NFL Season Preview: Offensive Player of the Year
Adam Martin 
With the season nearly here, it is time to look at some season long bets as the build up to the new NFL season on Free Bets continues!
One of the best pre-season markets to have a bet on is Offensive Player of the Year - it’s a tough one to get right but there are some big odds available on this popular NFL betting market.
Here we look at the main contenders along with some big outsiders that you should take note of.
Also, don’t miss out on our three tips for the season.
NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Contenders
The short priced favourite for this award is last year’s winner, Saquon Barkley. The biggest price you can get for the Philadelphia Eagles running back is 7/1. Although a good season is expected from Barkley, it will be tough for him to match what he did last year.
Also, history is not on his side. The last winner to bring home the trophy multiple years in a row was Marshall Faulk between 1999-2001, winning it three years in a row. Barkley obviously could win this but at 7/1 he is a short price and there are better bets to have.
Next up at the top price of 10/1 is Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals star receiver put up over 1,700 yards last year along with 17 touchdowns. In many years that would get you the win and he could easily do it again.
The reason the Bengals offence was so good last year was due to how poor their defence was. Very little has changed and if anything, they could be worse. To win games the Bengals will need to put up lots of points. Chase can exploit that and put up big numbers again.
Jahmyr Gibbs is next in the betting at a top price of 12/1. Gibbs rushed for over 1,400 yards and then had another 517 in the receiving game. On top of that he managed to amass 17 touchdowns which was more that Barkley.
It will always be tough for Gibbs to win this award whilst the Detroit Lions use David Montgomery at running back as well. Last years numbers were only as high as they were due to Montgomery missing time out injured. Also, the Lions have lost their offensive co-ordinator and so things might take time to get going this season.
The next three guys are Derrick Henry, Puka Nacua and Justin Jefferson. You can get Henry at a top price of 15/1 and Nacua and Jefferson at 16/1. All three have the potential to have great seasons but they do also have potential stumbling blocks.
Derrick Henry amassed over 2,000 all purpose yards and 18 touchdowns last season. A similar season is possible but at the age of 31 you must think eventually time will slow him down.
Puka Nacua had a tough season last year with injuries. He only managed to get 990 yards and three touchdowns. You would expect much better from him this time around but with the addition of Devante Adams he will struggle to command the ball enough to win this.
Justin Jefferson won this award back in 2022 and is arguably the best wide receiver in the league. Last year the Vikings had quarterback issues and despite that he still finished as the second-best receiver statistically. This year he has JJ McCarthy starting after he missed his rookie year to injury. That is a big concern for Jeffersons production.
Don't Bet On A Quarterback
Many quarterbacks have won this award in the past; however, recent history shows that they don’t anymore. The last one to win was Patrick Mahomes back in 2018. The reason for this is that quarterbacks win the MVP award now and other offensive players win this.
If you look at the betting then you will see Wahington Commanders quarterback, Jayden Daniels is the shortest price. He is 50/1. It doesn’t mean he can’t win it but its unlikely and if he has a great season he will much more likely win MVP.
Next Best's – Drake London @ 50/1 & Brian Thomas @ 40/1
Maxx Crosby has had a decent NFL career so far and it looks like things might be about to pick up. The Las Vegas Raiders have been in the doldrums for a few years, but positivity is hitting Vegas. Veteran coach Pete Carroll is the new head coach and smash mouth football is what is expected.
Not only are the performances expected to get better, but Crosby has shown that he can put up decent numbers. He had 14.5 sacks in 2023 and with a renewed energy in Vegas hitting them numbers and more could be a possibility at a nice price.
Top Tip – Ja’Marr Chase @ 10/1
It’s tough to look past Ja’Marr Chase for this award. Had the Bengals made a playoff run then he would have likely won it last year. The team has not sorted out their defence adequately enough.
To win games the offence is going to have to put up a lot of points. Fortunately for the Bengals they have got one of the best quarterbacks in the game and two very good wide receivers. Winning games won’t be an issue for the Bengals because of this.
Chase is the number one target for Burrow and that won’t change anytime soon. If you can get the number one wide receiver in the game at 10/1 then it’s a price worth taking.
NFL Offensive Player of the Year Odds
Check out the latest odds from leading UK betting sites below, where you’ll find the key contenders currently in the running for this award
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Adam Martin is our NFL expert on Freebets, and he'll bring you his weekly NFL betting tips when the season starts, showcasing his best bets for the action from across the pond!
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