2016 NFL Rushing Leader Futures Bets
By Loot, NFL Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
A bet on who will win the rushing title is an interesting bet to make for many reasons. We pride ourselves as being able to sense different things as NFL bettors. And this is the kind of bet that lets us capitalize off of any observations we may have made over the course of the offseason. This is by no means easy, however.
There was a time when certain running backs would dominate this category. In the not-so-distant past, there weren't many men who could win this title, with a list of just a few viable candidates. Now we see a lot of parity when it comes to the NFL rushing champion. The closest thing to dominance we have going now is Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who won his third rushing title last season. His total of 1485 yards was one of the lowest totals of a leading rusher in the past 40 years.
There hasn't been a back-to-back winner of this honor since LaDainian Tomlinson won his second in a row in 2007. Since 2009, winners have included Peterson, Chris Johnson, Arian Foster, Maurice Jones-Drew, LeSean McCoy, and DeMarco Murray. It's wide open and that means enterprising bettors have precedent to choose someone a little further down the list. Adrian Peterson is again the rightful favorite, with an interesting mix of vets and newcomers filling out the list. The odds cover the whole spectrum, with Peterson a 6-to-1 choice, with guys toward the bottom of the list getting 300-to-1.
Here are some of our picks, followed by a full list of odds for running backs to lead the NFL in rushing yards this season. To bet on these odds on the top-gaining back in pro football this season, use our link below.
Loot's Picks to Win the 2016 Rushing Title
Adrian Peterson (+600): Normally when dealing with a high-profile defending rushing champion who has won this award multiple times, the value isn't terribly good. At +600, Peterson isn't that bad of a choice on the value-scale. A big part of the Vikings' offense, Peterson should put up numbers if he stays healthy.
Todd Gurley (+750): He had some ups and downs in his rookie season with some dings along the way. What he did show was a knack to string together some really big games. A little more consistency and staying healthy should see Gurley racking up a ton of yards and being in the rushing race with a realistic chance to win.
Ezekiel Elliott (+1000): Running behind that great offensive line and being the clear go-to guy in the Cowboys' ground-game could lead to Elliott having a huge season. It certainly takes a leap of faith to project a rookie to win this award, but the conditions could line up right for Elliott to have a big year.
LeSean McCoy (+1400): Just two seasons removed from his rushing title with the Eagles, it hasn't taken long for McCoy to fall off the charts a bit as the 7th choice to win this award. But a healthy McCoy still stands out as one of the league's top backs and if he gets enough touches, he could be in there with a shot.
Thomas Rawls (+1700): He had some huge showings in 2015 when he was still finding his bearings as a young back running behind a ragtag Seattle line. He went 169 against Cincy and 209 against Frisco, who they play twice. If he can benefit from last season's experience and a better line in Seattle, Rawls could do some surprising things this season.
DeMarco Murray (+3300): Just one season removed from a rushing title with the Cowboys, Murray is on his third team in three years. Coming off an awful season, there are now 18 running backs ahead of Murray. We'll see if he gets enough touches, with health an issue and rookie Derrick Henry looking for playing time, as well. But at 33-to-1, that's not bad value on the 2014 rushing champion.
MAKE YOUR PICKS ON WHO WILL BE THE LEADING RUSHER IN THE 2016 NFL SEASON USING THESE ODDS AT: 5DIMES
Odds to Win the 2016 Rushing Title
Adrian Peterson +600
Todd Gurley +750
Doug Martin +900
Lamar Miller +900
Ezekiel Elliott +1000
Le'Veon Bell +1100
LeSean McCoy +1400
Jamaal Charles +1400
Eddie Lacy +1700
Thomas Rawls +1700
David Johnson +1900
Arian Foster +2000
Carlos Hyde +2000
C.J. Anderson +2000
Jonathan Stewart +2200
Matt Jones +2500
Devonta Freeman +2500
Mark Ingram +2500
DeMarco Murray +3300
Ryan Mathews +3300
Jeremy Hill +3300
Latavius Murray +3300
Justin Forsett +3500
Jay Ajayi +3500
Jeremy Langford +3500
Frank Gore +3500
Matt Forte +3500
Melvin Gordon +4500
Chris Ivory +5000
Rashad Jennings +6000
LeGarrette Blount +7500
Ameer Abdullah +7500
Isaiah Crowell +10000
T.J. Yeldon +10000
Chris Johnson +10000
Derrick Henry +10000
Giovani Bernard +17500
Karlos Williams +30000
James Starks +30000
Jordan Howard +30000
Tevin Coleman +30000
