NFL Comeback Player of the Year Odds for 2026 Season: Patrick Mahomes Favored; Aaron Donald Lurking

Before the 2026 NFL season begins, bettors may want to lock down some futures bets on various awards markets, including the Comeback Player of the Year.

While this award isn’t going to get as much coverage through the season as MVP, DPOY and others, it does have a lot of intrigue in the 2026 season.

The Comeback Player of the Year award goes to a player that is overcoming an injury, illness or missed playing time in the previous season. So, a player that has a down year and then plays better the following season isn’t eligible unless they were hurt the year before.

That’s important to note, as there are players like Brian Thomas Jr., Saquon Barkley and others that could have major bounce-back seasons, but they wouldn’t really qualify for this award.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes enters the 2026 season as the clear favorite as he returns from a torn ACL that he suffered last season. Mahomes (+185) is the only player with shorter than 2/1 odds in this market, though two other quarterbacks that were injured in 2025 – Jayden Daniels (+450) and Kyler Murray (+600) – are in the mix as well.

The most exciting player in this market may be defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who is making his return to the Los Angeles Rams after multiple seasons away from the game. Donald (+750) worked out with the Rams in the offseason, and he is set to join a defensive line that features reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

If Donald plays at an All-Pro level after multiple seasons away from the game, it’ll be hard to give anyone else the award.

There are a ton of great players coming off of injuries in 2026, such as Micah Parsons, Fred Warner, Mahomes, Daniels, Malik Nabers, George Kittle and more.

So, this should be a fun market to track throughout the season, especially if Mahomes, Daniels or Murray plays their way into the MVP conversation.

Here’s a complete breakdown of the Comeback Player of the Year odds, with only seven players listed at shorter than 20/1 ahead of Week 1.

2026 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Patrick Mahomes: +185
Jayden Daniels: +450
Kyler Murray: +600
Aaron Donald: +750
Malik Nabers: +1400
Daniel Jones: +1400
Micah Parsons: +1600
Travis Hunter: +2500
Nick Bosa: +2500
George Kittle: +2500
Fred Warner: +2500
Cam Skattebo: +2800
Tucker Kraft: +3000
Trey Hendrickson: +3000
Tank Dell: +3000
Garrett Wilson: +3000
Tua Tagovailoa: +4000
Deshaun Watson: +4000
Jonathan Brooks: +4000
Sam LaPorta: +5000
Quinshon Judkins: +5000
Michael Penix Jr.: +5000
Geno Smith: +5000
Brock Bowers: +5000
J.J. McCarthy: +5000
Anthony Richardson: +6500
Malik Willis: +7000
Odell Beckham Jr.: +7500
Najee Harris: +7500
Sauce Gardner: +8000
Brian Branch: +8000

No other player has shorter than +10000 odds.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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