With the first round of the 2026 NFL draft completed, sportsbooks across the nation have released their lines for the league’s Rookie of the Year honors.
Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love is the +200 favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, with Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate next at +350 and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza at +400.
For Defensive Rookie of the Year, New York Jets defensive end David Bailey is the favorite at +350, followed by New York Giants linebacker Arvell Reese and Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles both at +500, according to DraftKings odds.
There are some notable discrepancies across the sportsbook marketplace, namely involving Mendoza: Both Caesars (+300) and FanDuel (+320) show the first overall pick higher on the odds board, with the former actually having him as the co-favorite with Love. DraftKings had opened Mendoza at +550, but he was quickly bet down to his current level.
On the defensive side, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. is the second favorite at Caesars (+550) and FanDuel (+500) while being only fourth at DraftKings (+600). Caesars also has Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs tied with Reese at +600.
Several players who did not hear their names called during the first round appear on Rookie of the Year boards. At DraftKings, wide receiver Denzel Boston is 35-1 for offensive rookie of the year, while quarterbacks Garrett Nussmeier and Carson Beck are 50-1 and 60-1, respectively. Quarterback Ty Simpson — who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13 and will presumably back up Matthew Stafford — is 40-1.
Defensive players Colton Hood, Jermod McCoy, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and T.J. Parker are all tied at the bottom of DraftKings’ odds board at 35-1.
As far as betting on the draft’s first round itself, the story of Thursday night centered on what the Jets would do with the second overall pick. The favorite for that selection had flipped back and forth between Bailey and Reese, with the latter ultimately closing favored at -270 and the former coming into the festivities at +200. In the end, New York chose Bailey and Reese dropped to the fifth pick, where he had been a sizable underdog to be selected.
