There may never have been as much hype behind a quarterback who has made four career starts as there's been around Indianapolis Colts second-year pro, Anthony Richardson, this offseason.
In just those four starts, last year, Richardson dazzled Colts fans and proved he was able to shoulder the load, scoring a total of seven touchdowns and throwing only one interception. It was a small sample size, but we can't help but multiply those numbers, take Richardson's improvement into consideration and use the entire argument as to why he can be elite in Year 2.
It might be a bit of an overreaction to those starts. It could also be somewhat of a homer-ish take. But, in any event, the excitement, and even the logic, is there.
We might be beyond excitement, though. We might even be beyond hype. One NFL analyst recently used a couple of former MVP quarterbacks as reason why Richardson looks to be a fun MVP candidate for the coming season.
CBS Sports' Will Brinson had this to say when discussing Richardson's potential MVP campaign this year:
"What we saw in a very small sample size in 2023 was a quarterback who could dominate on the ground and through the air and potentially produce a Cam Newton style 2015 season, or a Lamar Jackson 2019 Konami Code year. Neither Cam nor Lamar cracked 4,000 passing yards in those respective seasons, even though both were deadly efficient through the air."
"Richardson has that kind of upside in Shane Steichen's system," Brinson noted.
We're all aboard the Richardson hype train, but that's some high praise. Comparing him to both Lamar Jackson and Cam Newton? Talk about pressure for the second-year passer.
Where do Anthony Richardson's 2024 MVP odds compare to other NFL starting quarterbacks?
This brings up a fun topic. Where do the current odds sit for other quarterbacks in the MVP conversation? Courtesy of FanDuel, here they are.
Player, Team | Odds |
|---|---|
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs | +500 |
Josh Allen, Bills | +800 |
C.J. Stroud, Texans | +1000 |
Joe Burrow, Bengals | +1000 |
Jordan Love, Packers | +1400 |
Jalen Hurts, Eagles | +1400 |
Lamar Jackson, Ravens | +1500 |
Brock Purdy, 49ers | +1600 |
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins | +2000 |
Dak Prescott, Cowboys | +2000 |
Jared Goff, Lions | +2500 |
Aaron Rodgers, Jets | +2500 |
Matthew Stafford, Rams | +3000 |
Justin Herbert, Chargers | +3000 |
Kirk Cousins, Falcons | +3000 |
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars | +3000 |
Anthony Richardson, Colts | +3500 |
Kyler Murray, Cardinals | +5000 |
Caleb Williams, Bears | +5000 |
Deshaun Watson, Browns | +7500 |
Will Levis, Titans | +10000 |
Okay, okay, so maybe Richardson's MVP odds aren't astronomical by any means. But, if he starts out the season hot, like he did last year, you can expect those odds to skyrocket by midseason.
Maybe the biggest factor in all of this is whether or not the Colts have a winning season. If Richardson looks great but, God forbid, their defense fails to hold up their end of the bargain, then he's going to have a hard time watching his odds stay toward the top.
Now, if the Colts compete for a division title and ultimately secure a playoff berth, the odds of Richardson winning an MVP should be a whole lot higher.
Where will he find himself come season's end? If he has anywhere near a Lamar or Cam type of season, chances are, fans will be thrilled with the result.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change