NFL Futures Bets: 2017 Rushing Title Odds and Picks
By Loot, NFL Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
Betting on who will be the rushing champion can be a rewarding bet to make on several different fronts. The most obvious is from a money-making perspective. As one can tell by looking at the odds, the payoff can be quite handsome. And when you make this bet, you are in for all that player's games, with this being a bet that packs a lot of mileage into one wager.
With this being such a competitive category, we see the odds are pretty good for the different choices. We have Le'Veon Bell and defending rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott at +310 and +360, respectively. Then the odds go into double digits with the third choice David Johnson at +1025. And the further you venture down the list, the numbers start getting pretty big. Last season showed us, with rookie Elliott being the rushing champion, that this has become a category that is wide open. Elliott, along with guys like David Johnson, Jordan Howard, Jay Ajayi, and others have become major players in this category after a short time in this league. We see a changing of the guard taking place among the top backs in the league, as we now have a nice mix of young and old at the top.
This is a bet that can be a little scary to make. Any number of unpleasant events could take place to throw this bet into a tizzy. Injuries are the kiss of death to this bet, as anything beyond a very minor injury could make it exceedingly hard to lead the league in rushing. Then there are also suspensions. Backs depend a lot on the guys around them, so injuries to the line or anyone on offense could throw a different light on things. So making this bet in the preseason is a leap-of-faith, of sorts. All backs listed here face the same potential issues and when betting on a rushing champion, we assume all will go according to plan. As we well know, that doesn't always happen.
Here are the odds to win the 2017 rushing title. Then we will offer our picks to lead the NFL in rushing yards in 2017, with a few favorites, middle-of-the-road choices, and long-shots. Take a look!
2017 NFL Rushing Title Betting Odds
Le'Veon Bell +310
Ezekiel Elliott +360
David Johnson +1025
Jordan Howard +1250
DeMarco Murray +1250
Jay Ajayi +1650
LeSean McCoy +2200
Melvin Gordon +2200
Todd Gurley +2200
Devonta Freeman +2400
Marshawn Lynch +2700
Lamar Miller +3600
Adrian Peterson +4000
Leonard Fournette +4400
Joe Mixon +5500
C.J. Anderson +5500
Carlos Hyde +5500
Dalvin Cook +5500
Eddie Lacy +5500
Isaiah Crowell +5500
Paul Perkins +5500
Spencer Ware +5500
TY Montgomery +5500
Bilal Powell +7000
Doug Martin +7000
Jamaal Charles +7000
Christian McCaffrey +7000
Mark Ingram +11000
LeGarrette Blount +11000
Mike Gillislee +11000
Thomas Rawls +11000
Rob Kelley +11000
Matt Forte +11000
Devontae Booker +11000
Our Top Favorites:
Le'Veon Bell (+310): Now in his fifth season, Bell has seen injuries and suspensions relegate him to just 18 games in the past two years. But it only makes one wonder what his numbers would look like if he had a full season. Last season, he rushed for 1268 yards in just 12 games and rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott probably wouldn't have been able to hold him off if he played all 16. If he can register a full season of play, he's a definite frontrunner to be the 2017 rushing champion.
Ezekiel Elliott (+360): It was hard to not notice how he ran away with this honor last season and that was as a rookie. With a full season under his belt, his form shouldn't dip much, if at all. He had an over 300-yard lead on the second place finisher last season, immediately establishing himself as a top-end back. You'd just hate to take Elliott and find out he's been suspended, as the NFL is looking into him. Our guess is he won't be suspended and if that's the case, he's an obvious frontrunner to repeat.
Our Top Middle-of-the-Road Picks:
Jordan Howard (+1250): Last season's second-place finisher in rushing yardage came on really strong at the end of the season. As a rookie, he was slow to catch on, but when he did, he was off to the races. Without a lot of firepower on offense, the Bears will rely on Howard as their workhorse. Last season, a handful of games where he didn't get a lot of looks with the Bears playing from behind a lot prevented him from being closer to Elliott, but something tells us Howard will figure into this conversation by season's end.
Jay Ajayi (+1650): With Miami dealing with more quarterback issues again this season, Ajayi should be used in large doses. Last season was his first full season of play and he was 4th with 1272 yards. On three different occasions, he went over 200 yards in a game. If he could develop a little more consistency, his numbers will swell accordingly.
BET ON WHO WILL BE THE 2017 NFL RUSHING CHAMPION AT DISCOUNTED ODDS -105 TODAY AT 5DIMES
Our Best Longshots:
Adrian Peterson (+4000): Again, we stress the term "longshot" here, as Peterson's window has probably closed in terms of putting up monster seasons. He's 32 and on a new team, with only one full season played in the last three years. But in that one season, he won his third rushing title. In today's era where anyone near 1500 yards has a shot, maybe Peterson has more life in his legs and can deliver at a big number.
Leonard Fournette (+4400): We're hoping for that Ezekiel Elliott rookie mojo to rub off on the Jaguars' rookie this season. You get a lot of talent here and a player whose ceiling has not been defined at big odds. Granted, the Jags' run-game has languished in recent years and Fournette's durability at this level is unproven. But on a team starving for a star, perhaps Fournette can step up and surpass expectations this season. Bet on who will win the NFL 2017 rushing title by taking advantage of a massive 100% sign-up bonus on your first deposit of $100 to $500 at GTBets!
