Now that we're seven weeks into the 2021 NFL Draft class' rookie season, it’s time to start delving into the Rookie of the Year races. It’s an interesting debate on both sides of the ball, but for different reasons. On offense, we have multiple players at the top putting up numbers that we, quite frankly, have never seen before. On defense, we have a whole lot of nothing. It’s a wide-open race thus far. Let’s get into the odds.
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Offensive Rookie of the Year
Note: Odds via DraftKings
- WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals: +110
- QB Mac Jones, New England Patriots: +400
- RB Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers: +800
- QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: +1000
- TE Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons: +1400
These odds are head-scratching. There are currently two rookies who’ve set receiving yardage records at their respective positions, and one is the favorite to win while the other is all the way down at +1400. Pitts is PFF's highest-graded rookie through Week 7, as he’s doing some unprecedented things for a tight end and hasn’t been quite as reliant on big plays as Chase. If you are picking an Offensive Rookie of the Year right now, it’s one of those two.
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I’ll also add that Jones has flashed impressive accuracy and decision-making for a rookie, and he ranks third in completion percentage (70.4%). The only problem is, he’s unlikely to garner much in the way of gaudy volume stats to compete for the award. Chase is obviously the favorite, but Pitts looks like the best bet here.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Note: Odds via DraftKings
- LB Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys: +225
- EDGE Odafe Oweh, Baltimore Ravens: +750
- EDGE Azeez Ojulari, New York Giants: +1000
- EDGE Gregory Rousseau, Buffalo Bills: +1000
- LB Jamin Davis, Washington Football Team: +1000
- CB Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos: +1000
- LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland Browns: +1200
- CB Asante Samuel Jr., Los Angeles Chargers: +1200