NFL Offensive Rookie of Year Odds: Already 2 Changes At The Top

Saints receiver Chris Olave is the favorite for the 2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

The NFL season doesn’t start for more than four months, yet there already have been a few changes at the top of the odds board for 2022 Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Entering the draft, some books put out advanced odds despite not knowing which rookies would be playing where, and Liberty quarterback Malik Willis was the betting favorite for OROY. Made some sense as he was considered likely as the first quarterback drafted, perhaps as high as No. 2 to Detroit or No. 6 to Carolina.

Instead, Willis shockingly slipped all the way to No. 86 overall and the Tennessee Titans. They already have a good starter in Ryan Tannehill, so Willis won’t be playing this season barring Tannehill getting injured. Thus, Willis is now +1600 for OROY.

Pickett May Be Only Rookie QB Starter

Liberty quarterback Malik Willis runs through passing drills during Liberty Football Pro Day in Lynchburg, Va., on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Kendall Warner)

Right after the draft, the betting favorite was Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London, the first wideout off the board in a very deep class at No. 8 overall from USC – the Falcons were considered another possible option for Willis. While Atlanta has a good young tight end in Kyle Pitts, its receiving group is awful with Calvin Ridley suspended for the 2022 season, so London could be the No. 1 guy from the get-go.

However, he’s now a +750 second-favorite on this prop behind New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave, chosen No. 11 overall from Ohio State. Olave would not be expected to be the primary guy in 2022 because the Saints have a former All-Pro receiver in Michael Thomas, although he missed all of last season injured. The last Saints OROY was running back Alvin Kamara in 2017.

The lone quarterback chose in Round 1 and the only one picked before Round 3 was the University of Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett by the Steelers, so he won’t even need to learn a new stadium as both play at Heinz Field. Pickett, chosen No. 20 overall, was considered the most pro-ready QB in the draft, and Coach Mike Tomlin already said Pickett would be given every chance to win the starting job in camp over Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph. Pickett is +750 to win OROY. It worked out well the last time the Steelers took a first-round QB: Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 when he also won OROY.

The other players below +1000 are New York Jets running back Breece Hall (+800), Titans receiver Treylon Burks (+800), Jets receiver Garrett Wilson (+900) and Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (+900). Many experts believe the Jets had the best draft of anyone but they have never had an OROY winner.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase won it last year, but the Bengals have no OROY candidates in 2022 as they focused mostly on defense in the draft.