Comeback Player of the Year odds: Dak favored, but there's value elsewhere
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had the seventh-shortest odds to win the MVP last year. After sustaining a season-ending injury just five weeks into the season, he's expected to rally back for the Comeback Player of the Year award.
However, there's plenty of value elsewhere in the current field. Here, we'll discuss a couple of players to either fade or bet.
2021 Comeback Player of the Year odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dak Prescott (DAL) | +170 |
| Saquon Barkley (NYG) | +550 |
| Christian McCaffrey (CAR) | +600 |
| Joe Burrow (CIN) | +600 |
| Nick Bosa (SF) | +800 |
| Carson Wentz (PHI) | +900 |
| Derwin James (LAC) | +1500 |
| Sam Darnold (CAR) | +1500 |
| Von Miller (DEN) | +1500 |
| Julio Jones (TEN) | +1800 |
| Field - All Others Not Listed | +2000 |
| Jameis Winston (NO) | +2000 |
| Jimmy Garoppolo (SF) | +2000 |
| Joe Mixon (CIN) | +2200 |
| Odell Beckham Jr. (CLE) | +2500 |
| Tim Tebow (JAX) | +3000 |
| Danielle Hunter (MIN) | +4000 |
| Damien Williams (CHI) | +9000 |
| C.J. Mosley (NYJ) | +10000 |
| Dont'a Hightower (NE) | +11000 |
Bet
Joe Burrow (+600)
Burrow looked every bit the part of a franchise quarterback before going down with a knee injury in Week 11.
Although the Bengals went just 2-7-1 in Burrow's 10 starts, he finished with 2,688 passing yards and 16 total touchdowns. Through his first eight games, he completed an NFL-record 221 passes.
The Bengals set a low bar by going 4-11-1 overall last season. The team added three key pieces to the offensive line and has a budding receiving corps featuring Burrow's college teammate and first-round pick, Ja'Marr Chase.
Burrow's on track to start this year's opener, and a couple more wins onto the ledger would certainly help his case.
Derwin James (+1500)
It seems like forever ago James was named to the Pro Bowl and perceived as a fringe top-30 player in the league. However, he's been sidetracked by injuries, seeing only five games in 2019 and zero a year ago.
If he can play anywhere near the level he did in Year 1, he's a great value pick.
New head coach Brandon Staley's a defensive wizard, fresh off leading the Rams to the No. 1 rank in yards per play. James can do a little bit of everything - he had 105 tackles, 13 pass deflections, and three picks in his only full season - which puts him in a prime position to stand out on one of the league's top units.
Fade
Tim Tebow (+3000)
One price I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole is Tebow at +3000, which implies roughly a 3.2% probability he takes home the hardware.
Those are some bullish odds on a player who might not make the roster.
Although he's dominated headlines over the offseason, Tebow is 33, hasn't played since 2012, and is learning a new position at tight end. Suiting up Week 1 is a tall enough task for the former Florida QB let alone being semi-productive over a 17-game season.
Tebow could potentially find a new home elsewhere in the scenario he gets cut. But failing to land on a Jaguars roster that won just one game in 2020 would be a pretty clear signal to the rest of the league.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. Find him on Twitter @AjKolodziej.