After a sluggish start from #1 pick Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars, he’s no longer the consensus favorite to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year because Mac Jones from the New England Patriots (+400 odds) and Ja’Marr Chase (+500) from the Cincinnati Bengals emerged as the new front runners to win ROY.
The Jaguars started the season 0-4 as one of two winless teams in the NFL. Lawrence struggled in his first four games, but inept rookie head coach Urban Meyer has not exactly put Lawrence in a position to succeed. Nearly one-third of Lawrence passes are deemed uncatchable, which leads the NFL.
| 2021 NFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR ODDS |
- Mac Jones +400
- Ja’Marr Chase +500
- Trevor Lawrence +750
- Trey Lance +750
- Justin Fields +1200
- Najee Harris +1200
- Devonta Smith +1600
- Zach Wilson +1800
- Jaylen Waddle +2500
- Kenneth Gainwell +2500
- Kyle Pitts +2500
- Elijah Mitchell +4000
- Javonte Williams +4000
- Rondale Moore +4000
- Chubba Hubbard +5000
- Trey Sermon +5000
The Jaguars went 1-15 last season and outsucked the New York Jets in a bum fight to determine which terrible team would win the Lawrence sweepstakes. Since the 2021 NFL Draft, Lawrence had been the top betting favorite to win the Rookie of the Year.
Mac Jones +400
The New England Patriots started the season 1-3, but Mac Jones more than held his own. You knew the kid had some good juju when old-school head coach Bill Belichick installed Jones as the starting quarterback as a rookie. Jones beat out Cam Newton, who the team cut in preseason.
Through four games, Jones completed 70% of his passes for 1,012 yards along with four touchdowns and four interceptions. He got burned a couple of times trying to force the ball, but with a Belichick designed offense, he’s been taking what the defense has been giving him with a lot of screens and short passes.
Aside from a stinker during a blowout against the New Orleans Saints in which he tossed three interceptions, Jones coughed up the ball only once in his three other starts. Jones went toe-to-toe with Tom Brady on Sunday Night Football. Even though the Pats lost to the Bucs, Jones completed 31-for-40 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns.
Jones is the outright favorite at +400 odds to win the Rookie of the Year, which seems like a solid choice considering he’ll only improve as the season progresses.
Mac Jones is balling ‼ï¸
He finds Jonnu Smith for the TD to take the lead 👀pic.twitter.com/g5ntHTzVzF
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 4, 2021
Ja’Marr Chase +500
If you’re not a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals or root for a team in the AFC North, then you probably have not checked out Ja’Marr Chase yet. The rookie out of LSU gets to catch passes from his former quarterback in Baton Rogue with Joe Burrow. The two won a national championship together in 2019 and were reunited in the pros after the Bengals selected him with the #5 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
So far, their gamble paid off. Chase is currently tied for second in the NFL with four touchdowns. Through four games, Chase recorded 17 receptions for 297 yards. With a 17.5 yards per catch average, Chase is ranked #5 in the league. In Week 3, Chase torched the Pittsburgh Steelers for two touchdowns. In his pro debut, Chase caught five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in Week 1’s overtime victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
JA'MARR CHASE 50-YARD TD 🔥
(via @Bengals)pic.twitter.com/4BaA43JN3S
— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2021
Other Rookie QBs: Lance, Fields, Wilson
Trey Lance might get his first start with the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5. Jimmy G went down with a calf injury in Week 4 and Lance played the entire second half. He’s the future of the franchise and the 49ers squandered multiple first-round draft picks to acquire him. You can back Lance at +750 odds to win the Rookie of the Year, but he has a long road ahead of him if he wants to catch Jones.
Justin Fields finally got a chance to start with the Chicago Bears when Andy Dalton suffered a bruised knee. Fields did not look so hot, but he could return to backup duties when Dalton is 100% ready to return. For now, Fields is +1200 odds to win Rookie of the Year.
Zach Wilson from the New York Jets had an ugly start, and got skewered by the internet. However, Wilson and the LOL Jets got the last laugh with their first win of the season in Week 4. Wilson looked decent in the victory over the Tennessee Titans, but the Jets are still a long way off from becoming a legit contender. You can take a flier on Wilson at +1800 odds to win ROY.
