he got last season. After picking up over 1,000 yards rushing in only 13 games his rookie year, Gurley seemingly took a step back, managing just 885 yards and seeing his yards per attempt drop from 4.8 to a lowly 3.2. His receiving game didn't really step up either despite nearly doubling his yardage total from his rookie season; he also had more than twice as many receptions, and his average yardage per catch took a dip.

Running backs are, of course, so often products of the teams around them, so Gurley's line is partially at fault. According to Pro Football Focus, in the early stages of the year Gurley had more yards after contact than total yards. He finished with 606 yards after contact (2.2 per carry), which comprised 68 percent of his total rushing yardage on the season. With the departure of Jeff Fisher, it will be interesting to see if fresh blood on the sidelines benefits not only Gurley, but his entire line.

Minnesota Vikings: Xavier Rhodes (n/a)

This pick is more a shot in the dark than anything, and it's unlikely that a cornerback will ever win this award, since most of the time the best thing a cornerback can do is cover his man so well passes aren't thrown his way. However, Minnesota started with an outrageously scary defense in 2016, and once that started to struggle, the wheels fell completely off. Despite quarterback Sam Bradford's record-breaking performance in terms of completion percentage, there was rarely a time where the Vikings' offense gave off any kind of juggernaut vibe.

Rhodes has the capacity to lock down his side of the field, and with a new deal on the horizon, he's fighting to get paid. The Vikings' front seven presented a huge challenge for offenses early in the 2016 season, but it wasn't enough. Rhodes is a key factor in their defense, and the Vikings will likely continue to go where their defense goes.

New Orleans Saints: Adrian Peterson (125/1)

This one largely flies in the face of logic, and it's brand recognition more than anything. Although the Saints have him spelling starter Mark Ingram, Peterson carries the name of a former MVP, and that's what matters to bettors. This is partially due to the fact that the Saints' game has been so dominated by Drew Brees that it's difficult to name other potential candidates, and we know that it isn't going to come from the defensive side.

With all of that being said, Peterson is only two years removed from a year in which he had nearly 1,500 yards rushing. With that being said, he's one year removed from and injury and on the wrong side of 30. The shelf life of a running back is a fragile thing. Perhaps Peterson can find new life in New Orleans and become the dominant force that he once was. He'll have to really stunt on Ingram in training camp to earn the opportunity to do so.

New York Giants: Odell Beckham Jr. (66/1)

It's easy to forget during the offseason because of his diva status, but Beckham also happens to be a really good wide receiver. He's been in the league for three years, but it feels like he's been talked about for an eternity.

Beckham is the best player on the Giants' roster, and his absurd athleticism is trumped only by competitiveness that comes along with it. In 2016, he posted his third 1,300-yard season (in as many seasons) and helped lead the Giants to a playoff berth. What happened leading up to that berth got blown up into one of the dumbest scandals of the year, before the Giants were booted by the Green Bay Packers in decisive fashion.

Beckham, however, is an immensely talented player that is always striving to better himself as a player. He's an elite receiver, and belongs either on a tier with or a half-tier below the likes of Julio Jones (who might stand on his own as receivers go right now). Expect a "bounce-back" year from Beckham, whether you believe he needs one or not.

Philadelphia Eagles: Alshon Jeffery (n/a)

Carson Wentz was a sensation for all of about six games in 2016, but no one can escape not having any weapons forever. The addition of Jeffery to the Eagles' offense gives them a large, vertical threat for Wentz, something that the quarterback desperately needed.

In addition to Jeffery, the Eagles added Torrey Smith, who perfectly fills the "run really straight really fast" role that stretches out defenses. This opens up Jeffery's options offensively, as he was essentially delegated to the "distract someone" role in the Bears' offense before they gave it to Jordan Howard. Jeffery saw his reception numbers plummet from 89 and 85 in 2013 and 2014 to 54 and 52 in 2015 and 2016 (all respectively).

The Eagles are banking on Wentz, but they tried to give Wentz a better team to work with in 2017. Jeffery and the Eagles might make the perfect couple for both parties' success.

San Francisco 49ers: NaVorro Bowman (n/a)

On of the few defensive players on this list, Bowman has been a mainstay on the 49ers' defense. Despite struggling with injuries at points in his career, Bowman is a top-flight linebacker when he's healthy.

The 49ers are entering 2017 looking like a completely different team, and although the hiring of Kyle Shanahan may change their philosophy, it won't change the importance of defense. Defense is where the rebuild must start for the Niners, and with players like DeForest Buckner being expected to take less snaps in 2017, it will be up to the leaders to make them a force to be reckoned with again.

With John Lynch at the helm for the 49ers, along with what may be the second least compelling quarterback competition in the league, the 49ers aren't expecting to make much noise this year and will instead bid their time for a franchise guy in the 2018 draft. Coming off a four-game season, Bowman will hope to make waves for the 49ers once again.

Seattle Seahawks: D.Baldwin/J.Graham (125/1)

Doug Baldwin and Jimmy Graham, in theory, create matchup nightmares for defenses. The biggest thing holding them back at the moment is quarterback Russell Wilson, and none of that is an indictment of Wilson the player, because Wilson is yanked down his collar by his offensive line.

Although the Seahawks have potential at running back, a lot of it remains untapped due to the relatively unknown quantities of Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy. C.J. Prosise is also in the conversation after some strong fill-in spots for Seattle last year, but they will still live or die by Wilson in the passing game.

Baldwin had over 1,000 yards receiving in 2016, while Graham came up just short of 1,000 at 923 yards. Both receivers thrive on the secondary routes that Wilson creates with his scrambles, much like the way Steelers receivers love when Ben Roethlisberger roll out of the pocket. This method works for the freakishly athletic Graham and the chippy Baldwin, who have both become key cogs in the Seattle offense. If one of them has a completely outstanding year and the Seahawks live up to expectations, their odds don't look so bad.

Tampa Bay Bucs: Mike Evans (66/1)

It's interesting to see Evans have the same odds of taking the MVP award as Odell Beckham Jr., but there it is. Evans is a player that hangs out in Florida and just does his thing alongside confident quarterback Jameis Winston. There's no reason that he shouldn't believe in Evans to make every play that goes his way.

The upstart Buccaneers were led by this duo during an impressive 2016 season in which they came up just short of the playoffs. Evans had 96 catches for 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's a more-than-viable red-zone threat, using his 6-foot-5 frame to win battles for the ball at the high point. Beyond all of this, Evans is just really good at catching footballs. He had several shoestring catches on the sidelines, including some huge plays against the division rival and NFC champion Falcons.

Evans will only continue to grow alongside his quarterback, and he has an extremely bright future.

Washington Redskins: Josh Norman (n/a)

Kirk Cousins has dominated the headlines for the Redskins this offseason, but no one has a greater thirst than Norman. Since the Redskins' season ended, Norman has been picking fights with everyone from OBJ to Dez Bryant. He doesn't want to simply shut a receiver down, he wants everyone to know he's done it.

Norman was a key part of the Panthers' defensive success during their 2015 Super Bowl run, shutting down an entire third of the field. He wants to take that success and translate it to the Redskins as well. Washington has made a concerted effort to make their defense better around him. They emphasized defense early in the draft, taking lineman Jonathan Allen out of Alabama. The NFC East may have some of the most difficult players to cover in the NFL, but Norman relishes the challenge.