Trey Lance Rising in NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds Even Without Starting Gig

San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance doesn’t appear to be in line for the starting job in Week 1 of the 2021 season, but oddsmakers are still moving him up to take home NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. 

Lance, who was at +750 at WynnBET to win the award, has moved to +600, tied with Zach Wilson and Najee Harris for the third-shortest odds in the field. 

The move is interesting considering 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo all but indicated that he’ll be the team’s starter for Week 1. 

“Yeah, I have a pretty good idea,” Garoppolo told reporters. “It’s whatever [Kyle Shanahan] decides. I have a pretty good idea. I’m pretty happy with where I’m at right now and everything and just the offense as a whole. Yeah, Kyle’s the head man. He’ll make the call.”

Garoppolo not only seemed confident in his chances of winning the job, but also revealed the role that Lance may play in the offense. 

The veteran explained that he reached out to former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to see how he dealt with coming out for certain packages for Taysom Hill with the Saints. So maybe Lance will have that same role in 2021? 

“We talked about the situation for a little bit and how him and Taysom did it,” Garoppolo said. “And it’s a thing that I wasn’t really used to, I guess you could say. Just the in and out part of it. So, I was trying to pick his brain, how he handled that. He’d come out for a play or two and then go back in, how that all works.”

It’s going to be hard to keep Lance, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, off of the field after some of the impressive throws he’s made this preseason. 

Regardless, the 49ers appear to be comfortable with Garoppolo for the time being, and Lance is going to need the veteran to stumble, or sustain an injury, to help bettors cash in on his Offensive Rookie of the Year odds.

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