Former Gators TE Kyle Pitts' Offensive ROTY Odds are Enticing
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If you're a betting man or woman, you may want to throw a couple of dollars at Atlanta Falcons and former Florida Gators tight end Kyle Pitts' Offensive Rookie of the Year odds.
The NFL is a quarterback league, which is why the top four players on the odds sheet are signal-callers. All the way down at No. 6 on OddsShark's list of candidates for the award (provided by Bovada) is where Pitts can be found, with +1100 (11-to-1) odds of earning the honors.
Pitts falls behind Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (+300), Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields (+600), San Francisco 49ers QB Trey Lance and New York Jets QB Zach Wilson (+800), and Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (+1000) on the catalog.
Former UF wide receiver Kadarius Toney is also on the list, ranking tied for 16th with +6000 odds.
Pitts was the first non-quarterback selected in the 2021 NFL Draft after Lawrence, Wilson, and Lance all went within the first three picks. Pitts enters Atlanta as the Falcons' marquee addition this offseason and he is sure to take on a crucial role in Arthur Smith's offense, projected to start immediately and contribute after scoring 12 touchdowns in eight games during his 2020 season at Florida.
Whereas, Lawrence and Wilson are the only two quarterbacks locked in as starters to begin their rookie season. The football world expects Fields to take over the Bears' starting gig sooner rather than later but getting a late start won't help his case for rookie of the year, even if Fields has a great rookie season. Meanwhile, Lance isn't expected to play anytime soon as Jimmy Garappolo remains the starter for the 49ers.
Harris' inclusion in the top five boasts a serious argument for low odds. Running backs have won three of the last five OROY awards, and Harris was selected to take the weight off of aging quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's shoulders in Pittsburgh, meaning the Alabama product will get the ball a lot. He's proven himself valuable as a rusher and receiver, further establishing his case.
However, Pitts was considered the greatest tight end prospect in NFL Draft history by most who observed his game. He was the first tight end to finish top ten in Heisman Trophy voting in over 40 years this past December. He didn't drop a pass during his final season as a Gator and turned 39 of his 43 receptions in 2020 into either first downs or touchdowns.
Odds are, Pitts is going to be extremely productive in the Falcons' offense and could turn into a top target for quarterback Matt Ryan right out of the gate. Pitts has a better case than Fields and Lance for OROY right now and enticing odds for the award to pair.
Quarterbacks will always steal the attention, but Pitts (and Harris') odds for the 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award are low-risk and offer some serious potential for a high reward.
