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We're headed toward a couple pivotal showdowns in the 2025 MVP race, and this could be a decent time to hedge your bets, depending on who you're backing.

If you're a Matthew Stafford supporter, hopefully you bet your guy when he was priced in the +2200 range just six weeks ago. The veteran Rams QB is now a -180 favorite at DraftKings. He maintained his front-runner status with a 281-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 45-17 trouncing of the hapless Arizona Cardinals in Week 14. Stafford faces a major test Sunday when his team hosts a Detroit Lions club that is fighting for its playoff life.

Patriots second-year QB Drake Maye (+200), who has spent time as the favorite over the past few weeks, is now the second choice as his team comes off its bye week to face the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills in a huge Week 15 matchup.

The backdrop is set for perhaps another change of leader, but if both Stafford and Maye lead their teams to victories behind comparable performances, you can basically get the mailing tag ready for shipment of Stafford's trophy. However, if Maye is spectacular in leading the Patriots to a sweep of the Bills and the Rams either lose or Stafford puts up pedestrian numbers in a narrow win, the MVP tide will surely shift to Maye. So if you're a supporter of the 23-year-old Patriots star, this could be your last chance to grab him at a plus-money price.

But if you love a good longshot, reigning MVP Josh Allen (+1500) could still give you a sweat. Last week in this space, we offered that Allen at +2500 still had a reasonable path to second consecutive MVP, and he has held up his end thus far. The Bills signal-caller provided another do-everything performance, accounting for 329 total yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns in leading his team back from a 10-point deficit to a 39=34 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Should he pull off a similar performance and a win over the Patriots, combined with a Rams loss or an unexpected stinker from Stafford, we'd expect Allen to be in the +500 range or shorter next week. 

Is Giants rookie worth a Dart throw for OROY?  

In the Offensive Rookie of the Year race, Panthers WR Tetoira McMillan (-150) has become the favorite essentially by default as production has waned from Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka (+650), who spent most of the season as the odds-on favorite.

While we have nothing against McMillan, his own production has faltered of late, with just three catches on nine targets across his past two outings. Fortunately for him, two of those grabs were for touchdowns but, unfortunately for him, the inconsistency of QB Bryce Young could cost him down the stretch. In other words, he can't expect to keep the OPOY lead with relatively meager production.

Meanwhile, Giants QB Jaxson Dart (+210) is back in action and his club faces at least two winnable games down the stretch against the Commanders and Raiders, Should Dart continue to impress with his grit and dual-threat ability, we could envision him taking over the two inconsistent receivers and taking the award. 

Is OPOY race a foregone conclusion? 

Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Smith Njigba is now the runaway favorite (-350) for Offensive Player of the Year following his 92-yard, two-TD outing in a 37-9 demolition of the Atlanta Falcons. He now has 1,428 yards and nine scores on the season.

Even so, this doesn't mean he couldn't be caught late. Before the season, we invested in Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs at +1000 and he is now down to +500 following his 110 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in a 44-30 primetime win over the Dallas Cowboys.

In short, should he deliver another such performance this weekend in a win over the Rams and perhaps a dynamic closing stretch against NFC North rivals Vikings and Bears as Detroit fights for a playoff spot, he will be difficult to ignore, particularly if this coincides with any sort of production dip from Smith-Njigba.