It might sound crazy, but we’re officially halfway through the 2022 NFL season. It’s been a rollercoaster of a first half of the year with a ton of surprises, and it’s time to look ahead at the futures market. I’ve broken down several futures markets such as MVP, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, and more, so let’s get right into it.
2022 NFL Week 10 MVP odds update
Entering the season, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers had two of the shortest odds to win the MVP award. But following the conclusion of Week 9, neither quarterback is in the top 10. It’s been a year of surprises, to say the least, as quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts and Geno Smith have had a career-best start to the season, and it’s no surprise to see their names at the top of the list. There’s been a lot of movement in this market in recent weeks, so let’s dive into all the contenders for the 2022 MVP honor.
2022 NFL MVP leading contenders
Jalen Hurts MVP odds (+250)
When your team is undefeated heading into Week 10, you’re doing something right. Jalen Hurts has led the Eagles to an 8-0 start to the season, which has catapulted his MVP odds from +4000 before Week 1 to +275 before Week 10. The former Alabama standout has thrown for over 2,000 yards, has a 12:2 touchdown to interception ratio, and has rushed for 6 touchdowns. He’s been one of the biggest surprises this season, and he deserves the recognition he is getting for the MVP award.
Patrick Mahomes MVP odds (+275)
As usual, Patrick Mahomes is a contender for the MVP. He won the honor in 2018 after his incredible season, and even with no Tyreek Hill this year, Mahomes has been outstanding. Hill was a favorite of Mahomes since the Cheetah is arguably the fastest player in the league, but now that he’s gone, it’s almost made Mahomes more dangerous since he’s utilizing every receiver. Following the Chiefs’ Week 9 victory on Sunday Night Football, Mahomes ranks 2nd in the league in QBR, so he poses a legitimate shot to win his second MVP away in five years.
Josh Allen MVP odds (+300)
The Bills quarterback was the favorite to win the MVP before the start of the season, but his Week 9 performance damaged his chances. Buffalo lost to the Jets 20-17 this past Sunday, and Josh Allen wasn’t quiet about his performance as he took the blame. He was 18/34 with 2 interceptions which was unusual to see from the star quarterback, but regardless, it dropped his MVP chances slightly. However, I’m not worried about Allen. He ranks 3rd in QBR and has an excellent wide receiving corps around him, so at +300, Allen is an eye-catching choice.
Lamar Jackson MVP odds (+1200)
Lamar Jackson had the best start to the season of any quarterback. Unfortunately for him, it hasn’t stayed that way. The Baltimore quarterback had MVP odds near +3000 before Week 1, but they quickly changed after his incredible start to the season. He moved into first place for the MVP honor at +700 following the Ravens’ Week 3 win over the Patriots. But from Weeks 4-9, Jackson has regressed, and he has not been as impressive. In fact, he’s thrown for more than 200 yards just three times in the last six weeks.
2022 NFL Week 10 Rookie of the Year odds update
There’s been plenty of rookie standouts this season on both sides of the ball. The obvious name that comes to mind on defense is Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, the cornerback from the Jets, who has been spectacular in the New York secondary. On offense, it’s been a heated race between Kenneth Walker II, the running back of the Seahawks, and Dameon Pierce, the running back of the Texans. There’s still a lot of time left in the season for these contenders to shift, so let’s break down the top choices for the Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards.
2022 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year leading contenders
Kenneth Walker II Rookie of the Year odds (+115)
It was a slow start to the season for the 2021 Walter Camp Player of the Year winner. Kenneth Walker had just 58 rushing yards in his first three games of the season, but when starting running back Rashaad Penny broke his fibula in Week 5, Walker seized the opportunity. Since Penny went down, Walker has run for 424 yards and scored 6 touchdowns in Weeks 6-9. The former Michigan State star is expected to get 20+ carries each game for the remainder of the season, so it’s unlikely for his odds to get much larger.
Dameon Pierce Rookie of the Year odds (+185)
Unlike Walker, Dameon Pierce had a starting role from Week 1. The former Florida standout had 11 touches in his debut, and his role has only grown in the Houston offense, as he had at least 15 carries in 7 of the next 8 weeks. He’s run for 698 yards and also has 98 receiving yards for 4 total touchdowns in the first 9 weeks. Since the receiving corps of the Texans offense is severely below average, Pierce will continue to have a massive role in their drives for the remainder of the season.
