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Josh Jacobs Given Short +200 Odds to Win NFL OROY; Is There Value?

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in NFL Football

Updated Mar 27, 2020 · 4:21 PM PDT

Josh Jacobs
Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs was as long as +1500 in the NFL OROY odds. Photo from @ESPNStatsInfo.
  • The NFL OROY odds for Oakland Raiders running back Josh Jacobs have improved to +200
  • Jacobs was listed as high as +1500 following Week 4 of the NFL season
  • The Raiders running back opened the season as the third betting choice for NFL OROY at +900

As an NFL running back, Josh Jacobs has never fumbled. But when to comes to Jacobs and the NFL OROY Award, this season is proving to be a case of follow the bouncing ball.

Back when the first NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award odds were released during the NFL preseason, Jacobs was a solid third betting choice at +900. He trailed Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Washington Redskins QB Dwayne Haskins.

2019-20 NFL OROY Odds

Player (Team) Odds
Kyler Murray (Cardinals QB) +120
Josh Jacobs (Raiders RB) +200
Gardner Minshew (Jaguars QB) +400
Daniel Jones (Giants QB) +900
Terry McLaurin (Redskins WR) +900

*Odds taken on 10/22/19.

By the time of the NFL season openers, Jacobs was bet down to +580. But a slow start to the season saw his odds skyrocket to +1500 following Week 4.

Just like his work between the hash marks of late, Jacobs has been steadily gaining ground. He lowered his odds to +550 after Week 5 and +520 following Week 6.

After posting his second straight game of over 120 rushing yards on Sunday at Green Bay, Jacobs is now listed at +200 in the NFL OROY odds.

Jacobs leads all NFL rookie rushers with 554 yards.

Jacobs Rushing Steadily Toward History

His NFL career was slow starting for Jacobs. He gained 307 yards over his first four games, averaging 76.75 yards per game and never going for more than 99 yards in a single game.

The last two games, though, he’s put on quite the show. And done so against a couple of pretty good teams.

Jacobs carved up the Chicago defense for 122 yards in a 24-21 upset of the Bears. He was the first back to go for a 100-yard rushing day against the Bears since Minnesota’s Latavious Murray in 2017.

One week earlier, the Bears held NFL rushing leader Dalvin Cook of the Vikings to 35 yards. It was not lost on Oakland fans that Jacobs was acquired with one of the draft picks the Raiders got when they dealt Khalil Mack to Chicago.

Jacobs didn’t stop there. Last week, during a 42-24 loss to the 6-1 Green Bay Packers, he went one yard better on his career high, gaining 124 yards.

In the process, he’s leaving some Raiders legends in his dust. With his Week 5 performance, Jacobs moved ahead of the rookie yardage pace of Marcus Allen. His Week 6 total put him on a path to outgain the rookie numbers of Bo Jackson.

Allen was NFL OROY in 1982.

Jacobs’ Hard Road to NFL OROY

When it comes to rookie runners, Jacobs is the best by a country mile. He’s 284 yards ahead of the guy at #2, Alexander Mattison of the Vikings. But it’s actually the guy in third who will be his undoing in the NFL OROY race.

Murray currently sits #3 among NFL rookie rushers with 266 yards. He’s averaging 5.4 yards per carry and has run for two touchdowns, just two fewer than Jacobs.

The Cardinals QB was a two-sport threat – he was also a first-round pick of the Oakland A’s – and he’s a double threat on the football field.

He’s the rookie leader and 12th overall in the NFL in passing yardage (1,768). And Murray has led Arizona to three straight victories. It’s the Cardinals’ first three-game win streak since 2015.

A QB hasn’t won NFL OROY since 2016 (Dak Prescott) but Murray is about to end that drought.

Pick: Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (-120).

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