Odell Beckham Jr., Carson Wentz, Andrew Luck Top NFL Comeback Player Odds
August 16, 2018
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck lead a stacked field in the odds to win the 2018 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
According to OddsShark; Beckham, Wentz and Luck are tied for the best odds to win the award at 9-2 (+450):
OddsShark @OddsSharkOdds to be the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year (@5Dimes): Luck/Wentz/OBJ +450 Rodgers/Watt +500 Johnson +600 Watson +800 Cook +1200 Bradford +1800 Tannehill +1900 Bridgewater +3300 Gordon/Robinson +4000 Sherman +6600 Butler +12500 Griffin III/Eifert +15000 https://t.co/GJLwTA4pnI
They are followed closely by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt at 5-1 (+500).
Most commonly, those who win the Comeback Player of the Year award do so after returning from a major injury.
Beckham was limited to four games last season with a broken ankle, Wentz missed the final three games of the 2017 regular season and all of Philly's playoff run with a torn ACL, and Luck didn't play at all in 2017 due to a shoulder injury.
Both Beckham and Luck are set to be in the lineup when their respective teams open the regular season, but Wentz's situation is murkier since he suffered his injury late in 2017 campaign.
When asked this week if he would be ready for Week 1, Wentz said, "It's going to be close," per ESPN.com's Tim McManus.
If Wentz does miss some time to start the season, it could adversely impact his candidacy for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
In the next tier of candidates, Rodgers is set to return after missing nine games last season with a broken clavicle, and Watt will look to stay healthy after playing in just eight games combined over the past two seasons.
Watt is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and getting back anywhere close to that level may vault him to the top of the Comeback Player of the Year conversation due to how much adversity he has had to overcome.
The same can be said for Luck since he missed an entire season.
Longer shots to consider are New York Jets quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (who hasn't started a game since 2015) at 33-1 and Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon at 40-1, as he has played in a total of five games since the end of the 2014 season.
There is a recent trend of wideouts winning the award with then-Packers and now-Oakland Raiders receiver Jordy Nelson taking it in 2016 and Los Angeles Chargers pass-catcher Keenan Allen winning it last year.