Chris Olave Rookie of the Year odds (+700)
Despite the quarterback troubles in New Orleans, Chris Olave has been a main piece in the Saints offense. The first-round pick out of Ohio State has 547 receiving yards on 37 receptions and 2 touchdowns. He finds himself slightly out of the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year, mostly due to how many more scores Walker and Pierce have. Olave has certainly made an impact on the Saints offense, but Olave doesn’t have a great chance to pass Walker or Pierce for the award.
Garrett Wilson Rookie of the Year odds (+1800)
Yet another former Ohio State star is in contention for the award as Garrett Wilson has the fourth shortest odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Jets rookie has had slightly more Jekyll and Hyde season compared to Olave, as he’s recorded 90 receiving yards or more in 3 of the games and 40 yards or less in 4 of the games. Wilson had two excellent games in Week 8-9, which caused his odds to shorten, but with only 2 scores on the season, it would take a much larger role in the New York offense for the rest of the season to see his odds shorten to +1000 or lower.
2022 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year – Leading Contenders
Similar to the Offensive Rookie of the Year race, there are two close contenders for the Defensive Rookie of the Year race. Sauce Gardner is the favorite to win the award, and he is followed by the Seahawks cornerback Tariq Wollen. In a heated race with a few other contenders, let’s break down the Defensive Rookie of the Year race.
Ahmad Gardner Rookie of the Year odds (+100)
The Jets defense has been exponentially better this season, and the biggest reason is Ahmad Gardner. The rookie has been exceptional in the New York secondary as he leads the league in passes deflected and so much more. He’s one of the best cornerbacks in the league in one-on-one coverage, and when he’s stuck on the opposing team’s #1 receiver, they never do well. His odds have slowly gotten shorter as the weeks have gone on, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see his odds have a minus in front of it soon.
Tariq Woolen Rookie of the Year odds (+300)
The cornerback has been a pleasant surprise for Seattle this season. He’s made several excellent plays, including his huge play in the Seahawks Week 9 game against the Cardinals. Although the Legion of Boom is long gone, Tariq Woolen has earned respect for the Seattle secondary with his impressive plays. He currently has the second shortest odds to win, but a few more solid weeks and he could find himself closer to Sauce.
Aidan Hutchinson Rookie of the Year odds (+1000)
The second overall pick has the third shortest to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The defensive end from Michigan is part of a subpar Lions defense that ranks 32nd in opponent points per game, so although Hutchinson is having a decent year, it’s not ideal that he’s part of such a struggling defense. Hutchinson has 20 tackles and 1 interception on the year, but if he wants a better shot at the award, he’ll need a few standout weeks.
Jalen Pitre Rookie of the Year odds (+1500)
It’s been a season to forget for the Texans, who are 1-6-1 after 8 weeks. Although they have standout running back Dameon Pierce, their offense has been poor. And on defense, it hasn’t been all that bad, especially their secondary. Jalen Pitre has been a leader in the Houston secondary as he’s recorded 57 tackles and had a decent first half of the season, but he’s far back from Sauce, or even Woolen.
2022 Week 10 NFL Comeback Player of the year odds update
There are several contenders for the Comeback Player of the Year award, and one player stands out the most. It’s been a sensational season for Geno Smith in Seattle, who has the 4th best QBR rating after Week 9. He was part of the Russell Wilson blockbuster trade, which seemed to favor the Broncos at first, but now with Wilson struggling and Smith surging, Seattle should be pleased with how the trade has worked out. There are a few other strong candidates for the award, so let’s dive into the contenders for the Comeback Player of the Year.
Geno Smith Comeback Player of the Year odds (-135)
It took a long time, but Geno Smith has finally found a home. He has been excellent for the Seahawks this season as Seattle was expected to be a bottom 5 team in the league, but found themselves in first place in the NFC West. Smith beat out Drew Lock for the starting job in Week 1 and has done a spectacular job, leading Seattle to wins over the Cardinals, Chargers and Giants. If the Seahawks continue to win, Smith has an incredibly strong chance to win this award.
