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It’s nearly time to cash those football futures, as the season ends Sunday, Let the voting begin.
MVP
Patrick Mahomes (-700)
Joe Burrow (+800)
Jalen Hurts (+1000)
Josh Allen (+1200)
Patrick Mahomes began the season priced at +950 to win his second award. Now that he has become just the third player in history with multiple seasons of 5,000 passing yards, he’s the odds-on choice, according to NFL odds.
So, just three weeks ago, Jalen Hurts was favored to win, before missing the last two games due to injury. He’s dropped behind both Mahomes and Joe Burrow.
Defensive Player of the Year
When the season began in September, San Francisco’s Nick Bosa was paying +1450 to win Defensive Player of the Year. Then, last season’s 15½ sacks became this season’s 17½ sacks (along with 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage), so this wager is now off the board at any number of sites. Bosa is even getting some love when it comes to MVP.
Offensive Player of the Year
These two words. Justin Jefferson.
As is the case with Bosa, you can’t place bets on Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, or anyone else, in the Offensive Player of the Year. Cooper Kupp was the runaway winner with 145 catches last season (1,947 receiving yards, 16 touchdowns). This season, the Vikings’ Jefferson has 124 catches (1,771 yards, eight touchdowns). He is expected to be a Kupp-esque runaway winner.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Kenneth Walker III (-110)
Garrett Wilson (+200)
Brock Purdy (+300)
The early favorite to win this award was Breece Hall. A season-ending injury in the seventh game moved this needle. Kenneth Walker III of the Seahawks is now an odds-on choice to win. Despite dipping in late November/early December (126 total rush yards over the course of five weeks), he had 107 yards in Week 16, 133 in Week 17. He’s now back in the lead. Interesting that Hall is presumed out of the running because he didn’t play in half the season, but Brock Purdy will throw passes in just seven of 17 games, and he’s third choice at +300.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Sauce Gardner (-1200)
Aidan Hutchinson (+800)
Tariq Woolen (+1400)
Gardner wasn’t among the favorites to win Defensive Rookie of the Year when the season began, probably because many past winners have been defensive ends or linebackers. According to the preseason oddsmakers, choices were Aidan Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Travon Walker, Quay Walker and Jermaine Johnson.
Hutchinson’s 7½ sacks and three interceptions have been solid, but this is Gardner’s award. He is in the Pro Bowl, and will be the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Coach of the Year
Kyle Shanahan (+200)
Nick Sirianni (+200)
Brian Daboll (+225)
The Coach of the Year figures to be the close, three-man contest, because a good case can be made in several of the precincts. That’s the assessment, as per NFL regular-season awards.
Kyle Shanahan has lost two quarterbacks to serious injuries, and his team is still one of the best in the league. With seventh-round rookie Brock Purdy now calling the signals, the San Francisco offense hasn’t wavered, riding a nine-game win streak into the season’s final week.
Nick Sirianni has the Eagles-though scuffling of late-on the cusp of winning the NFC East, and the top seed in the conference. Jalen Hurts’ rapid growth has been incredible, and a credit to Sirianni and his staff.
Brian Daboll took over a Giants’ team in disarray after the Joe Judge fiasco tenure. There were double-digit losses in the previous five seasons. Roster didn’t change much, but the attitude and execution did. New York is in the playoffs (first time since 2016).
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
