Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates head coach Kevin O'Connell after his touchdown reception during the first half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings have the league’s eighth-best odds to win the Super Bowl, situated around a +2100 moneyline after 10 games and eight wins. Sportsbooks basically believe Minnesota is the NFC equivalent to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC (+2100 Super Bowl math).
Multiple players are also in the mix for individual awards.
These are the three Vikings players and coaches who could realistically take home individual award hardware at season’s end. They’re ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = likeliest to win award).
Odds to Win MVP: +3000
NFL Ranking = 12th
Darnold ranks 11th per EPA+CPOE, an efficiency metric measuring expected wins added among all qualifying quarterbacks. The guy utterly dazzled through the season’s first three games, only cooling off pretty hardcore in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars nine days ago. Darnold did, however, rebound nicely at Tennessee, delivering 3 touchdowns to one questionable turnover that should’ve been credited to Aaron Jones.
He still has MVP odds, ranking 12th through 10 weeks and living in moneyline territory with C.J. Stroud (+2800) and Saquon Barkley (+4000).
Darnold is on track for 4,058 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. If he can clean up the final part of that stat line, he’ll be in good shape. He’ll basically have to avoid interceptions for the next seven games. Or at least minimize them.
Odds to Win OPOY: +1800
NFL Ranking = 5th
Only Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles), Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens), Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals), and Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) outrank Jefferson for OPOY through 11 weeks.
He’s on pace for 1,550 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns on an 8-2 team. To be clear, Jefferson has already won OPOY, so this would be his second achievement if he can oust Barkley and Henry, among others, for the trophy.
An injury is the only thing that would derail Jefferson from consideration. Jefferson also really needs a signature game to reestablish his OPOY case. His odds have dipped from third to fifth in the last month.
Odds to Win COY: +400
NFL Ranking = 3rd
O’Connell led this race until Week 8, overtaken by Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers, +225) and Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions, +350).
The Vikings skipper has helped reclaim Sam Darnold’s career and is rapidly exemplifying the title “quarterback whisperer.” Meanwhile, his team has won eight games in a season where it was only “supposed to” win 6.5, per sportsbooks. Most expected Minnesota to finish 6-11 or 7-10 and gain a Top 10 draft pick. Nope.
O’Connell has hit his groove as a head coach. His team would need a colossal collapse for O’Connell to fall out of this race’s Top 5. His COY cause will be greatly helped if his team ends up with a record of 11-6 or better.
Winning the NFC North — albeit a longshot — could guarantee him the hardware.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.