- Taylor Heinicke has joined the MVP oddsboard at +8000 via FanDuel.
- Heinicke thew for 336 passing yards with two touchdowns and one interception in Washington’s week 2 win over the New York Giants.
- Heinicke is also listed at +10000 at DraftKings, BetMGM, Unibet, BetRivers.
Patrick Mahomes is still the clear favorite to win the 2021 NFL MVP award at +400. Matthew Stafford and Kyler Murray have risen to the top at +800 and +900, respectively with spectacular season debuts. Tom Brady is also at +900 while Josh Allen is at +1200 to close out the Top 5 at FanDuel.
But after the Washington Football Team’s walk-off win over the New York Giants on Thursday night, WFT back-up quarterback Taylor Heinicke debuted at FanDuel’s MVP odds board at +8000.
Make no mistake, that’s a long shot right now. But given that starting QBs Jimmy Garoppolo, Ben Roethlisberger, Tua Tagovailoa, Carson Wentz, Ryan Tannehill, and Matt Ryan are listed at the same price, that’s impressive for Heinicke.
Jimmy G thew for over 300 yards and won his season opener. Big Ben didn’t have a big night but his Steelers won on opening night. Tua led the Dolphins to a win over the WFT in their season opener. And Wentz picked up 251 passing yards with 2 TD and no interceptions while his Colts won their opening game. So it’s not Heinicke joined a sinking boat. Maybe it’s a validation the Taylor Heinicke belongs to the ranks of starters in the NFL.
Heinicke Balled out on TNF
Taylor Heinicke BALLED OUT on TNF ?
– 34/46 passing
– 336 yards
– 2 TDs
– INT
– Clutch pic.twitter.com/9LYwjL6xkL— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 17, 2021
With Washington Football Team starter Ryan Fitzpatrick was placed on the injured list with hip subluxation, Heinicke earned his first start on Thursday night and he balled out with 336 passing yards on 34-46 passing with two touchdowns and one interception. More importantly, he showed poise in the clutch and drove his team to scoring position in the closing seconds of the game to set up the game-winning field goal.
Of course, the Giants made several blunders that ultimately cost them the game, and sure, Washington did not cover the 3.5-point betting spread despite having 59% of the tickets and 64% of the handle in the spread market. But given the circumstances, and the magnitude of the moment, Taylor Heinicke delivered the victory for Washington.
In three starts as QB ( including postseason ), Heinicke has completed 93 total passes. That’s the most by any NFL QB in his first three starts in NFL history. He has thrown for at least 300 yards in his last two starts, throwing for 346 yards against the eventual Super Bowl LV winners Tampa Bay Buccaneers in last season’s wild card round. Not bad, for a former sixth-round pick who 18 months ago was playing for the XFL, as a back-up.
+10000 to win MVP
Taylor Heinicke is +10000 to win NFL MVP
— BetMGM ? (@BetMGM) September 17, 2021
BetMGM has also inserted Heinicke in their MVP odds boards. Although he’s listed at +10000 at that online sportsbook, he’s in the same boat as 2021 no. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence, and Roethlisberger. Jimmy G. even has longer odds there at +12500. Likewise, Panthers QB Sam Darnold is also at +12500 despite passing for 279 yards with one score and no picks.
DraftKings also list Heinicke at +10000. Over there, he shares that price with the likes of Mac Jones who had an impressive debut with 281 yards for the New England Patriots. Lawrence, Jared Goff, Wentz, Ryan, Tannehill, and Daniel Jones are also listed at +1000 via DraftKings. At Unibet, Heinicke is also listed at +1000, the same price as Big Ben and Matt Ryan.
Again, this is the first time that Heinicke has appeared on the betting boards of the top NFL sporstbooks as he was not supposed to start in the first place. Fitzpatrick is estimated to be out for six to eight weeks but that is not certain. What’s certain for Washington right now is that Taylor Heinicke is their starter. And if he continues to grow his legend and his team continues to win, Fitzmagic could vanish in thin air while the Nation’s Capital hail Heinicke.
Shane grew up watching the Magic & Bird rivalry but ended up rooting for Detroit’s Bad Boys team in the 1990s NBA. He loves to tell sports stories and has been writing about sports since high school. When Shane isn’t busy jotting down his thoughts, he’s just chillin’ at home with his wife Rocelle and their two dogs named Horry and Fisher. He recently added a new family member, adopting a handsome retired K-9 named Ranger.
