The NFL season has completely snuck up on us (me for sure), but we still have time to get some future wagers in on DraftKings Sportsbook. I did most of my futures research back during the layoff from sports and I think most of us then shifted our focus to the NBA and MLB when those sports returned.
Now it’s time for the NFL to take over the limelight. While researching futures back in April and May was a good way to spend time, it was difficult to bet since there were so many unknowns. With kickoff now rapidly approaching, we can bet futures with a little more confidence than we could have four to five months ago.
Here are some seasonlong awards bets I think stand out for the 2020 NFL season.
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Comeback Player of the Year: A.J. Green (+2000)
It’s a SUPER competitive field from the early looks of things this year. Ben Roethlisberger (+300) and Alex Smith (+300) are the favorites with Cam Newton (+400) right behind them. Green actually sits as the eighth-priced player but has more reason to bounce back than anyone ahead of him. Sure, the seven guys ahead of him could all have great years but Green has a huge upgrade at QB as Joe Burrow plays to his potential.
Green not only missed all of 2019 but also the back half of 2018. The last full season we saw out of him was a 75-1,078-8 line in 2018. He should be amped up not just to get back on the field but to get out there with his new franchise QB. Burrow should be able to make all the throws to unlock the old A.J. Green if he’s still in there.
Defensive Player of the Year: Shaquil Barrett (+3300)
Barrett was an absolute beast in his first year coming from the Broncos to Tampa, recording 19.5 sacks and forcing six fumbles. The issue was that the Bucs didn’t have a highly-ranked defense in terms of points per game, much of which was thanks to 30 turnovers by Jameis Winston. In comes Tom Brady, who hasn’t thrown 30 interceptions in his past four seasons combined. That swing alone should really help Tampa’s defense and should get it much more recognition. If Barrett can have a similar season in a winning atmosphere, I expect to see him as one of the contenders for this award.
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Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jalen Hurts (+6000)
I love the favorites just like everyone else — Burrow is awesome and Clyde Edward-Helaire is in the perfect spot for a rookie RB. But I like looking at the real long-shots for ROY. There’s a path where Hurts could be in contention for this award but it obviously involves Carson Wentz being off the field. If Wentz were to get injured early in the season or miss time for some COVID-related reason, Hurts would be in the perfect situation for a rookie QB. Hurts has a ton of experience on the big stage at Alabama and Oklahoma and would be a trusted option to step in and run the show. If he could help the Eagles to the playoffs in Wentz’s absence, ROY would be a very realistic possibility.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Zack Moss (+6600)
Obviously, this would be another small bet but Moss is a long shot I see a path for with this award. There’s a lot of hype surrounding the Bills this season and most eyes are still on Devin Singletary in this backfield. But Singletary feels more like a complimentary back used in the passing game, mostly due to his size. Moss has experience in a workhorse role from his time at Utah, where he posted a 235-1,416-15 line in 2019. Even with Stefon Diggs in the mix, I don’t trust Josh Allen as a passer and feel this should remain a run-first offense. Moss should be more valuable than Singletary if that’s the case. Even if he becomes a featured back within a few weeks, it’s still a lot to ask him to outperform a lot of other rookies in good spots but it’s worth a sprinkle at this price.
Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick (+1200)
I normally would look right past this but I think the award would actually mean something to Belichick this year after breaking up with Brady in the offseason. Bill will now attempt to prove not only that he can win without the greatest QB of all-time but also after several key members of his defense, including Dont’a Hightower, opted out for the season. It would probably take a 12-4 record like we saw last season to get Bill the award over another breakout team but I think we’ll see some of Belichick’s best coaching in 2020, with more motivation to prove himself than ever in his career.
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