Jacobs Favored To Win Rookie Of The Year But Can Murray Catch Him?

The 2019 NFL rookie class has not developed the way a lot of people expected as Daniel Jones and Gardner Minshew have tapered off. As we enter the final three weeks, the Rookie of the Year odds are a two-horse race between Josh Jacobs and Kyler Murray. Jacobs is the clear-cut favorite as of right now but the issue is that he’s been playing through a shoulder injury. It kept him out last week and could keep him out longer. If he misses the final three weeks, can Murray catch him and win the award?

JOSH JACOBS, OAKLAND RAIDERS
ODDS: -300

The rookie from Alabama has been reliable for the Oakland Raiders, making general manager Mike Mayock look very good with his draft selection this past spring. Jacobs remains above 1,000 rushing yards for the season with three games still remaining. However, he missed his most recent game this past Sunday against the Tennessee Titans due to a shoulder fracture. He had been playing through the injury for weeks. The question is will this knock him out the rest of the season? He’s been limited in practice this week and might fight through it, but the Raiders might decide to hold him out as there’s not a lot to play for.

At this point, it is no longer all that realistic to expect him to reach the 1,500-yard mark. On top of that, it’s worth noting that the Raiders’ offense has generally been bad in recent weeks, scoring just three points against the Jets and nine points against the Chiefs. Even if Jacobs returns, there’s no guarantee of success. That seems to open the door for Murray to sneak in and still win the award.

KYLER MURRAY, ARIZONA CARDINALS
ODDS: +200

The Cardinals won three straight games just before the midpoint of the season and Murray looked like a shoe-in at that point. They were 3-3-1 and showed signs that they could improbably become a factor in the NFC. Then the Cardinals lost six consecutive games straight to plunge to the bottom of the NFC. This losing streak has undeniably damaged Murray’s award prospects. The Cardinals have done a terrible job of helping Murray deal with his limitations and process situations in ways which give the rookie a chance to lean on his teammates and win close games. The Cardinals dropped a pair of tight contests to the San Francisco 49ers and while Murray played at a high level in those games, he needed to win at least one to gain a notable forward push in his pursuit of the NFL Rookie Of The Year Award.

At this point, though, the optics just don’t look great. Sure, he has 3,060 passing yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions on the year, but his recent efforts don’t signal that he deserves the award more than Jacobs. He’s passed for 194 yards or less in three straight games and he has just two touchdowns and four picks in his last two outings. He’s trending in the wrong direction.

If Jacobs is out, though, or is limited, and Murray finishes the year with at least two 300-yard games along with a win or two, he’ll have a great shot. The challenge is that the schedule as the Cards are on the road in the final two weeks at Los Angeles (Rams) and at Seattle.

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