Last year, Justin Jefferson and Justin Herbert duked it out for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Herbert ended up winning the hardware because he broke the league record for scoring passes from a rookie quarterback. This year, we have quite a few intriguing candidates as a number of rookie quarterbacks will get their first starts and a lot of offensive talent came up from the college ranks this season.
Let’s look at some of the top candidates as you consider how they might influence your online NFL betting for next season.
NFL News: 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year Rankings
Justin Fields (QB, Chicago Bears) (+550)
It’s important to note that Matt Nagy has indicated that Andy Dalton will start the season at quarterback for the Bears. However, Dalton has some issues with mobility that could frustrate Bears fans, with the talented Fields waiting on the bench. Fields has the mobility and speed of a wide receiver, and he combines that with a cannon arm and the ability to read coverages well. Chicago has not had a dominant quarterback since the days of Jim McMahon, so expect Fields to get in soon. He did slide to the 11th pick in the first round, so he will have a chip on his shoulder — which could mean a huge rookie campaign.
Trevor Lawrence (QB, Jacksonville Jaguars) (+275)
Lawrence looks pro ready in all phases of his game. The problem with Lawrence is that he comes to a Jaguars team that needs so much work in so many areas. It’s hard to believe that it’s only been a few seasons since the Jaguars had an ironclad defense and took a lead over New England into the fourth period of the AFC Championship — at Foxboro! But since then it’s all fallen apart. I see Lawrence a lot like I saw Joe Burrow a year ago — the keystone for a team’s rebuild, but set for a couple of years of real struggle. For those reasons, I’m leaning away from Lawrence here, especially with the lack of value.
Ja’Marr Chase (WR, Cincinnati Bengals) (+1400)
Chase is an instant WR1 in the NFL. His quickness is deceptive, and he can get open right out of the breaks. He also has the size to control the catch point, and then he is hard to bring down because of his thick lower body and his balance. He was at LSU with Burrow, and they come back together in Cincy this coming season. Burrow also has Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, but Chase is likely to be his #1 target. Burrow was throwing the ball more than 40 times per game before he went down in the tenth game of the year, and Chase will catch a lot of those balls.
Kyle Pitts (TE, Atlanta Falcons) (+1200)
These odds will start to get longer now that Julio Jones has been traded to Tennessee. Yes, Calvin Ridley emerged as a solid receiving option, and Matt Ryan is the starter for at least two more seasons. Atlanta did not draft a running back, which means that Ryan will throw the ball a lot. However, I also think that he will be running for his life a lot and that the Atlanta defense will have a hard time getting off the field. Pitts should get a lot of targets, but he’s not the best rookie on this list.
Jaylen Waddle (WR, Miami Dolphins) (+1600)
He’s already 6’4”, and he can jump high to bring in the ball. Several experts have compared him to Tyreek Hill. Why are his odds so high? Well, Tua Tagovailoa showed a highly conservative passing approach last year, choosing checkdowns way too often. His arm is not particularly strong for deep balls. Waddle also has other people ahead of him on the depth chart. Will Fuller V, Jakeem Grant, Mike Gesicki and DeVante Parker are all on the roster as well, so Waddle has some competition ahead of him.
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