Brian Thomas Jr.'s Rookie of the Year Odds Make Him a Great Dark Horse Bet

Is Brian Thomas Jr. worth a bet to win Offensive Rookie of the Year?

Oct 6, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) scores a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

We're seven weeks into the NFL season and not only are the good teams separating from the bad teams, but we're starting to get a more clear picture of who's going to win each individual award as well.

When it comes to Offensive Rookie of the Year, it's clear that it's likely a two-man race between Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams. Barring injuries or a fall off in performance, one of the top two rookie quarterbacks are probably going to win the award.

With that being said, is there a player that's worth a sprinkle as a dark horse in case something Daniels' injury ends up being more serious than initial reports and Williams' play falls off? How about Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Jayden Daniels -145
• Caleb Williams +115
• Malik Nabers +2000
• Marvin Harrison Jr. +2500
• Bo Nix +2500
• Brian Thomas Jr. +2500
• Brock Bowers +4000
• Drake Maye +4000

Is there value in betting on a non-QB to win OROY or is a foregone conclusion it'll be Daniels or Williams?

Brian Thomas at 25-1?

-6th in receiving yards
-T8 in touchdown receptions
-Emerged as top option in Jacksonville

— Iain MacMillan (@IainMacBets) October 22, 2024

As I mention in my tweet above, could Thomas Jr. be worth a sprinkle at 25-1 odds? Despite the narrative being that Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison Jr. have been the best rookie receivers in the NFL, it's clearly been Thomas Jr., the LSU product.

He currently ranks sixth in the NFL in receiving yards at 513, one spot below Justin Jefferson and one spot above Drake London. He's also hauled in four touchdowns which is tied for eighth. He's also trending in the right direction and has recently taken over Christian Kirk as the top target in Jacksonville.

The rookie now leads the Jaguars in targets (45), receptions (30), receiving yards (513), and touchdowns (4).

Yes, this award will likely go to Daniels or Williams. Quarterbacks are always going to be front runners to win individual awards, but it's certainly not unheard of for a receiver to win it. Garrett Wilson won it in 2022 and Ja'Marr Chase won the award in 2021.

At 25-1, the Jaguars' new receiver is certainly worth a small bet at this point of the season.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!