Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie wide receiver, Emeka Egbuka, has already become a one-to-one favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year at major sportsbooks.
Egbuka, currently as -110 at DraftKings, was around +3500 to win ROTY at the time odds were first published following the NFL Draft.
Key takeaways
- Egbuka is already fourth in receiving yards and has the highest yards per reception among qualified WRs
- Only two receivers have won OROTY since 2015
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt leads the league in yards per carry and just had his first 100-yard game on Sunday
Offensive Rookie of the Year loading? 👀 pic.twitter.com/n2xOFEB9bO
— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) October 7, 2025
| Name | Odds (per FanDuel) |
|---|---|
| Emeka Egbuka | +105 |
| Ashton Jeanty | +380 |
| Jaxson Dart | +700 |
| Tetario McMillan | +900 |
| Tyler Warren | +1100 |
| Quinshon Judkins | +1300 |
| Cam Ward | +2200 |
| Dillon Gabriel | +2500 |
| Jacory Croskey-Merritt | +2700 |
| Cam Skattebo | +3500 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | +3500 |
Individual awards in the NFL are normally reserved for quarterbacks. There’s been more parity in the Rookie of the Year than other markets, but still, only two receivers have won the award since 2015.
Egbuka, a 22-year-old, and Ohio State’s all-time leading receiver, is well on his way to becoming the third, joining Ja’Marr Chase in 2021 and Garrett Wilson in 2022.
BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, and ESPN Bet all have Egbuka listed between +105 and -110 in Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds. That translates to him having between a 48.8% and 52.5% implied chance to win the award.
The Bucs wideout is only 19th in receptions with 25, yet he’s fourth in receiving yards (445) and has five touchdowns, a number only bested by Amon-Ra St. Brown. George Pickens and Rome Odunze also have five TDs.
Egbuka burst onto the scene with a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winner, in his first professional game against the Atlanta Falcons. But despite the strong start, he appears to be getting better with each game.
The former Buckeye had six catches for 85 yards in Week 3, four catches for 101 yards and a touchdown in Week 4, and seven catches for 163 yards and a score in Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks. He’s a major reason why the Bucs are an NFC South-leading 4-1 and has put himself in a strong position not just to contend for Rookie of the Year, but potential Pro Bowl and All-Pro nominations as well.
The season of “Bill”
Amid Egbuka’s takeover of the betting market, there’s another long shot who is turning heads: Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt.
The Washington Commanders’ seventh-round pick was not given odds by many sportsbooks when odds were first published. He’s still as low as +3500 at ESPN Bet, yet he’s become a cult hero for Commanders fans and fantasy football owners.
“Bill” – who played four years at Alabama State, one at New Mexico, and one game at Arizona – leads the NFL in yards per carry (6.6) and is tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns (four). He’s only joint-19th in rushing yards (283), but he just took 11 carries for 114 yards and two touchdowns against the Los Angeles Chargers last week in his first game as the lead back.
With the Commanders leading the NFL in yards per carry and rushing yards per game, Croskey-Merritt should continue to get a strong workload. His efficiency and elusiveness make him a prime candidate to fly up the odds board so long as he continues to receive a heavy workload like his ROTY competitors.
Volatile stocks
While the pre-season favorite, Jeanty, is still second in odds to win the award, Jaxson Dart has also become a real threat for the award. The New York Giants’ gunslinger was +2500 at opening and is as low as +600 at DraftKings.
In the opposite vein, Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward and Jacksonville Jaguars WR Travis Hunter, who opened at +250 and +550 at BetMGM, are down to +2000 and +5000, respectively.
No player drafted outside of the top 10 has won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award since Alvin Kamara (67th pick) in 2017.
Below are the top 10 picks from the 2025 NFL Draft who are eligible for the OROTY:
Titans: QB Cam Ward
Jaguars: WR/DB Travis Hunter
Patriots: T Will Campbell
Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty
Jets: T Armand Membou
Panthers: WR Tetairo McMillan
Saints: T Kelvin Banks Jr.
Bears: TE Colston Loveland
