2018 NFL Betting Props: Barkley, Chubb Favorites on the Rookie of the Year Odds

Out of all the offensive players selected in this year's NFL draft, none of them initially figure to get as many reps to prove themselves as New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley.

That is one of the main reasons why Barkley is listed as a solid +150 favorite (bet $100 to win $150) over a group of quarterbacks at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark on the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds.

The Giants selected the former Penn State Nittany Lion with the second overall pick in the draft after he rushed for 1,134 yards on 199 carries and added another 594 receiving yards on 47 catches to go along with 19 touchdowns as a junior in college.

Barkley's workload as a rusher actually went down from his sophomore year when he ran for 1,496 yards on 272 carries. New York's top running back a season ago, Orleans Darkwa, had 751 rushing yards on 171 carries and 19 catches for 116 yards with five total touchdowns.

Following Barkley on the betting board are top overall pick Baker Mayfield (+275) of the Cleveland Browns, Josh Allen (+800) of the Buffalo Bills and Josh Rosen (+1000) of the Arizona Cardinals, all quarterbacks whose value depends on their playing time. Each of them has a veteran signal-caller ahead of them who projects to be the starter heading into the season, although that can obviously still change during training camp.

Of that group, Allen might have the best chance to start early on considering he has another unproven player competing with him in former Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron.

The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds list a comparable favorite with defensive end Bradley Chubb of the Denver Broncos leading the way at +140. Chubb was picked fifth overall by the Broncos and should contribute immediately to an already strong defensive unit opposite Von Miller.

The former North Carolina State Wolfpack player recorded 10 sacks as a senior last year, and he also won the Bronco Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player) and Ted Hendricks Award (top defensive end).

Challenging Chubb are three other contenders who should play right away in linebacker Roquan Smith (+400) of the Chicago Bears, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (+650) of the Miami Dolphins and cornerback Denzel Ward (+650) of the Browns.

Ward was the highest selected defensive player in the draft at fourth overall, going one spot ahead of Chubb. Smith was later picked eighth by the Bears and Fitzpatrick 11th by the Dolphins.

For more odds information, betting picks and a breakdown of this week’s top sports betting news check out the OddsShark podcast with Jon Campbell and Andrew Avery. Subscribe on iTunes or listen to it at OddsShark.libsyn.com.