New Orleans Saints Rumors: Alvin Kamara Leads NFL Rookie Of The Year 2017 Odds
In the latest New Orleans Saints rumors, running back Alvin Kamara is looking like a top contender for this year’s NFL Rookie of the Year in the offensive category. However, several other running backs are also in contention with Kamara. Could the New Orleans rookie end up taking the award or will another young offensive NFL star end up winning the honor? Here’s the latest on Kamara’s chances as well as some of his fellow rookies from the 2017 NFL Draft class and how they’re faring.
As reported by the Times-Picayune on Friday, Alvin Kamara was named the Pepsi Rookie of the Week for his third straight week. In his latest outing, Kamara ran for 116 yards from scrimmage while also getting the Saints’ game-tying touchdown and a two-point conversion play in the team’s 34-31 win over the Washington Redskins. His teammate Mark Ingram also picked up the FedEx Ground Player of the Week and NFC Offensive Player of the Week. They are just two of the reasons the Saints’ offense has been rolling this season, along with quarterback Drew Brees.
While Ingram is leading the team in rushing with 806 yards and eight touchdowns on 155 carries, Kamara has looked great in his rookie season. The former University of Tennessee back has 459 yards and four touchdowns scored on 72 carries. Double Kamara’s attempts and he’s looking to have a better season than the veteran Ingram.
Kamara has appeared in all 10 of the New Orleans Saints’ games this season with his best rushing performance coming at Buffalo two weeks ago. In that 47-10 rout of the Bills, the rookie had 12 carries for 106 yards and a touchdown. It also marked his first 100-yard rushing game of his young career.
He’s also getting it done in terms of receptions, making him a dual-threat for Brees to target. In the Redskins’ game, he had 32 more yards receiving than he did rushing. In the team’s 30-10 win over the Buccaneers, he tallied 152 yards total with both rushing and receiving touchdowns for his strongest overall performance of the season.
First play on offense for the @Saints?
Rookie RB @A_kamara6 takes it 50 yards to the house! #NOvsLAC https://t.co/8a6LGnoNOB
— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2017
The odds to win NFL Rookie of the Year for the 2017 season favor the Saints’ Kamara right now based on his surging performance. He currently is listed by Paddy Power Irish sports book as a 4 to 5 favorite to win this year’s offensive version of the award. In second place is the Kansas City Chiefs’ Kareem Hunt with 17 to 10 odds, while Jacksonville Jaguars’ back Leonard Fournette is third with 13 to 2 odds. The Carolina Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey (20 to 1) and Pittsburgh Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster (25 to 1) round out the top five.
NFL Rookie of Year 2017 Odds:
- Alvin Kamara – Saints (4/5)
- Kareem Hunt – Chiefs (17/10)
- Leonard Fournette – Jaguars (13/2)
- Christian McCaffrey – Panthers (20/1)
- JuJu Smith-Schuster – Steelers (25/1)
- Evan Ingram – Giants (33/1)
- Cooper Kupp – Rams (50/1)
- Mitchell Trubisky – Bears (50/1)
- Joe Mixon – Vikings (66/1)
A strong finish for one of the top three contenders could very well cement their NFL Rookie of the Year award win. Right now, the New Orleans Saints are the hottest of those top three players’ teams and much of it is thanks to Kamara’s key performances. Kareem Hunt still seems like a strong contender as he is actually leading his team in rushing yards at 873 with four touchdowns and is also third in receiving yards (335). However, the Chiefs also have more lost games than the New Orleans Saints, so Kamara could get the nod based on his team’s success.
[Featured Image by Rusty Costanza/AP Images]
