Football fans looking to put their money where their mouths are should probably start with the biggest gamble of them all right now: namely, whether there will even be a 2020 NFL season. Assuming the league moves forward and finds a way to play some semblance of a season, though, there will be plenty to wager on for those so inclined.
Even for those who don’t have monetary skin in the game, though, looking at the official odds has always been a way to gauge who’s favored to do what come gameday. And Cowboys fans itching for a sneak peek at how some of their guys will do in 2020 may find a good deal of encouragement in the latest set of numbers.
The sportsbook BetOnline has released odds on the league’s end-of-year awards, and the Cowboys are well-represented, an indicator that those in the know are projecting potentially strong campaigns from several Dallas notables.
In the regular season MVP race, quarterback Dak Prescott currently has the third-best odds to bring home the hardware. Only Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are more likely to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player, according to the site. Prescott is tied with Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, and Tom Brady. Argue over the exact figures there, but that’s fine company for the Dallas passer to find himself in, and could point to the likelihood of a stellar season.
Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey is the first non-quarterback on the list, at 14th. Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott is the fourth non-passer ranked, with the 26th-best odds overall. Among running backs, Elliott is behind McCaffrey, Derrick Henry (21), and Saquon Barkley (25).
DeMarcus Lawrence finds himself 13th on the list of candidates to win Defensive Player of the Year, with the same odds as Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter. Other Cowboys defenders listed with odds to win the award are Jaylon Smith (32), Aldon Smith (35), Leighton Vander Esch (37), and Gerald McCoy (67).
For those curious, recently-departed Byron Jones sits 27th. Current wish-list players Jadeveon Clowney and Jamal Adams are 14th and 19th, respectively.
Defensive Rookie of the Year? There are fifteen names ahead of Trevon Diggs. But, speaking to the promise of the Cowboys’ defensive rookie class of 2020 as a whole, Bradlee Anae and Neville Gallimore are also given DRoY odds; they rank 37th and 45th.
CeeDee Lamb holds the No. 7 spot among Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates and is the highest-ranking wide receiver on the list. He beats out Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy, both of whom were drafted ahead of Lamb in April.
Comeback Player of the Year is always a fascinating one. In 2019, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill was named the award’s recipient, despite the astonishing return of Cowboys center Travis Frederick, who had spent the previous year battling a rare neurological disorder that left him barely able to walk. For the 2020 season, new Cowboys defensive end Aldon Smith is listed 10th by the oddsmakers, behind names like Ben Roethlisberger, Rob Gronkowski, Cam Newton, Nick Foles, and JJ Watt. Interestingly, the new backup passer in Dallas, Andy Dalton, is ranked 13th.
Mike McCarthy is given the second-best odds of winning 2020’s Coach of the Year award, behind Bill Belichick and Bruce Arians, currently tied with the best chances. If he does go on to win the honor, McCarthy would be the second Cowboys coach to earn the title in the past five years; Jason Garrett won Coach of the Year in 2016.
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