Jonathan Taylor is the NFL MVP longshot you should be betting on

If you frequent this site, you’ve seen me talk about the playoff hopes and aspirations of the Indianapolis Colts. They got off to a rough start, but they’re very much in the playoff hunt right now, and a big reason for that is the weapon lining up in the backfield.

Jonathan Taylor has emerged as one of the best backs in football. As of this writing, he leads the National Football League with 1,205 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, and 5.8 yards per carry. The Colts went from 1-4 to 6-6, and during that stretch, Taylor had five games of 100 yards or more (all, not coincidentally, coming in games Indianapolis won).

Taylor has the shortest NFL MVP Odds of any non-quarterback

Taylor is +2000 to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, and there are reasons for that. With rare exceptions, the MVP trophy is usually reserved for quarterbacks. Only one non-quarterback has taken home the honor since 2007 (Adrian Peterson won it in 2012), and Taylor’s the shortest-priced non-quarterback. Cooper Kupp is next at +10000, while Davante Adams sits third at +50000.

Taylor has a realistic shot at 2,000 yards

However, at 1,205 rushing yards with five games to go, Taylor has an outside chance to hit the 2,000-yard mark before the season is over. If he gets there, chances are it will happen as the Colts complete a turnaround from a 1-4 start to a playoff spot in a wide-open AFC with few dominant teams.

Can the Colts get there? They likely need at least three wins in their last five games, but they figure to be heavy favorites in two of them (at Houston and at Jacksonville). They do go to Arizona, which figures to be tough, but they also host New England and Las Vegas, two teams they’re good enough to beat.

Indy's success hinges on Taylor

I’m banking on the Colts either catching the banged-up Tennessee Titans to win the division or winning enough to sneak in as a wild card. If that happens, I think Taylor is the main reason for it, and that perhaps he does enough to merit MVP consideration. At the +2000 price, he intrigues me as a longshot play, and if he keeps posting big games, that number could go down in a hurry.