2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds: Why Saquon Barkley could be in line for a career year

For the better part of six years, Saquon Barkley made wine out of Meadowlands swamp water for the New York Giants. That's why it's so tantalizing to think of what he might do as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Full disclosure: I'm writing this from the perspective of a Giants fan who hasn't missed many games over the last few years, much to my own punishment. So, I'm aware of Barkley's injury history and how he's largely failed to live up to the hype of being a No. 2 overall pick. But I'm also keenly aware of how much his stats undersell how good he is.

That's why Barkley's +1400 odds at BetMGM to be the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year are among my favorite bets for the award.

Technically, Barkley's 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign remains the best season of his career. He's yet to top the 5.0 yards per carry, 2,028 yards from scrimmage or 15 touchdowns he posted that year. But New York's offensive line has also been one of the league's worst in the six years since his debut, and even before that. And the offense had limited firepower to take defensive attention off of Barkley.

Despite that, he put the Giants offense on his back to make his first career playoff berth in 2022. And now that he isn't required to do all the heavy lifting in Philadelphia, with one of the league's best offensive lines, a quarterback who's an equal threat to run and a scheme that should keep him involved as a receiver, Barkley's opportunities for big games should be more plentiful in 2024.

Now, let's get to some of my other favorite bets for Offensive Player of the Year:

CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys (+1000)

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I made a case for Lamb to be the top overall pick in fantasy leagues this summer, so it's only right to consider him among the top candidates here. After posting career numbers a year ago, he's the unquestioned go-to option in Dallas' offense and just hitting his prime with a big contract soon to come.

Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals (+1200)

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For as good as Chase has been through the first three years of his career, it still feels like there's another gear he can hit in terms of production. This year seems like a good time for that to happen, with more targets likely coming his way in the absence of Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon in Cincy's offense.

Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams (+3000)

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It remains to be seen how much Nacua's production will drop off, if at all, with a healthy Cooper Kupp opposite him a full season. But if Matthew Stafford continues to spam targets his way like he did last season -- and like he did for Kupp during his 2021 OPOY campaign -- look out for Nacua.

Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (+3500)

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Taylor finished second for this award the last time he got steady quarterback play during that explosive 2021 season when he ran for 1,800-plus yards and scored 20 total touchdowns. I'm excited to see how he and this Colts offense bounces back with Anthony Richardson returning from injury.

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (+5000)

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It's been six years since the last QB won Offensive Player of the Year, which was Patrick Mahomes in 2018. But it's not rare -- Mahomes was the eighth QB in a 12-year span to win it. If there was ever a quarterback to start a new streak, it's Allen, who will do the heaviest lifting of his career in 2024.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds: Why Saquon Barkley could be in line for a career year