The NFL Comeback Player of the Year is a prestigious award, but for a different reason than most NFL awards. Awards like Defensive Rookie of the Year are based solely around a player’s performance in a season. Comeback Player of the Year, though, is based on how a player performs along with their ability to rebound from an injury or otherwise unfortunate situation.
Recent recipients of this award have come back from knee injuries, broken bones, and even a return from a fight against cancer. While the players in the running for other awards may have had better seasons, the players in the running for this award are typically players who we are all simply glad to see back on the field performing at a high level.
This season, there are a few great candidates to win the Comeback Player of the Year award, both in terms of their ability and their fight to get back on the field. There are also a few simple redemption stories that have nothing to do with returning from injury, as some players just look to get back to their best level of play on the field.
Alright, now that the sentimental side of the post has been covered, let’s look at the odds for this year’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year:
NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Odds
| Player | Comeback Player of the Year Odds |
| Kirk Cousins | +125 |
| Joe Burrow | +150 |
| JK Dobbins | +425 |
| Kyler Murray | +1000 |
| Damar Hamlin | +2200 |
| Nick Chubb | +2800 |
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Race
Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
The favorite at NFL betting sites to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2024 is Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons. Cousins missed most of last season due to injury as a member of the Minnesota Vikings. This year, he is back on the field and producing at a high level for a Falcons team that is leading the NFC South. Cousins’ rapport with his skill position players in his first year as a Falcon has been strong and that is a great sign for the team going forward.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are off to a rough start this season, but that has largely been a product of their defense rather than the play of quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow has been productive this year and will be in consideration for NFL Comeback Player of the Year if he keeps that up. But there could be a ceiling as to how well Burrow can do in this race if he doesn’t start to get some help from his defense that will lead to some wins.
JK Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers
JK Dobbins moved from Baltimore to Los Angeles this year, joining the Chargers after an injury-plagued tenure with the Ravens. Dobbins has been an upper-echelon running back in terms of yardage and touchdowns. Combine that with the fact that the Chargers are winning games consistently this season and we could see Dobbins grab this award while his team inches closer to making the playoffs.
Other Comeback Player of the Year Candidates
This year’s field for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award is simply loaded. Beyond the three favorites listed above, there are a ton of other good choices to take this honor. Quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Kyler Murray are in contention to take this award. And players like Nick Chubb and Damar Hamlin are in the mix as well, with Hamlin’s strong play early this year putting him in contention for the second straight season.
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Prediction
The quarterback position has dominated the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award recently. Quarterbacks have won this award five of the last six years, with Andrew Luck, Ryan Tannehill, Alex Smith, Joe Burrow, and Geno Smith making up that group and Damar Hamlin being the exception to the rule. We will take another quarterback to win this award, as Burrow’s statistical output will make him the undeniable choice to win this individual honor.
