Why Cowboys QB Dak Prescott should be early league MVP favorite

Even if he couldn't care less, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is an early candidate for league MVP. 

In Sunday's 37-22 road victory over the New York Jets, Cowboys fans at MetLife Stadium started chanting "M-V-P" as Prescott was running off the field. The QB downplayed those postgame.

Dak Prescott discusses MVP chants

"I mean, my ears work, so I heard it, but I didn't hear it," Prescott told the media. "It's Week 5. I don't care. I don't care if it was Week 17. I've told y'all that I want to win. Right now, the success and the continued success is going to happen, [and] it's just a beneficiary of all the guys in that locker room." 

However, Prescott should listen to the chants and praise from others. His stellar play has earned him flowers from some of the Cowboys' biggest haters. Even ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith has said he believes Prescott is leading the early MVP race.

For once, Cowboy fans would agree with Smith. Prescott is playing at an MVP level, despite being in a lousy situation.

Dak Prescott has prevented the Cowboys from tanking

The Cowboys are 2-2-1, but they should be even worse. Before the start of the season, they traded defensive end Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, which has torpedoed their defense. Through five weeks. Dallas has allowed the most yards in the league (412 YPG) and the fourth-most points (30.8).

On offense, the Cowboys are battling injuries. Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has missed the team's past two games because of an ankle injury. Rookie guard Tyler Booker, meanwhile, has also missed the past two games with an ankle issue. 

Still, Prescott is thriving. Through five games, he ranks sixth in the league in completion percentage (71.3%) and second in passing yards (1,356) and is tied for third in passing TDs (10). 

He's on track to finish with more passing yards than he did during the 2023 season, when he finished second in MVP voting behind Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Remember, he's doing this with a rookie head coach in Brian Schottenheimer.

As of Monday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives him +2200 odds to win MVP, the eighth best in the league. But couldn't oddsmakers increase those? 

It's easy to argue that no QB is doing more to elevate his team than Prescott. If he continues to do so, it'll be hard to argue against his MVP case.