NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Odds: New Guidelines Make It Clear Who NOT To Bet In 2024

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Written By Derek Wagner | Last Updated

NFL awards last year showcased some of the closest voting we’ve ever seen, including Comeback Player of the Year. Joe Flacco got off his couch to edge Damar Hamlin in the ranked-choice voting to win by total points, despite Hamlin getting eight more first-place votes. Before betting NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds this year, we need to learn new guidelines sent to voters this offseason that make it unlikely a player like Joe Flacco would win again in 2024.

2024 NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds

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Know The New Guidelines Before Betting NFL Comeback Player Odds

On June 18, the Associate Press provided new criteria for voting on Comeback Player of the Year. Here are the latest guidelines distributed by Senior AP NFL writer Rob Maaddi, who oversees NFL award voting:

The spirit of the AP Comeback Player of the Year award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season. The decision to provide this guidance was made last December but could not be implemented for the 2023 awards because the season was almost completed.

Rob Maaddi

It doesn’t take a genius to read between the lines as to what this means. The AP would rather a player such as Hamlin win the award over someone like Flacco, who came back after playing poorly the previous season. On November 23rd, the Browns signed Flacco to their practice squad after Deshaun Watson went down with a shoulder injury and Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s lackluster performance against the Steelers.

After their Week 12 loss to Denver, the veteran Flacco was thrust into the starting lineup. He led Cleveland to a 4-1 record in December, including a primetime victory over the Jets on TNF in Week 17 that had announcers pandering for CPOY votes for the grizzled vet.

2023 voting recap

For reference, voters rank their top-five picks for MVP and top-three picks for other awards. A player receives five points for a first-place vote, three points for a second-place vote, and one point for a third-place vote. The below shows a brief breakdown for the top 3 for Comeback Player last season. Hamlin claimed enough first-place votes, but Flacco snatched 26 second-place votes to just seven for Hamlin, which resulted in Flacco winning the award.

  • Joe Flacco 13-26-8 = 151
  • Damar Hamlin 21-7-14= 140
  • Baker Mayfield 10-10-13 = 93

Players Not Worth Betting IN 2024 NFL Comeback Player Odds

So, what do the new guidelines mean? Simple, it’s unlikely we’ll see a candidate like Flacco win this award again. Should a candidate like Flacco emerge on CPOY odds boards, these new NFL Comeback player guidelines are worth remembering for bettors looking to wager on the award.

AP voters are likely to be reminded of these guidelines at some point and have them at the top of their minds when they turn in their votes in early January. It could skew votes in favor of players who overcame illness or injury the previous season.

Here’s a list of players with odds shorter than 100-1 that are not coming off a significant season-ending injury in 2023 and likely are not worth betting for Comeback Player in 2024:

  • Steelers QB Russell Wilson
  • Cardinals QB Kyler Murray
  • Vikings QB Sam Darnold
  • Chargers QB Justin Herbert
  • Steelers QB Justin Fields
  • Panthers QB Bryce Young
  • Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett
  • Raiders QB Gardner Minshew
  • Saints QB Derek Carr
  • Seahawks back-up QB Sam Howell
  • Browns back-up QB Jameis Winston
  • Eagles back-up QB Kenny Pickett

Compare NFL Comeback Player Of The Year Odds

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Photo by Associated Press

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