By Chris Havlicek Contributor
Updated 1/4/24 5:51am ET
An award that was thought to be decided midseason is now a two-horse race, entering the final weekend.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is a -850 favorite at FanDuel, after his odds reached near -10,000 during the season. Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua has closed the gap with current odds of +450. All other rookies have odds of 120-to-1 or longer.
Nacua is just 29 receiving yards shy of the single-season rookie record, while also helping L.A. reach the playoffs. Stroud and the Texans can clinch a berth by defeating the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.
Earlier this season, Stroud became the first QB without an interception in his first five career starts, also passing Dak Prescott (176 attempts in 2016) for the most consecutive pass attempts without an interception to begin a career, with 186.
In 14 games, the second overall pick has thrown for 3,844 yards and 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions. His odds began to decline when he struggled against the Jets in Week 14 and then subsequently missed two games due to a concussion.
Nacua, a fifth-round draft pick, burst onto the scene by becoming the first player ever to record at least 10 receptions and 100 receiving yards in each of his first two NFL games. Entering the final week of the season, he ranks fourth with 1,445 receiving yards and is tied for eighth with 101 receptions.
The NFL Rookie of the Year Award is an annual honor given to the top offensive and defensive first-year players. Winners are selected by a nationwide panel of 50 members of the Associated Press who regularly cover the league.
Photo Courtesy: Icon Sportswire
