Comeback Player of the Year is one of the major awards handed out by the NFL each year, rewarding one player for bouncing back from an injury or some sort of adversity the year prior. Former Washington Football Team WB Alex Smith deservingly took home the award last year, but who will win it in 2021? Below, we look at the odds to be named the 2021 Comeback Player of the Year, with NFL picks, predictions and best bets.
As is the case each year, several big-name players missed significant time due to injury last year. Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott was arguably the best player to be sidelined, with New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley, Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey and Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow all missing a number of games due to injury.
Assuming they’re able to stay healthy this season, they should all be poised for Pro Bowl-caliber seasons. Prescott leads a high-powered Cowboys offense, Barkley returns to lead the Giants’ backfield, McCaffrey is destined to be an elite fantasy pick and Burrow is looking for a second-year breakout.
Then there’s Los Angeles Chargers S Derwin James. He has battled injuries the last two years but has Defensive Player of the Year potential when healthy.
2021 NFL Comeback Player of the Year picks
Odds via Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, Aug. 10, at 4 p.m. ET.
Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott (+180)
Prescott is clearly the favorite at +180 and it’s easy to see why. He was having a fantastic 2020 season before breaking his ankle, throwing for 1,856 yards and 9 touchdowns in his first five games.
He was on pace to throw for nearly 6,000 yards and looked every bit like an MVP candidate. If he can play all 17 games in 2021, Prescott should be a near-lock for Comeback Player of the Year.
Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey (+650)
McCaffrey played just three games last season due to ankle and shoulder injuries, but he still managed to score 6 total touchdowns and rack up 374 yards from scrimmage in that limited action.
He’ll once again be the focal point of the offense and now with the passing game expected to get an upgrade, it should open up things for him as a rusher. Another 2,000-yard season is well within his range as an all-purpose back.
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New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley (+600)
Barkley is in a similar spot as McCaffrey, coming off a year in which he played just two games and had 94 yards from scrimmage. Only, he’s not expected to be 100% healthy for Week 1 and might be held out until Week 3.
That hurts his chances to win this award, and there are some concerns about whether he’ll ever be the player he was in his 2018 rookie campaign. If he puts up 2,000 yards from scrimmage as he did as a rookie, Barkley will be one of the two favorites. But that’s a big “if” right now.
Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow (+550)
Burrow made 10 starts as a rookie last year, throwing 13 touchdown passes and 5 interceptions with an average of 268.8 yards per game. Those were respectable numbers, but that sort of pace won’t be enough for him to beat out the favorites for Comeback Player of the Year.
Not to mention, he still doesn’t seem to have put the knee injury fully behind him and has struggled in training camp behind a bad offensive line. Burrow has to trust that his knee is fully healed if he’s to rebound as a second-year pro.
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Los Angeles Chargers S Derwin James (+1500)
James is a long shot for this award, especially considering there are two quality quarterbacks also vying for it in Prescott and Burrow; however, James has the skill set and ability to win Defensive Player of the Year, which would also put him in position to win Comeback Player of the Year.
He was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2018 and did it all for L.A. with 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 interceptions and 13 passes defended. If he can produce like that this season, James will once again prove to be one of the best defenders in football. He’s worth a small wager for this award.
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