NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Odds: Henry, Winston The Early Favorites

The beauty of the brutality of football and the NFL is the comeback story. A player could be all but forgotten after a devastating injury or poor performance before rising up from the ashes like a phoenix and reclaiming his position of dominance the next season.

And when that happens, that player sometimes wins the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award. It may not matter a whole lot to the players involved, but it matters to us!

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That’s why the best football betting sites have released NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds for bettors to wager on.  

This can be a fun betting prop because you’re rooting for something good to happen to a player who shows perseverance in overcoming adversity. If you’re unsure of how to bet on something like this, make sure to read up on Odds Shark’s guide of How To Bet on Football.

For now, here’s a look at the full list of odds to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year:

NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Odds

Odds as of September 9 at Sportsbook

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NFL Comeback POY Odds: The Favorites

Last season, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was a logical choice for the award after having a great season following a year missed due to injury. Burrow and Cowboys QB Dak Prescott were the two favorites in NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds through most of the season.

Almost all of the players at the top of this year’s list of Comeback Player of the Year odds suffered major injuries last season and are trying to recapture their top form.

Derrick Henry (+350)

When it comes to NFL season-long props and odds, we highly recommend shopping around at different sportsbooks for the best odds. A couple of months ago, you could have had Derrick Henry at +900, but his number has dropped across the board, and with good reason.

Henry has been a monster since he entered the league but separated himself in 2019 as a truly dominant force in the backfield.

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He followed a campaign of 1,500-plus yards and 16 touchdowns in 2019 with a whopping 2,000-plus rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in 2020 en route to an Offensive Player of the Year award before getting hurt about halfway through last season. 

Henry’s 2021 season was cut short by a foot injury, but he still managed 937 yards in just eight games. His yardage total somehow still ended up ninth in the league.

It may be unfair to expect Henry to have a season like 2020 again. But if he stays healthy, there’s no reason he can’t approach 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns again. That should put him squarely in the conversation for CPOY. It’s not +900, but +350 could be as good as we’re going to get from here on.

Sportsbook

Jameis Winston (+425)

Winston started out well in his first year with the New Orleans Saints last year, posting a 5-2 record with 14 passing touchdowns and just three interceptions before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 7.

This season, he returns to the field with a new coach and some new weapons to work with, theoretically setting him up for a big rebound season.

It could happen. But for now we don’t love the value at +425 because there are several better football players with more attractive odds behind Winston on this list who are in similar positions to succeed.

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Other Players To Consider For Comeback POY

Looking back at the AP Comeback Player of the Year winners since 2010, all of them were returning from injury. That checks a box for our best bets. While a non-QB hasn’t won the award since 2017, we think 2022 might be the year to break that trend. 

With that in mind, our best bets are both running backs. 

Sportsbook

Christian McCaffrey (+750)

If you play fantasy football, you know McCaffrey is one of the most sought-after talents in the NFL. And if you drafted him to your fantasy squad, you also know he’s broken your heart in back-to-back seasons.

The Panthers running back has played just 10 games over the last two years due to a cluster of injuries. Now healthy ahead of the 2022 season, McCaffrey is poised to reclaim his status as the NFL’s best all-purpose back. The blueprint is there for a Comeback POY award — Carolina has a new quarterback in Baker Mayfield (surprisingly better than Sam Darnold in 2021 and the ghost of Cam Newton in years prior) and a manageable schedule, including four of its first five games at home, to begin the season.

When he’s on the field, McCaffrey’s production is unmatched. If he can stay healthy this season, +750 is laughable value. 

Sportsbook

Travis Etienne (+1600)

Etienne received a rude welcome to the NFL in his rookie season. The Clemson product suffered a Lisfranc foot injury in Week 2 of the 2021 preseason, which ended his inaugural NFL campaign before it began.

In Year 2, the 23-year-old is primed for a big season on a sneakily talented Jacksonville Jaguars offense. With toxic head coach Urban Meyer out of the picture, Etienne is expected to command the majority of touches out of the backfield (though James Robinson will be a factor, too) as he contributes in both the run and pass game. 

Etienne was a spectacular college player who scored 70 (SEVENTY!) touchdowns in four years. The Jags selected him in the first round because they believe in his talent and have space to give him reps. If all goes according to plan, Etienne could blossom into one of the NFL’s best RBs. +1600 is very sharp value for his odds to win Comeback Player of the Year. 

Understanding NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Odds

At any sportsbook, you’ll see prop odds laid out like this:

Dak Prescott +200

Joe Burrow +650

Christian McCaffrey +700

Unlike a moneyline bet where favorites are designated with the minus sign (-), in this case, the player with the lowest odds is the favorite. Here, it’s Dak Prescott.

Let’s say you’re loving Christian McCaffrey at +700. If you were to lay down $100 on him, you’d get a payout of $800 – your $100 is returned along with your winnings of $700. On the other hand, if you believe that Dak Prescott is going to have a stellar season, that same $100 on him would give you a payout of $300 – you get your original money back coupled with your prize of $200. 

To find out how much you’d win based on what you bet, check out our Odds Calculator.

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What Is A Prop Bet?

To wager on NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds, you would make a prop bet. This is a bet on the occurrence or non-occurrence of team or player milestones that may not directly affect the outcome of a certain football game.

Short for proposition, this kind of bet can be made as soon as the odds are released. If you see action you like, it’s best to jump on those odds early. As more games unfold, a player’s odds will shift to reflect their performance, whether it’s good or bad.