This Raiders player is betting favorite to win NFL award this season

A running back hasn’t been named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year since 2018, when Saquon Barkley won the award with the New York Giants.

Oddsmakers expect Ashton Jeanty to end that drought this season. The rookie Raiders running back is the +290 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to win the award.

“Running backs are getting drafted earlier and earlier. Ashton Jeanty was drafted sixth overall this year, so there are a lot of expectations,” Caesars head of football Joey Feazel said. “He’s likened to Saquon Barkley and how much of an impact he’s going to make in year one.

“Also, the system he’s going to be put in with (Raiders offensive coordinator) Chip Kelly running the ball. We saw (Kelly) win the national championship last year with Ohio State, and we’re not going to expect anything less than running the ball first.”

Jeanty is the ticket and money leader in the market at Caesars, where he accounts for 16 percent of bets and 26 percent of the money wagered.

The former Boise State star, who led the nation in rushing last season with 2,601 yards, also is the +275 favorite at the Westgate SuperBook.

“I think Jeanty’s got a great shot because he figures to get a ton of carries,” SuperBook vice president of risk Ed Salmons said. “There’s a lot of people that usually don’t say a lot of positive things about running backs, and they’re really hyping this kid up.

“He’s got a chance to be really special.”

Jeanty’s total rushing yards prop at STN Sports is 1,050½, and his rushing touchdowns prop is 6½ (over-135).

Titans quarterback Cam Ward, who went No. 1 overall in the draft, is the +330 second favorite at Caesars and the money leader at the Westgate, which took a $9,000 wager on Ward at 4-1 odds before lowering him to 3-1.

Quarterbacks have won the award the past two seasons (C.J. Stroud, Jayden Daniels) but only five of the last 12.

“Quarterbacks don’t always win this thing, just given they usually go to teams that stink and have no offense and it’s a process,” Salmons said.

Jeanty opened as a +320 co-favorite with Ward at Caesars before becoming the favorite.

“That’s a reflection of the action he’s taken,” Feazel said. “A lot of our action comes from Las Vegas at times. That’s also driving it.”

In the hunt

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough and Jaguars wide receiver-cornerback Travis Hunter are tied for the 10-1 third choice at Caesars, where Shough is second in tickets and money and Hunter is third in each category.

Hunter, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, also is tied for the 12-1 fourth choice at Caesars to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

“If he can make the same impact he did in college, he should be in the running,” Feazel said. “A lot of it, too, is going to be popularity, and he certainly has that ‘it’ factor.”

Rushing leader

Jeanty is tied for the 20-1 eighth choice with the Buccaneers’ Bucky Irving at the Westgate to lead the league in rushing yards this season.

“He certainly has the tools, coaching and scheme to be up there in the mix if he can stay healthy,” Feazel said.

Barkley, the star Eagles running back, is the 3-1 favorite, and the Ravens’ Derrick Henry is the 5-1 second choice.

“You would think the leading rusher would come from a team that’s winning games. They’re obviously running the ball more just because they’re winning,” Salmons said. “The Raiders wouldn’t fit that mold, so that would obviously be a little harder.

“But most of the teams usually have a 60-40 breakdown with the running backs. They just don’t have one guy who has 80 to 90 percent of the rush attempts. And he’s got a chance to be that.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.