There is no arguing with the fact that when Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is healthy, he is one of the absolute best in the league. As he prepares for his comeback season, the Bengals star is already leading the conversation for a major individual award.

As per reports by Samuel Profeta of SI.com, prediction market Kalshi has fully backed Burrow as the frontrunner. The 29-year-old commands the No. 1 spot, holding an 11% probability to win the regular-season MVP. 

“With no injury in sight for the 2026 season, at least not yet, Kalshi has backed him fully as the favorite to win the MVP at 11%, just ahead of Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, who both sit with 10%,” Profeta wrote.

When playing at full strength, Burrow has proven he possesses MVP-caliber talent. In his healthy 2021, 2022, and 2024 campaigns, he threw for more than 4,450 yards and 34 or more touchdowns each season. 

His 2024 run was a statistical masterpiece, culminating in a career-high 4,918 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, and just nine interceptions.

Even when he only played in eight games during an injury-shortened season, he still managed to throw for 1,809 yards and 17 touchdowns. 

He has already come close to winning the official MVP award twice, finishing in fourth place once. Burrow has also won the Comeback Player of the Year award twice after bouncing back from tough injuries. 

For him to finally win the MVP trophy now, two simple things need to happen: he needs to stay healthy, and the Bengals need to win more games. Because he has missed a lot of games in the past, staying on the field is his biggest challenge. 

If he can avoid injuries, his newly improved teammates will help him lead the Bengals back to the playoffs and secure his first MVP title.

Joe Burrow Is Confident In His 2026 Bengals Roster

The Bengals' defense has struggled for years, giving up too many points and yards. To fix this, the team made some massive changes before the 2026 season. They signed three big-name defenders in free agency: Boye Mafe, Jonathan Allen, and Bryan Cook. 

During recent team practices, Burrow praised the front office for building a deeper, more complete roster around him. He thinks the team is finally ready to win more games. 

"This is the most talented roster we’ve had since I’ve been here. The front office has taken a lot of heat from the fans, the public, and the media. We can put all of that behind us. They went and made it happen with free agency," Burrow said.

Cincinnati's defense had struggled for years. Over the last five seasons, the defense gave up an average of 24.5 points and 380.8 yards per game. The team wants to change that.

What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Aaindri Thakuri

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore