The NFL season is approaching, which means that fans have a decent idea of how rosters will look. That allows odds to be set for the 2020 season. With that here are NFL bets to place before the season.
Kyler Murray to win MVP +1000
After a solid rookie season, Kyler Murray is listed at +1000 odds to win the MVP. That ranks him fourth in MVP odds. He passed for 3,722 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 64.4 percent completion. Murray also rushed for 544 yards and four touchdowns. His production was impressive, especially given that the Cardinals had major issues on offense last season. Murray was sacked 48 times, which was part of the reason why the Cardinals finished with a 5-10-1 record.
There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about Murray’s 2020 season. The team acquired tackle Marcus Gilbert and drafted another tackle in Josh Jones. Their line couldn’t get much worse than last season, so both players will help it improve. In one of the biggest trades in recent memory, Arizona acquired DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins is one of the best receivers in the league and joins future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald and a young receiving core for Murray to utilize. With his natural progression in year two and the extra help he has been given, Murray can drastically improve his stats and the team should do better too.
Understandably, the second-year player is not the favorite to win the award, but he has the ability to. He’ll just need to go through one of the toughest divisions in football to prove he is worthy.
Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl +600
Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy. Behind the arm of Patrick Mahomes, they finished the regular season with a 12-4 record. Once they were in the playoffs, their dynamic offense took over and hand several come-from-behind wins. With most key pieces back on the roster for this season, there is a reasonable expectation that the Chiefs can repeat.
This offseason, the Chiefs added running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round of the draft, which should make their offense even more dynamic, as he is a great receiver out of the backfield. While the rest of the starting lineup will look similar to last season, the Chiefs did draft good depth on the offensive line and on defense. The talent and speed they have on their roster are unmatched by any NFL defense.
With limited practice time heading into the 2020 season, the team that won last year and has good chemistry is a solid bet to repeat. They will have to go through the Ravens in the AFC, assuming Baltimore can fix their playoff woes, but other than that there isn’t a team that should be considered a major threat in the AFC. Once they are in the Super Bowl, the talent on the roster will take over.
Jonathan Taylor to win Offensive Rookie of the Year +1000
While awards like the MVP are dominated by quarterbacks, that isn’t the case for offensive rookie of the year, as historically running backs and wide receivers have won the award a decent amount of times. That could be the case this season, as the Colts have a star running back in Jonathan Taylor. He was one of the most successful running backs in college football history in just three seasons.
The Colts have one of the best offensive lines in football, so Taylor will be able to find running room. His speed and power combination will help him find holes, whether they are on the inside or outside. Indianapolis also signed quarterback Philip Rivers in free agency, so opposing defenses will likely not be able to stack the box against the Colts. He’ll have to beat out Marlon Mack for carries, but Taylor’s talent should earn him the right to most of the work out of the backfield. Taylor should be used a lot this season, which will allow him to put up the necessary stats to win the award.
Taylor’s situation is better than other rookies for a variety of reasons. Joe Burrow was drafted to a team that is in a rebuild, which will make it harder for him to win the award. Tua Tagovailoa will need to beat out Ryan Fitzpatrick in Miami and stay healthy and even then he will have to put up stats behind a very young and inexperienced offensive line. Justin Herbert has to win the job over Tyrod Taylor in Los Angeles for the Chargers. Clyde Edwards-Helaire is very talented at running back, but Andy Reid loves using multiple running backs and Damien Williams had a great Super Bowl. D’Andre Swift will split carries with Kerryon Johnson. The top wide receivers in the class will either have inconsistent quarterbacks or be one of a few talented receivers on their teams. The door is wide open for Taylor to win the award.
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