Yahoo Sport 
NFL betting: Trey Lance is most popular bet for Offensive Rookie of the Year
There’s a surprising favorite among bettors for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Trey Lance went No. 3 overall to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 NFL draft, behind fellow quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson. Lance is currently projected to sit behind Jimmy Garoppolo to open the season, but that hasn’t stopped bettors from backing Lance for Rookie of the Year.
According to BetMGM, Lance has received 15.8% of the bets and 22.6% of the money — the most in both categories. His odds have moved from +1600 up to +700, the third-best on the board. Lawrence, who went first to the Jacksonville Jaguars, is the betting favorite at +300, but it’s Lance who bettors see as a better investment.
Garoppolo, of course, has been a pretty prevalent name among the never-ending churn of NFL trade rumors. And whenever a team selects a quarterback that high in the draft, it’s rare to see that player sit on the bench for a considerable amount of time.
Those factors, plus the fact that the 49ers are much better than what they showed during an injury-plagued 2020 season, help you understand why bettors see value in Lance.
Who are other popular bets for Rookie of the Year?
Lawrence, meanwhile, has attracted the fourth-most bets (10.6%) and the third-most money (10.1%) for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris has the second-best odds at +600, ahead of Lance (+700), Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields (+800), Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (+800) and Wilson, the new QB for the New York Jets at +900.
Harris has received the second-most bets (13.1%) and the fourth-most money (9.4%) for the award. Pitts, who put up huge numbers as a pass-catcher at Florida, has received the third-most bets, 12.2%, and the second-most money, 16.3%. Pitts would be the first tight end to ever win the Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The other first-round quarterbacks — Wilson, Fields and Mac Jones — have not received much action. Wilson has received 5.7% of the bets and 4.6% of the money. For Fields, it's 3.6% of the bets and 3.4% of the money. Jones, who went No. 15 overall to the New England Patriots, has received 2.0% of the bets and 4.4% of the money.
Two receivers, Ja'Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals and DeVonta Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles, are fifth and sixth in bets at 7.2% and 6.1%, respectively.
Offensive Rookie of the Year odds
Trevor Lawrence: +300
Najee Harris: +600
Trey Lance: +700
Justin Fields: +800
Kyle Pitts: +800
Zach Wilson: +900
Mac Jones: +1200
Ja’Marr Chase: +1400
DeVonta Smith: +1600
Jaylen Waddle: +1800
Travis Etienne: +2500
Javonte Williams: +2500
Trey Sermon: +3000
Michael Carter: +3500
You can view the full Offensive Rookie of the Year odds here, via BetMGM.
More from Yahoo Sports:
