Betting on the NFL’s league leaders: Odds & Betting Options

Betway and Sports Interaction taking bets for league leaders

A couple of sportsbooks released odds for which players will lead the league in some statistics. The NFL’s preseason is almost over and the regular season is approaching fast. The NFL regular season begins on September 5 when the defending champions Kansas City Chiefs host the Baltimore Ravens and reigning MVP Lamar Jackson. Once the season starts, odds will likely change fast. Right now is a great time to place a bet if you plan on betting on one of the underdogs.

Here are the league leaders from last regular season for some of the big statistical categories. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was the league leader in passing yards with 4,624 yards. Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott was the league leader in passing touchdowns with 36 touchdowns. San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey led the league in rushing yards by a wide margin. McCaffrey finished the season with 1,459 rushing yards, over 250 yards ahead of second place Derrick Henry. Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert had the most rushing touchdowns with 18. Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill led the league in receiving yards and tied with Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans for the most receiving touchdowns. Hill finished the season with 1,799 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.

Passing yards and touchdowns

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is the betting favourite to lead the league in passing yards on Betway and Sports Interaction. Both of these sportsbooks are taking bets for the league leader in passing yards and some other stats. Mahomes currently has +550 odds on Betway and +500 odds on Sports Interaction to lead the league in passing yards. With the addition of WR Marquise Brown to go along with Rashee Rice heading into his second season and Travis Kelce, Mahomes looks like a solid option right now. One thing to be concerned about is Brown’s health. Brown suffered a sternoclavicular joint dislocation in a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. How quickly Brown can get himself on the field will have an impact on Mahomes’ passing numbers. Mahomes struggled getting the ball to his receivers at some points during last regular season, and a lot of that was because of his receivers.

Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud and Dak Prescott have the second and third best odds. Stroud is at +650 on Betway. Prescott is at +750. Stroud and Prescott have enough talent at the receiver position to put themselves in a great spot. But Ceedee Lamb’s contract situation is something to watch because he is Prescott’s number one target. Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff is tied with Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow and Tagovailoa at +900 for the fourth spot. The Dolphins and Lions finished fifth and sixth in rushing yards last season, so Burrow is probably the better choice if those teams continue to be two of the top rushing teams in the league. A few other QBs to consider are Matthew Stafford at +1400, Josh Allen at +1800, Jordan Love at +1800, and Brock Purdy at +2200. Betway and Sports Interaction are also taking bets for most passing touchdowns. Mahomes is the betting favourite for passing touchdowns also with +550 odds on Betway and +650 odds on Sports Interaction.

Rushing yards and touchdowns

If healthy, a lot of, if not most, NFL bettors and fans expect Christian McCaffrey to lead the league in rushing again. He is the betting favourite to win the rushing crown on the NFL betting sites. McCaffrey has +300 odds on Betway and Sports Interaction at the moment. Derrick Henry is the last player to finish a season with the most rushing yards in consecutive seasons. Henry led the league in rushing in 2019 and 2020. Outside of the 2019 and 2020 seasons, the rushing leader has been a different player every year in the NFL since the 2008 season.

The last time a player other than Henry finished with the most rushing yards in consecutive seasons was LaDanian Tomlinson in 2006 and 2007. Based on recent history, McCaffrey is a risky bet despite being the betting favourite by a decent margin. Indianapolis Colts RB Johnathan Taylor has the second best odds at +600. Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley is third at +750 on Betway and +700 on Sports Interaction. A lot of running backs will have a good shot if McCaffrey has any injuries. Last season, 11 RBs other than McCaffrey finished with 1,000 or more rushing yards, and all of them were within 162 yards. McCaffrey is also the betting favourite to lead the league in rushing touchdowns on Betway and Sports Interaction.