Mac Jones is The New Betting Favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year
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One of the most popular futures in the NFL is for Offensive Rookie of Year. While MVP and Super Bowl winner might be many sports bettors’ go-to future wager, trying to accurately guess the offensive player that makes the best jump from college to the NFL is quite a roller coaster. Some of the favorites going into the 2021 season included number one overall pick QB Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris, and Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields. However, with Week 1 coming to a close, we have a brand new favorite. Here’s what you need to know about the new Offensive Rookie of the Year odds and what to expect for the future.
Mac Jones OROY Odds Are Now +350
While Trevor Lawrence was the Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite on FanDuel at +400 before Sunday’s Week 1 games, Mac Jones is now the top favorite at +350 while Lawrence is listed at +500. Jones had one of the more successful rookie debuts to start the 2021 NFL season, which is reflected in the odds shift. His 281 yards were the most ever for a New England Patriot making his first start. He threw a single touchdown to Nelson Agoholor while spreading out the ball to 8 different receivers. Jones also ended the day without any interceptions.
The former Alabama QB was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Patriots, with the initial idea that he would compete with Cam Newton, last year’s starting QB. However, Jones wowed coaches enough that he didn’t just win the starting gig, the team felt confident enough in the young passer to cut Newton. At the time of this writing, Newton still hasn’t signed with a new NFL team.
What Happens Next?
You should expect Jones to hold onto the top spot after Week 2. Why is that? Well, Jones and the Patriots are traveling to MetLife Stadium to take on the New York Jets. To put it kindly, the Jets defense isn’t the stingiest in the league, allowing 381 total yards, including 270 through the air, against the Panthers on Sunday. The team ranked 28th in passing defense last season, allowing 275.6 yards through the air per game. Expect Jones to continue growing with the offense and put up some lofty numbers against the rival Jets.
A Lot Can Change In The Next Few Months
Just because Jones has leapfrogged Trevor Lawrence as the favorite doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed the award by any means. Just take a look at last year. Justin Herbert entered the season with +2000 odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year and didn’t even start a game until Week 2. Although he had some competition after WR Justin Jefferson’s strong season, Herbert ended up with the award by throwing 31 touchdowns to go with 10 interceptions.
The favorite going into the 2020 season was Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow, who entered the year with +275 odds. While he started the season putting up some good numbers, his rookie season ended with a significant ACL injury.
