It’s been quite the rookie campaign for Ja’Marr Chase, who has made the Cincinnati Bengals look smart with their decision to take him fifth overall over Penei Sewell. It didn’t start off great for Chase, though, as he struggled with drops in the preseason. Those days are long gone, however.
As a result of Chase’s elusive rookie season that’s seen him nab 44 receptions for 835 yards and seven touchdowns through his first nine games, it’s no wonder he’s the odds favorite in several categories right now.
The biggest, of course, is Offensive Rookie of the Year, which Chase is the betting favorite for at -104, per WynnBET. Patriots quarterback Mac Jones is slowly starting to come back in the race, however, and his odds (+150) reflect that. Those two are the only rookies truly in the conversation as of now, as the third-best odds belong to Steelers running back Najee Harris (+1100).
Where else is Ja’Marr Chase a favorite?
Another notable category for Chase is in the league leader in receiving yards, where he’s currently sitting with the third-best odds (+800). He trails Rams receiver Cooper Kupp (-140) and 49ers wideout Deebo Samuel (+400) in that particular category.
For reference, Kupp currently has 1,141 yards while Samuel has 979 yards thus far. Chase trails Kupp by 306 yards, which — unless Kupp really slows up or sustains an injury that sidelines him for a few weeks — might be difficult to make up through the final eight games.
Chase has the fifth-best odds for most receiving touchdowns and his odds currently sit at +1300. He trails Kupp (+375), Mike Evans (+425), Tyreek Hill (+900), and D.K. Metcalf (+1100). While Chase has seven touchdowns so far and was scoring them at an alarming rate, it might be difficult for him to catch up to Kupp’s pace (the Rams wideout has 10 on the year).
Even if Ja’Marr Chase doesn’t secure any of these titles, he’s still had a phenomenal rookie year. As of now, it’s looking good for him as far as winning Offensive Rookie of the Year goes, but if Jones continues to lead the Patriots toward the playoffs, we all know the NFL might not be able to resist gifting a quarterback (let alone a Patriots quarterback) the title.