Updated Odds to Win NFL OROY After Burrow Injury, Tua Benched – Herbert Given 90% Chance to Win Award
- Quarterback Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers is now the odds-on -900 favorite to win the NFL OROY
- Previous second betting choice Joe Burrrow of the Cincinnati Bengals suffered a season-ending torn ACL on Sunday
- Could Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool, or anyone else, offer value?
The 2020 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race was seen as a two-player battle between a pair of quarterbacks – Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Now that Burrow has suffered a season-ending torn ACL/MCL, is the race over? The latest NFL OROY odds show Herbert moving into the prohibitive favorite’s role at -900.
2020 NFL OROY Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Justin Herbert (Chargers) | -900 |
| Justin Jefferson (Vikings) | +900 |
| Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins) | +1000 |
| Chase Clapyool (Steelers) | +1700 |
| Cylde Edwards-Helaire (Chiefs) | +3000 |
Odds as of Nov. 23rd at FanDuel
Burrow has slipped right off the board following his injury in Sunday’s loss to the Washington Football Team. However, another player is suddenly looming large as a contender.
Pittsburgh wide receiver Chase Claypool has scored a team-leading 10 touchdowns in 10 games for the unbeaten Steelers. His odds have shortened from +2067 to +1700
Oddsmakers were giving Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa an outside chance of playing himself into contention. Sunday saw that hope fading following his benching during Miami’s loss to the Denver Broncos. Tagovailoa’s betting line grew from +383 to +1000.
Burrow Takes A Hit
Back to pass, Burrow was sacked by a pair of Washington defenders and his knee buckled awkwardly. It was apparent immediately that he was seriously injured.
Joe Burrow injury doesn't look good at all!!!! pic.twitter.com/tA3RFi0GAu
— Darren M. Haynes (@DarrenMHaynes) November 22, 2020
At a betting line of +165, he’d been running neck-and-neck with Herbert for NFL OROY honors. However, there’s no recent history of any player capturing the award while also missing a significant portion of the season through injury.
Burrow leads the NFL in pass completions (264) and attempts (404). Playing behind a porous Bengals offensive line, he’s also been sacked 32 times, third-most of any NFL QB.
Herbert Keeps On Rolling
Sunday saw Herbert delivering another sensational performance in a 34-28 victory over the 0-10 New York Jets. He threw for three TDs.
It was the seventh consecutive game he has thrown multiple touchdown passes. That establishes an NFL record for a rookie QB. He’s passed for 20 TDs against three interceptions over that span.
Justin Herbert has a CANNON 😳
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/FTE00ZS0F5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 22, 2020
Herbert’s passer rating of 116.5 was his best since Week 4. He established a personal best with 37 completions and tied a career high with 49 pass attempts.
The Chargers QB leads all rookies in TD passes (22), passing yards (2,699), completion percentage (68.0) and passer rating (104.7).
All He Does Is Score
Pittsburgh’s Claypool found the end zone Sunday on the end of a 31-yard scoring pass from Ben Roethlisberger. The double threat has caught seven TD passes and run for three scores.
Claypool is the first rookie wide receiver in NFL history and the first NFL receiver in 60 years to collect 10 TDs through the first 10 games of the season. He’s second among all NFL receivers in TDs this season.
Milestone ✅ – @ChaseClaypool @steelers | #PITvsJAX | #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/s28ZONkwEk
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) November 22, 2020
Claypool is one TD away from tying the Steelers club record for rookies. That fellow originally setting that mark was Franco Harris in 1972.
Were he to win, Claypool would be joining New Orleans Saints running back Rueben Mayes (1986) as the only Canadians to be named NFL OROY.
Tua Sits Down
A late starter to starting, Tagovailoa was already playing the catch-up game. That didn’t work for Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield in 2018. Despite a strong finish to the season, Mayfield couldn’t overtake season-long starter Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants.
#Dolphins HC Brian Flores says Tua Tagovailoa did not get hurt. He was benched for his performance and Fitzpatrick gave the team the best chance to win at that point and time. Tua is still the starter moving forward.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) November 23, 2020
Indications following the game from Dolphins head coach Brian Flores are that Tagovailoa remains his starter. No matter. The damage has been done. The rookie of the year doesn’t get benched.
Jefferson On Bubble
The NFL OROY has gone to an NFC player 13 years in a row. Holding out slim hope of continuing that streak is Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson.
You cant guard Justin Jefferson
— PFF (@PFF) November 22, 2020
He’s on pace for 72 catches and 1,357 reception yards. That would surpass the first-year totals of Vikings WR Randy Moss (69, 1,313), the 1998 NFL OROY.
It’s Herbert’s To Win
All of these players are enjoying great seasons. However, Herbert is on pace to shatter just about every NFL rookie passing record.
Justin Herbert is on pace to be the best rookie QB in NFL history:
Herbert’s 2020 Pace:
397 Completions
4,498 Pass Yds
37 Pass TDALL would be rookie records #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/IBhUJMRt2J
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) November 23, 2020
Considering that eight QBs have won this award since 2004, that places him in rarified air.
Pick: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (-900).
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
