NFL Comeback Player of the Year Odds 2025-26: Hutchinson Favorite Over Prescott, McCaffrey
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds market has been an interesting - for the lack of a better term - one over the past couple seasons. The surprising winners created buzz all the same, which creates anticipation ahead of next season's announcement.
Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is the early betting favorite after suffering a broken leg last year.
Others expected to contend for the award are Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Those four are the only players with 5/1 odds or shorter.
📊 NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds 2025
Live NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds from our best sports betting sites.
🏆 NFL Comeback Player of the Year favorite
Aidan Hutchinson Comeback Player of the Year odds (+250)
Hutchinson was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds favorite at the time of his gruesome injury last season. He led the league with 7.5 sacks through five starts, which set the standard for a superb Detroit defensive front. The Michigan native played in all 17 games across his first two seasons, a good sign for the future as he looks to bounce back from a broken leg.
It's surprising to see Hutchinson listed as the early betting favorite for this award. While he may be the most talented candidate, a defensive player hasn't won Comeback Player of the Year since 2015 (Eric Berry). We won't play his short odds (+250) at our best sports betting apps for that reason.
Best odds: +250 via BetRivers | Implied probability: 28.57%
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👀 NFL Comeback Player of the Year contenders to watch
🌉 Christian McCaffrey Comeback Player of the Year odds (+350)
McCaffrey appeared in just four games for San Francisco last season. His absence was a large reason the 49ers followed up a Super Bowl appearance with a 6-11 campaign. The Stanford product suffered from multiple lingering injuries, but there's a hope he'll be back at his best when Kyle Shanahan's squad takes the field in Week 1.
If so, McCaffrey immediately becomes the focal point of one of the league's most explosive offenses. His rushing and receiving work offers the potential for a giant workload against a fourth-place schedule. A $10 winning wager on McCaffrey would return $35 in profits at BetMGM.
Best odds: +350 via BetMGM | Implied probability: 22.22%
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⭐️ Dak Prescott Comeback Player of the Year odds (+400)
Prescott is the first quarterback to appear on the oddsboard. The Dallas starter appeared in just eight games last year before a hamstring injury sidelined him for the remainder of the season. He struggled compared to his previous campaign, tossing just 11 touchdowns to eight interceptions.
If Prescott can lead the Cowboys back to the postseason, he presents the best preseason value on the board. Quarterbacks have won the last seven Comeback Player of the Year awards, and he's the most notable name among qualified candidates. If Prescott becomes the eighth consecutive signal caller to win CPOY, a $10 wager would return $40.
Best odds: +400 via BetRivers | Implied probability: 20%
📈 NFL Comeback Player of the Year opening odds
Odds via BetMGM as of Monday, March 3, 2025.
- Aidan Hutchinson: +250
- Dak Prescott: +325
- Christian McCaffrey: +350
- Trevor Lawrence: +500
- Maxx Crosby: +850
- J.J. McCarthy: +900
- Rashee Rice: +1500
- Tua Tagovailoa: +2500
- Brandon Aiyuk: +3000
- Derek Carr: +3000
- Tank Dell: +3000
- Chris Godwin: +3500
- Chris Olave: +4000
- Anthony Richardson: +4000
- Jaire Alexander: +5000
- Nick Chubb: +5000
- Stefon Diggs: +5000
- Cooper Kupp: +5000
- Marquise Brown: +6600
- DeMarcus Lawrence: +6600
- Deshaun Watson: +6600
- Kenneth Walker III: +6600
- Dre Greenlaw: +8000
- Rashid Shaheed: +8000
- L'Jarius Sneed: +8000
- Evan Engram: +10000
- Christian Kirk: +10000
- AJ Dillon: +15000
- Tyler Higbee: +15000
- Taysom Hill: +15000
- Rondale Moore: +15000
- Zack Moss: +15000
🗳️ NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting criteria
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting criteria had long been unclear. Players have won it after returning from a major injury (Alex Smith), after beating an illness (Eric Berry), after a breakout season (Geno Smith), and after a career renaissance (Ryan Tannehill).
The award has been unpredictable, and Flacco winning it over Hamlin was the perfect example of that, leading to a change.
Under the new voting criteria, The Associated Press has emphasized that only players returning from injury or illness should be the focus of the award. Players who are bouncing back from a bad season or have improved from mediocre to great shouldn't win the award.
“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,” AP senior NFL writer Rob Maaddi, who oversees All-Pro and NFL awards voting, told Pro Football Talk.
While the new criteria is used as a guideline for voters, they can still support players like Smith or Flacco.
For example, new Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson could still theoretically win the award, he just holds a less likely chance now that the criteria has been adjusted.
🔢 NFL Comeback Player of the Year betting history
| Season | Player | Preseason odds | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Joe Burrow | +250 | Bengals | QB |
| 2023 | Joe Flacco | OFF | Browns | QB |
| 2022 | Geno Smith | OFF | Seahawks | QB |
| 2021 | Joe Burrow | +800 | Bengals | QB |
| 2020 | Alex Smith | +300 | Washington Football Team | QB |
| 2019 | Ryan Tannehill | OFF | Titans | QB |
| 2018 | Andrew Luck | +450 | Colts | QB |
| 2017 | Keenan Allen | +900 | Chargers | WR |
| 2016 | Jordy Nelson | +600 | Packers | WR |
| 2015 | Eric Berry | +500 | Chiefs | S |
| 2014 | Rob Gronkowski | +1000 | Patriots | TE |
💡 How to bet on NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Of the NFL futures markets, NFL Comeback Player of the Year may be the strangest to bet on, especially with how last year played out - giving it to the most out-of-nowhere performance (Flacco).
This award is almost a lock to go to whichever of the returning QBs is most impressive, which is why the best move is to target whichever passer you believe has the best shot at returning to Pro Bowl form and contending for the playoffs.
📖 How to read NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds
Reading NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds is straightforward. Odds are usually presented in a format like +500 or -200. Positive odds (e.g., +500) show how much profit you’d make on a $100 bet.
For example, a $100 bet at +500 odds would win you $500, plus your original $100 stake, totaling $600. Negative odds (e.g., -200) indicate how much you need to bet to win $100. So, a $200 bet at -200 odds would win you $100, plus your $200 stake, totaling $300.
These odds also reflect the probability of a player winning the Comeback Player of the Year. Lower odds (e.g., +300) suggest a higher likelihood, while higher odds (e.g., +2000) indicate a lower probability. Sportsbooks adjust these odds based on performance, injuries, and betting patterns.
If Aaron Rodgers gets +500 odds and Joe Burrow gets +1000, Rodgers is considered more likely to win. If you bet $100 on Rodgers and he wins, you’d get $600 back ($500 profit + $100 stake). Understanding these odds helps you make informed betting decisions and assess potential returns.
❓NFL Comeback Player of the Year FAQs
Who is the favorite for NFL Comeback Player of the Year?
Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is the betting favorite by the NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds (+250). Those odds translate to a 28.57% implied probability via our odds calculator.
Who was the NFL Comeback Player of the Year last year?
Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year.
When will the 2025-26 NFL Comeback Player of the Year be announced?
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year will be announced at the NFL Honors show during Super Bowl week in early February.
🏟️ NFL betting odds pages
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