2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds update: Steelers' Najee Harris lapping field in betting action; no former Alabama player has won award
One player in particular is taking massive action at Caesars Sportsbook to win 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The lone Pittsburgh Steelers running back to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors was future Hall of Famer Franco Harris in 1972. If Najee Harris becomes the second this season, Caesars Sportsbook will be out some major bank as the book is extremely exposed on Harris, the first-round pick out of Alabama, on that prop. He's currently a +1000 fourth-favorite.
Obviously, a key to betting on Offensive Rookie of the Year is picking a guy who is going to start from Day 1 – OK, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert didn't last year on the way to winning the award but was the guy from Week 2 onward.
While Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (+300) should start from Day 1, Bears QB Justin Fields (+550), 49ers QB Trey Lance (+600) and Patriots QB Mac Jones (+1000) likely will not. Harris definitely will be the Steelers' featured back immediately barring injury, and that team runs the ball plenty.
That could help explain why Harris is taking 21 percent of all money wagered on the OROY prop and 20 percent of all tickets sold at Caesars. Both are BY FAR the most of any player. Harris had been +2000 not too long ago. The next-closest running back is Jacksonville's Travis Etienne at +2200. Harris was picked 24th overall and Etienne 25th. Lance is No. 2 in money wagered behind Harris at 14 percent and Fields is No. 2 in tickets sold at 12 percent.
Harris is given Over/Under season props of 990.5 rushing yards and 7.5 rushing scores. He is +2500 to lead the NFL in rushing. That last rookie to accomplish that was the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott in 2016 with 1,631 yards, but he didn't win OROY as quarterback as teammate Dak Prescott did.
The last running back to win OROY was the Giants' Saquon Barkley in 2018 when he set franchise rookie records with 1,307 rushing yards, 91 receptions (tied Odell Beckham from 2014) and 15 total touchdowns (11 rushing, 4 receiving). The 91 catches were a record for an NFL rookie running back and Barkley finished second in the league in rushing.
In case you were wondering, and I was, no player from Alabama has won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Two Tide alums won the defensive award: Derrick Thomas (1989) and DeMeco Ryans (2006).
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