Four quarterbacks are in the running for NFL Comeback Player of the Year…
but we think it’s really down to two.
Who Bounces Back Best?
What Happened: NFL training camps are over, rosters are nearing their final phases, and position battles are concluded. What are sports bettors to do between now and Thursday’s Week 1 kickoff? Let’s take a look at some NFL award odds, specifically the Comeback Player of the Year award.
Why It Matters: Word to the wise here â just like you should when trying to predict an MVP winner, look to the quarterback position.
Among FanDuel’s five current odds-on favorites to win Comeback Player of the Year, four of the five players with the best odds to win throw the pigskin. (The outlier is Browns RB Nick Chubb at +1500, who knows a thing or two about bouncing back from horrific knee injuries.)
The list consists of NY Jet Aaron Rodgers at +200, Bengals star Joe Burrow at +220, new Atlanta Falcons passer Kirk Cousins at +500, and Anthony Richardson of the Colts at +750.
Richardson feels like he doesn’t have much of a chance; he only attempted 84 passes in his rookie season, so he’s a complete unknown. With no previously established level of play, this feels closer to a redo of his rookie season than a comeback.
Burrow won this award back in 2021 after tearing his ACL and MCL the previous season. That recent win is almost certainly enough to keep him from winning this season, no matter what he does on the field.
That leaves us with two strong contenders: Rodgers and Cousins. Generally, awards voters tend to factor in team performance for individual awards, even when they really aren’t supposed to. The Jets are viewed by many as legit contenders, and maybe even a Super Bowl threat. They are also…the Jets. Something will go wrong.
The Falcons aren’t being discussed as championship threats, but the NFC South is putrid, making it likely Atlanta wins its division and hits double-digit wins. If that happens, don’t be surprised if Cousins ends up with some hardware; it’ll be nice consolation when his team inevitably fizzles out in another postseason.
What Weâre Watching Today
US Open (All Day Coverage) – We’ve got our eyes on two matches in particular today: Frances Tiafoe looks to advance in Arthur Ashe Stadium after reaching the quarterfinals in last year’s tournament. He’s scheduled for a 1:30 PM EST match.
On the women’s side, reigning champion Coco Gauff looks to defend her US Open title against German Tatjana Maria at 7:00 PM EST.
Atlanta at Twins (7:40 PM ET) – Sportsbooks think Chris Sale is running away with the NL Cy Young Award, while the lefty is probably more focused on keeping Atlanta in the thick of a tight playoff race. If the postseason started today, Atlanta would be in, but only three games separate it from the Mets in the standings.
The Look Ahead
Freddy Peralta STRIKEOUTS – Taking the under on Peralta’s strikeout prop line for tonight feels like a no-brainer. The line is currently 7.5, a figure Peralta hasn’t topped in six straight starts. And while the San Francisco Giants sport a weak lineup in general, they only strike out at the league’s 10th-highest rate. Bad, but certainly no shoo-in to get to the 8+ mark. We’ll fade here.
