Unveiled: The Dark Horses Poised to Topple Cam Ward and Ashton Jeanty for Rookie of the Year!

When it comes to the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race this season, two names are already hogging the spotlight—Cam Ward and Ashton Jeanty. Ward, the first overall quarterback pick, naturally draws the eyes of voters who adore signal-callers, while Jeanty, an electrifying running back selected sixth, has earned serious buzz—and plenty of carries—under the bright lights in Las Vegas. Both stand neck-and-neck as favorites at BetMGM with odds sitting at +250, which seems fitting considering their draft status and hype. But, hold your horses—it’s not a done deal just yet. Ward’s landing with a struggling Tennessee Titans squad that might not be built to support a trophy-winning rookie, and Jeanty’s Raider team had one of the worst rushing attacks last year, hinting some lurking issues beyond just personnel. So, the race isn’t sealed; other fresh faces are lurking in the shadows, ready to make a claim. Curious who else is in the mix? <a href="https://mediaserver.partyaffiliates.com/renderBanner.do?zoneId=1612499&btag=dcm4c846465-20a1-43a8-88d4-885fe2f92c24″ target=”blank” rel=”nofollow noopener”>LEARN MOREIt’s a good year to be a rookie running back in the AFC West. Harvey was a second-round pick so he doesn’t have the draft capital of Jeanty or Hampton. But he will have opportunity. The Broncos don’t have anyone blocking him from being the clear No. 1 all season. Sean Payton usually likes using more than one back and maybe that cuts into Harvey’s production, but the Broncos also might reach a point in which it’s clear Harvey is their best back and the other backs fall back into minimal roles.OK, this one is way down the list. But there might be opportunity. The Cowboys didn’t do too much to improve at running back this offseason. Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders are two unexciting veterans at the top of the depth chart. Blue was a fifth-round pick but many late-round running backs have emerged to be productive rookies. The Cowboys’ offense is good enough; Rico Dowdle had more than 1,000 yards rushing in it last season. Whether it’s Blue or someone like Jaguars rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten, if there’s a true long shot that will win OROY it’s probably a mid- to late-round running back.Cam Ward is a quarterback drafted No. 1 overall. Ashton Jeanty is an elite running back prospect drafted sixth.

Cam Ward is a quarterback drafted No. 1 overall. Ashton Jeanty is an elite running back prospect drafted sixth.

The door isn’t closed for someone else to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Here are some possibilities, with odds from BetMGM:

Cowboys RB Jaydon Blue (+5000)

Dart at 25-to-1 is much more interesting. Right now he doesn’t have a path to start early in the season, but it could change quickly. He is a first-round pick and could make things interesting with a good preseason. It’s not like anyone in New York is dying to see Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston start games. He plays in New York, which helps his visibility in an award race. It’s at least reasonable to imagine a scenario in which Dart starts early on and generates some excitement for a big-market team, leading to plenty of hype that would keep him in the OROY race. At least there’s a more viable lane for Dart than there is for Sanders.