‘Tis the season for early betting for the upcoming NFL season.
For the Chargers, quarterback Justin Herbert has decent odds to win Most Valuable Player and head coach Brandon Staley is viewed as a favorite to win Coach of the Year.
However, there’s an individual award that should intrigue sports bettors, as safety Derwin James has the fourth-best odds to win Comeback Player of the Year at +2000, per BetMGM.
That means if you place a $100 bet and James wins the award, you pocket $2000.
James currently sits behind QB Dak Prescott (+180), RB Saquon Barkley (+500), RB Christian McCaffrey (+600), QB Joe Burrow (+800), EDGE Nick Bosa (+800) and QB Carson Wentz (+800).
After missing the past two seasons with knee injuries, James is fully healthy and has looked great in the early stages of preparation for the 2021 season.
It only took his rookie season to establish himself as one of the league’s best safeties and defensive players as a whole, in which he recorded 105 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions and 13 passes defended en route to being selected first team All-Pro.
Like Brandon Staley said at his media presser this past week, when James is out on the field, the team’s chances of winning increase by a whole bunch. That just goes to show how much of a difference-maker James is, and his versatile skillset in the new defense should only benefit him more.
The do-it-all defender has range to cover at deep safety, his speed allows him to cover a slot receiver and his size and physicality allows him to cover the best tight ends and move up to the line of scrimmage as a box safety and make an impact against the run or as a blitzer.
Given how coveted James is as a player and how highly anticipated his return is, if he can stay healthy and return to form and produce like he did in Year 1 which ultimately leads to a trip to the playoffs, he will be a hot candidate to win the prestigious award.
The bottom line is that if you’re a bettor, this is one you should place now rather than later into the season when those odds will increase.
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