NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds: Stafford is the safest bet on the board
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The NFL Comeback Player of the Year is one of the most fun - but unpredictable - awards to bet on each season. We've already seen two dramatic moves on the oddsboard this summer, with Cam Newton signing with the Patriots and Alex Smith returning for Washington.
Those two can easily win this accolade, but it's worth looking beyond the co-favorites at such a short price in a volatile field. Here are the full odds for the award and our three favorite value bets heading into the season.
| PLAYER | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Alex Smith | +300 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | +300 |
| Cam Newton | +300 |
| Field | +400 |
| A.J. Green | +800 |
| Matthew Stafford | +800 |
| J.J. Watt | +1000 |
| Nick Foles | +1000 |
| Teddy Bridgewater | +1200 |
| James Conner | +1500 |
| Myles Garrett | +1500 |
| David Johnson | +1600 |
| Andy Dalton | +2000 |
| Antonio Brown | +2000 |
| Todd Gurley | +2000 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | +2500 |
| Odell Beckham Jr. | +2500 |
| Baker Mayfield | +3000 |
| Derrius Guice | +3000 |
| Jerick McKinnon | +3000 |
| Kerryon Johnson | +3500 |
| DeSean Jackson | +4000 |
| Lamar MIller | +4000 |
| Joe Flacco | +5000 |
| Josh Gordon | +5000 |
| Mitchell Trubisky | +5000 |
| Alshon Jeffery | +6000 |
| David Njoku | +6000 |
| T.Y. Hilton | +6000 |
| Jordan Reed | +7000 |
| O.J. Howard | +8000 |
| Andrew Luck | +10000 |
| Devin Funchess | +10000 |
| Stephen Gostkowski | +10000 |
| Josh Rosen | +12500 |
Field (+400)
Whenever you can get the field in a market this volatile, it's always worth a shot. This list doesn't include Le'Veon Bell, one of the league's best talents despite lackluster numbers with the Jets. It doesn't have Bradley Chubb, an elite pass-rusher who tore his ACL in 2019.
The real prize is Rob Gronkowski, one of the consensus favorites in the betting market and a legitimate force for this award if he can rekindle his magic with Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. I wouldn't recommend betting Gronkowski at +400 alone, but you can't miss out with the field as a bonus.
Matthew Stafford (+800)
Stafford isn't the favorite, but he's the safest bet on the board. He's more talented than Smith or Newton and has a secure job, too. The Lions QB had a career-worst year in 2018 and missed half of 2019 with an injury.
It's a shame because he was on pace for a career season before his back injury, which he's since healed from. There's enough talent around him to pad his stats if he can return to form, making him a compelling bet at decent odds.
Jordan Reed (+7000)
No long shot is more intriguing than Reed, the uber-talented tight end who simply can't stay on the field. The former Washington star missed all of 2019 with a concussion - his seventh on record since college - and he's never started more than eight games in a season since joining the league in 2013.
He considered retirement before signing with the 49ers this season, and he's already shown flashes of brilliance in Kyle Shanahan's offense at training camp. San Francisco knows how to put its tight ends in a position to succeed, and a gaudy touchdown total alone could be enough to bolster Reed's case. Can he stay healthy? I'd take 70-1 odds to find out.
(Odds source: theScore Bet)
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.