We’re now 7 weeks through the NFL season which means playoff races and award races are beginning to take shape. The success of New York football has been one of the season’s biggest surprises, with the three teams each holding top 5 spots in their playoff races to this point. That kind of team success is bound to get a few guys some individual recognition.
Let’s break down these award races to see where the players and coaches of the Giants, Jets, and Bills stand.
Bills Players
Bills quarterback Josh Allen has the best odds to take home this year’s MVP award. DraftKings is giving the quarterback +120 odds to win the award. Patrick Mahomes (+400) and Jalen Hurts (+500) each hold good value and will be looking to challenge Allen in this award race. Allen has been one of the most impactful players in the league this year and was sitting on this bragging right before his team’s Week 7 bye…
Elsewhere in the award races Bills receiver Stefon Diggs has the third-best odds to win the Offensive Player of the Year award at +800, while Bills linebacker Von Miller has the sixth-best odds to win Defensive Player of the Year at +2500.
Giants Players
The Comeback Player of the Year award is Saquon Barkley’s to lose. You’ll find favorable odds for Barkley on Draftkings, where he currently sits as the -190 favorite. Barkley has been a huge part of his team’s success this year. The Giants running back is averaging over 100 rushing yards a game, while still managing to be a threat in the passing game.
Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson is a sleeper to take home the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Robinson was sidelined for 4 games with a knee injury but has given the Giant’s offense a jolt since making his return. There’s still enough time for the wide receiver to make some noise in this award race. You can take him right now for +1800 odds on DraftKings.
Jets Players
Look no further than what Sauce Gardner is doing in the Jet’s secondary to see why the team’s 2022 draft class was the best in the league. Gardner leads the league with 12 pass breakups and is the favorite to win the defensive rookie of the year award. If you’re looking to wager on him to take home this award you can do so for +200 on FanDuel.
Fellow first-round pick Garett Wilson has also had a solid season for the Jets. He hasn’t gained nearly as much national attention as Gardner, but he leads his team in receptions and is second on the team in receiving yards. His odds to take home honors for Offensive Rookie of the Year are listed at +3000 on FanDuel.
NFL Coach of the Year Race
The NFL Coach of the Year race is one that has all 3 New York teams featured in it. Nick Sirianni of the Eagles is the favorite after leading his team to a 6-0 start. Not too far behind is New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who has shocked the NFL world by leading the Big Blue to a 5-1 start. Robert Saleh of the Jets is within striking distance and Bills’ Sean McDermott is also in the race.
It’s interesting to note that Siriani is favored over Daboll. The Eagles are undefeated but Nick Siriani is in his second year with the team and is coming off a playoff season. Daboll is in his first year with the Giants and is taking over a team that went 4-13 last season. This Coach of the Year race could very well end up coming down to the 2 remaining head-to-head matchups between the Eagles and Giants this year.
Robert Saleh is another guy with an opportunity to win this award. The Jets have surprised a lot of people by starting 5-2 but their winning ways look less sustainable than the G-Men’s due to their lesser offensive firepower and miraculous early-season victories.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott likely won’t win this award, regardless of how good his team does. The Bills had too high of expectations coming into the year for McDermott to make legitimate noise in this race. It would take a collapse of the top 3 guys on the list and a 15-2 Bills record for the head coach to get voters to write his name down.