Saquon Barkley Comeback Player of the Year odds (+140)
Not far behind Smith is the Giants running back, Saquon Barkley. The former Penn State star has been plagued with injuries during his young NFL career, as he played only 2 games in 2020 and then 13 games in 2021. However, Barkley is as healthy as he’s ever been in his Giants career, as he’s played in all 8 games and run for 779 yards and 5 touchdowns. Barkley has played a vital role in New York’s 6-2 start to the season, and as long as they don’t crash and burn in the second half of the year, Barkley poses a credible threat to Smith’s chance at the award.
Derrick Henry Comeback Player of the Year odds (+1400)
Derrick Henry was on pace to break several records last season before a foot injury sidelined him for the rest of the year. Henry has played the same amount of games this season as he did all of last year, and the King has just 67 yards and 1 touchdown less in 2022 compared to 2021. The Tennessee running back has been on a historic pace recently as Henry has run for 679 yards and 7 touchdowns in his last 5 games. He’s run for at least 100 yards in 5 consecutive weeks, so if he continues that, his odds for this award will shorten very soon, so if you’re interested in taking Henry, I’d recommend taking him now.
Christian McCaffrey Comeback Player of the Year odds (+1600)
The recently traded running back has the fourth shortest odds for the Comeback Player of the Year award. Christian McCaffrey’s tenure with the Panthers ended 6 games into the 2022 season as Carolina traded him to the 49ers for a slew of draft picks. He’s already made an impact in the 49ers offense, but now that he has to share the ball with several other star players in San Francisco, I don’t see McCaffrey leapfrogging Smith, Barkley or Henry for this award.
2022 Week 10 NFL Coach of the Year odds update
The Coach of the Year award is fairly straightforward since it’s usually the coach of the team with the best record. That’s the case for the award right now, as Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is the favorite after Week 9. He’s coached the Eagles to a perfect 8-0 record, and looking forward to the remainder of their schedule, there is a legitimate chance that the Eagles could go undefeated. But there are a few other contenders too, so let’s break down the possible coaches for this award.
Nick Sirianni Coach of the Year odds (-135)
To no surprise, Nick Sirianni has the shortest odds for the award. The Eagles have been the biggest surprise in the NFL this season, as they are unbeaten heading into Week 10. The strength of the Philadelphia schedule has not been too difficult to start the season, and their schedule in the second half of the year is about the same, so the talks of a perfect season are starting to grow. Even if the Eagles lose a game or two, the Eagles have surpassed all expectations for this season, and Sirianni should win the award.
Kevin O’Connell Coach of the Year odds (+650)
Sirianni has started to run away with the award, but a strong second option is the Minnesota Vikings head coach. O’Connell has led the Vikings to a 7-1 record in his first season as the Vikings head coach. The two-headed monster of Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook has been terrorizing opposing defenses through the first 8 weeks of the season. But Minnesota has several tough weeks ahead as they face the Bills, Cowboys and Patriots, so if they go 2-1 or even 3-0, O’Connell’s odds for the award will drop closer to +300. But if they have a losing record in those 3 games, it might be hard for him to catch Sirianni.
Brian Daboll Coach of the Year odds (+800)
One of the most loved coaches by his players is New York Giants coach Brian Daboll. He’s led the Giants to a 6-2 record, which includes several big wins over the Titans and Ravens. The strength of the New York schedule for the rest of the season is in the Giants’ favor, so a few more wins could propel Daboll’s odds closer to O’Connell, but it is important to keep in mind New York still has to play the Eagles twice. He will likely need to beat Sirianni and the Eagles both times to have a chance at winning this award.
Pete Carroll Coach of the Year odds (+800)
The Seahawks were expected to finish in the basement of the NFC West, but after Week 9, they’re in 1st place. The biggest reason for that is the exceptional season from Geno Smith and the production from their rookies. However, Seattle has a very difficult second half of the year. Opponents include the Buccaneers, Chiefs, 49ers and Rams (twice), so the Seahawks will need to win several of those matchups for Carroll to have a chance at the award, but honestly, I don’t see that happening.
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