New York Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers Leads NFL Comeback Player of the Year Betting Favorites

In June, we’ll see the NFL turn up its preparations for the upcoming season with mandatory minicamps. Up until now, the off-season workouts have all been voluntary. However, almost everyone has attended.

With the opening of minicamps, and then full training camps the following month, the most-watched players will be those coming back from serious injuries. Those are also the betting favorites when it comes to the winner of the Comeback Player of the Year.

Aaron Rodgers – New York Jets (+125)

Last year, we saw all of four snaps of Aaron Rodgers in a New York Jets uniform. It would be impossible for 2024 to be just as disappointing, and that makes him the favorite to win CPOY.

There is a lot of hype going into the season for the Jets, and even though they play in a division with two playoff teams from last season (the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins), the Jets are picked to finish second in the AFC East, just behind the Bills.

A big reason for the hype is Rodgers. He is coming off a torn Achilles, and he is now 40-years-old. But he’s a future Hall of Famer, a four-time MVP, and his comeback will be fun to watch.

Joe Burrow – Cincinnati Bengals (+200)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has already won this award once. He suffered a torn ACL and MCL in 2020, and came back the next season to lead the Bengals to the Super Bowl.

Here he is again, this time coming off a torn ligament in his throwing wrist that he suffered in Week 11. He looks good throwing the football in practice, and the Bengals offense is still loaded with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at wide receiver. But the AFC North is a packed division, with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns coming off playoff appearances, and the Pittsburgh Steelers making a significant upgrade at quarterback.

Burrow is one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, and as long as his health holds up, he will remain near the top of these odds.

Kirk Cousins – Atlanta Falcons (+500)

Kirk Cousins is also coming off a torn Achilles. But that did not stop the Atlanta Falcons from giving him a $180 million contract in the off-season. And that big contract did not stop the Falcons from drafting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick.

Penix Jr. is likely to sit all year, and Cousins is expected to be ready to go when the season starts. And if he can pick up where he left off when he was injured in Week 8, he will be a good value bet for this award. Before his injury against the Green Bay Packers, Cousins was on pace for a career high in touchdown passes and his highest yardage total since 2016.

Anthony Richardson – Indianapolis Colts (+600)

Last year, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richarson played in just four games in his rookie season, and he missed time in two of them. But that was enough to be excited about his future in the NFL.

Ultimately, it was an AC joint sprain that ended his season. But he also suffered a concussion in Week 2, which cost him Week 3. So the question going into 2024 is can he stay healthy, and will he need to change his playing style to stay healthy. Hopefully the answers are yes to being healthy, and no to a change of style.

Richardson just turned 22 a week ago, and when you include his starts in college, he has just 17. The ceiling for AR is sky-high.

Russell Wilson – Pittsburgh Steelers (+1200)

Oddsmakers have made Russell Wilson the fifth betting favorite for Comeback Player of the Year, and he should feel insulted. His 2022 was truly terrible. But in 2023, he was not a bad quarterback. And since he didn’t suffer an injury, what exactly is he coming back from?

Last year, Wilson threw 26 touchdowns to just eight interceptions, after going for 16 and 11 the year before. He also helped improve the Denver Broncos record while dealing with more injuries to his wide receivers and offensive line.

If the same Wilson shows up in Pittsburgh for 2024, the Steelers will be happy.

Nick Chubb – Cleveland Browns (+1600)

The only non-quarterback in the top 10 betting favorites is Browns running back Nick Chubb. In Week 2 against the Steelers, he tore ligaments in his left knee – the same knee that he injured in college. He was able to return from the severe injury then, and so far, he appears to be making progress on his return this season.

We won’t see Chubb in minicamp, and he may be limited in training camp. But do not bet against him this season. If he can get back on the field, he will be one of the best backs in football.

The Rest of the Top-10

Rounding out the top 10 betting favorites for Comeback Player of the Year are Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (+2000), New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (+2500), Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (+2500), and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (+3000).

Watson’s 2023 ended when he had surgery to repair a broken bone in his shoulder. Jones played in six games before his 2023 ended with a torn ACL in his right knee. Herbert missed the final four weeks of the season after breaking the index finger on his throwing hand.