Darnold Only Behind Saquon in 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds
- Quarterback Sam Darnold was selected 3rd overall by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft
- Darnold has been very impressive through two games in the 2018 NFL Preseason
- See how his odds to win 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year have changed
Sam Darnold is showing why the New York Jets selected him third overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has poise in the pocket, a great arm, and his ability to read a defense has been impressive.
The rookie quarterback is giving his head coach, Todd Bowles, a lot to think about before he officially announces his Week 1 starter. Darnold is currently in a three-way battle with Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater for the right to lead the Jets into Detroit in just a couple weeks.
But online sports betting sites must believe the USC product has a good chance of starting Week 1, as his average odds to win the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award have gotten a lot shorter.
When OROY odds opened on May 1, Darnold trailed Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, and Josh Rosen with +1800 average odds. Online sports betting sites believes Darnold was the most likely of the four to ride the pine for his rookie season, considering Josh McCown played so well for the Jets last season.
But after just two preseason games, Darnold now has the shortest average odds to win the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award at +590, trailing only Saquon Barkley (+180).
If you’re looking to bet the Jets pivot for OROY, he’s still at +750.
2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds
| Player | Pos | Team | OROY Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley | RB | NYG | +155 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | CLE | +600 |
| Sam Darnold | QB | NYJ | +750 |
| Josh Rosen | QB | ARI | +950 |
| Josh Allen | QB | BUF | +1000 |
Can Darnold Claim the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award?
The last two seasons saw a quarterback and a running back win the OROY award. The thing they had in common is that they both took their respective teams to the playoffs.
With the Jets in the midst of a rebuild, that is one thing that could hurt Darnold’s chances.
Sam Darnold’s Preseason Stats
| Player | Completions | Attempts | Passing Yards | Passing TDs | INTs | Passer Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Darnold | 21 | 29 | 158 | 1 | 1 | 82.3 |
But in 2015, Todd Gurley won the award purely based on his outstanding individual performance and not his team’s success. This means it would not rule out Darnold if the team has a poor season, but the record will certainly be a factor in the decision making.
Is the 2018 OROY Award Barkley’s for the Taking?
There is a reason why the New York Giants grabbed the running back with the second overall pick. He has the speed of Ezekiel Elliott and the hands of David Johnson in the passing game.
Welcome to the NFL, @saquon! ??? #CLEvsNYG pic.twitter.com/PYG6KPhdKp
— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2018
With new head coach Pat Shurmur stepping in, the emphasis will shift to the run game. This will help protect Eli Manning, who was awful last season. So it is fair to expect over 250 carries for the 21-year-old.
Online sports betting sites really like Barkley, as his average odds sit at +180. But there is one rather big concern: he is already dealing with hamstring issues. If this trend continues, and he is forced to miss games as a result, it would be very hard to see him winning the award.
With such little return when betting Barkley, the smart move is to find value elsewhere. And we all know how much voters love QBs. Take Darnold at +750 while he’s still offering value.
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