Javonte Williams Gaining Respect From Oddsmakers in Rushing Title Conversation
By Peter Dewey
Could the top rookie running back be someone other than Najee Harris?
The oddsmakers at WynnBET are starting to warm up to the idea, as Denver Broncos second-round pick Javonte Williams has seen his odds to lead the league in rushing skyrocket in recent weeks.
Williams, who opened at +20000 to lead the NFL in rushing, now has +4000 odds to do so. After being tied with his teammate, Melvin Gordon, in the odds, Williams has now jumped far enough ahead for bettors and fans to believe that he will be the lead back in Denver when the 2021 season begins.
Harris, who was a first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, is now behind Williams in the odds to lead the league in rushing at +5000. While Harris has better odds to win the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year award (+1600), Williams (+2000) certainly is in the conversation.
Williams is an explosive runner, and with Gordon entering the final year of his contract, it would make sense for Denver to develop the rookie as a major part of its future backfield.
The preseason and training camp will shine even more light into the Broncos’ running back situation, but it’s hard to ignore that Williams is getting this much love from oddsmakers.
Considering three of the last six players to win Offensive Rookie of the Year have been running backs, Williams is not only a fantastic bet at +2000 odds, but he’s also intriguing as a potential candidate to lead the league in rushing.
Last season, two rookies in James Robinson (sixth) and Jonathan Taylor (third) were amongst the leaders in rushing yards. That has been a common trend, as six running rookie backs have finished in the top 10 in rushing yards in their first season over the past three seasons.
One of those backs was a former Bronco, Phillip Lindsay, who’s now with the Houston Texans. Gordon finished 10th in the league in rushing yards last season, so it’s possible Williams could take the reins and be even better in 2021.
WynnBET has the Broncos projected to win 8.5 games this season with the over (-130) as the favorite to the under (+110). That’s a major improvement from last season’s 5-11 record, but don’t expect Denver to walk into a playoff spot in 2021. The Broncos have just +155 odds to make the field and -210 odds to miss.
Think Williams is going to have a big year? Download the WynnBET app in New Jersey, Indiana or Colorado and find out how to bet.