NFL · 1 year ago

Top 5 Running Back NFL Offensive Player of the Year Candidates

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

5. Saquon Barkley (+2500)
The running back with the second-best odds of winning the Offensive Player of the Year is Saquon Barkley. After signing with the team in free agency, Barkley is embarking on his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles. Since entering the league, Barkley has averaged 98.8 yards from scrimmage per game. He is 27 years old, and the Eagles let D’Andre Swift walk, so the opportunity is there for him to be the workhorse in Philly. Kenneth Gainwell is the only other real threat to poach carries. The biggest impediments to Barkley being a threat for this award are his health and the goal-line carries of quarterback Jalen Hurts. The Eagles, famous for letting Hurts plow forward in short-yardage situations, are unlikely to change their attack, which will limit the touchdowns Barkley can amass.

Saquon Barkley Odds to Win Offensive Player Of The Year: +2500
1. Christian McCaffrey (+500)
Christian McCaffrey’s first full season with the San Francisco 49ers was a smashing success. The dynamic running back led the 49ers offense with 1,459 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns. He’s a multi-purpose weapon and the best running back in the NFL when he is healthy. He just won his first Offensive Player of the Year award and finished third in NFL MVP voting. He is the betting favorite to win the Offensive Player of the Year award again. McCaffrey had 21.2 touches per game, ranking second in carries and first in red zone touches among running backs. McCaffrey’s deeper efficiency metrics indicate that he is still in his prime.

Christian McCaffrey Odds to Win Offensive Player Of The Year: +900
2. Kyren Williams (+2200)
Kyren Williams trails McCaffrey by a significant margin, placed at +4000. The third-year player from Notre Dame appeared in ten games for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 and was behind Cam Akers to begin the 2023 campaign. He quickly moved in front of Akers and established himself as the starter. Ultimately, Williams started 11 games for the Rams and gained 1,144 yards with 12 touchdowns plus an additional three scores as a pass-catcher. Williams averaged a robust five yards per carry and was fourth in the league in red zone touches. He’s not the biggest back, and durability throughout a long season could be an issue, but if his role in the passing game increases, Williams could have a shot to unseat McCaffrey at the top.

Kyren Williams Odds to Win Offensive Player Of The Year: +4000
3. Jahmyr Gibbs (+2200)
Second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 945 yards with 5.2 yards per carry, and he added 52 receptions for 316 yards. He had 11 total touchdowns and shined breaking tackles (ranking 18th in yards after contact per attempt). His role increased throughout the season, particularly after backfield-mate David Montgomery returned from an injury. Gibbs is slightly ahead of Kyren Williams as the third running back on the board for the Offensive Player of the Year award. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions figure to be in the thick of things in the NFC again. Gibbs’s most significant issue is his workload share with Montgomery and how it will cut into his counting stats.

Jahmyr Gibbs Odds to Win Offensive Player Of The Year: +3000
4. Jonathan Taylor (+2500)
Between Williams and Gibbs is the only AFC running back in the top five: Jonathan Taylor. After an offseason of trade speculation, injury concerns, and coaching change in Indianapolis, Taylor began the 2023 season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. The team and Taylor eventually agreed on a contract extension, and the running back from Wisconsin was activated in October. Despite playing only ten games, Taylor had 741 yards with seven touchdowns. His yards per carry number was only 4.4, the lowest mark of his four-year career, but he was phenomenal down the stretch and ran for 188 yards on 30 carries against Houston in the season finale. The Colts let Zack Moss walk in free agency, and Shane Steichen is a well-regarded offensive coach, so Taylor should have many opportunities to make his mark.

Jonathan Taylor Odds to Win Offensive Player Of The Year: +3500
5. Saquon Barkley (+2500)
The running back with the second-best odds of winning the Offensive Player of the Year is Saquon Barkley. After signing with the team in free agency, Barkley is embarking on his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles. Since entering the league, Barkley has averaged 98.8 yards from scrimmage per game. He is 27 years old, and the Eagles let D’Andre Swift walk, so the opportunity is there for him to be the workhorse in Philly. Kenneth Gainwell is the only other real threat to poach carries. The biggest impediments to Barkley being a threat for this award are his health and the goal-line carries of quarterback Jalen Hurts. The Eagles, famous for letting Hurts plow forward in short-yardage situations, are unlikely to change their attack, which will limit the touchdowns Barkley can amass.

Saquon Barkley Odds to Win Offensive Player Of The Year: +2500
1. Christian McCaffrey (+500)
Christian McCaffrey’s first full season with the San Francisco 49ers was a smashing success. The dynamic running back led the 49ers offense with 1,459 rushing yards and 21 total touchdowns. He’s a multi-purpose weapon and the best running back in the NFL when he is healthy. He just won his first Offensive Player of the Year award and finished third in NFL MVP voting. He is the betting favorite to win the Offensive Player of the Year award again. McCaffrey had 21.2 touches per game, ranking second in carries and first in red zone touches among running backs. McCaffrey’s deeper efficiency metrics indicate that he is still in his prime.

Christian McCaffrey Odds to Win Offensive Player Of The Year: +900

Top 5 Running Back NFL Offensive Player of the Year Candidates

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