The NFC West has seen some major infusion of young talent thus far this season. In fact, this is the only division in the NFL void of a losing team heading into Week 8.
The obvious talk out west has been the undefeated San Francisco 49ers, who have suddenly morphed into a legit Super Bowl contender. However, rookie No. 1 pick Kyler Murray has his Cardinals in the midst of a surprising three-game winning streak.
In what can’t be considered too much of a surprise, Murray is now the heavy favorite to take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Murray is on pace for a whopping 4,650 total yards. While he’s tallied only nine touchdowns in seven games, those are some staggering numbers.
The youngster’s status as the odds-on favorite shouldn’t surprise anyone. Quarterbacks get the most play for this award.
However, it must be noted that running back Saquon Barkley took the award last season over Baker Mayfield despite the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback putting up a record-breaking rookie campaign.
That’s where Jacobs comes into play. The Raiders’ first-round pick is currently on pace for north of 1,700 total yards and 11 touchdowns this season.
On the defensive side of the ball, 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa is also favored to take home the hardware. It’s not even necessarily that close.
- Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers: +125
- Devin Bush, Pittsburgh Steelers: +275
- Brian Burns, Carolina Panthers: +400
- Darnell Savage, Green Bay Packers: +1500
- Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars: +1200
Not only is Bosa a candidate for this award, one could easily conclude that he’ll finish in the top five of Defensive Player of the Year voting.
The rookie No. 2 pick heads a 49ers defense that has given up 10 points over the past three games.
Pro Football Focus has Bosa ranked No. 1 among all NFL players in pass-rush productivity. He’s also recorded 31 pressures, 19 hurries, 10 quarterback hits, four sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in six games.
There’s really no reason to look at any other player on this list. Bosa will take home DROY honors. Take that to the bank.