NFL Rookie of the year odds: Who are the favorites? C.J. Stroud, Puka Nacua...

The 2023 NFL regular season has come to an end, and of the 2023 rookie draft class, two offensive players stand out amongst the rest. The NFL Rookie of the Year awards will be announced at the NFL Honors on Thursday, February 8, just ahead of Super Bowl 58.

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Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud leads the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year, ahead of Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua. While Nacua has had an incredible season, breaking multiple rookie records, Stroud is still way ahead in the odds.

On the defensive side of things, the race much tighter between Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr.

Let’s take a look at the stats and the odds.

2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year - Odds and Stats

C.J. Stroud, QB - Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud is the heavy favorite to win offensive rookie of the year. He was the second overall pick in the draft after playing some impressive football at Ohio State. He already came onto the team with high expectations, but he far succeeded them.

Stroud ended the season with a 63.9% completion rate, 4,108 yards, and 23 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Over the previous two seasons, the Texans had a combined seven wins. Stroud took them to a 10-7 record, the NFC South title, and the post season in 2023.

During his 7-5 start, he had a record-setting performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which he put up a rookie record 470 yards and tied another rookie record with five touchdowns.

Puka Nacua, WR - Los Angeles Rams

The Rams wide receiver was not selected until the fifth round of the draft and unlike Stroud, expectations were low. There were a whopping nineteen other receivers selected ahead of Puka Nacua, and I bet those teams are regretting not taking him when they had the chance. The Rams got lucky.

In his first game in the NFL, Nacua made 10 catches for 119 yards, and that was just the beginning. He got extra opportunities as the WR1 when Cooper Kupp was unavailable and even with Kupp on the field, Nacua still played an important role. In Week 18, he set a rookie record for receiving yards in the Rams’ season finale win over the 49ers, surpassing Bill Groman’s 1960 rookie mark of 1,473 yards. That made Nacua’s seventh game of the season with 100+ yards. He then broke another rookie record with his 105th catch of the season, surpassing Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle’s previous record of 104 (2021). He joins Waddle and Anquan Boldin (2003) as one of just three rookies to catch 100+ passes.

He finished the season with 105 receptions for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns.

2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year - Odds and Stats

During the regular season, Eagles DT Jalen Carter and Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. have been neck-and-neck in the race for DROY as both have played key roles for their respective teams. Although the Eagles’ rough end to the season put Carter back a bit in the race, he’s still just ahead of Anderson to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Let’s look at how their stats compare.

Jalen Carter, DT - Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Carter finished the season with 20 solo tackles, six sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Will Anderson Jr., DE - Houston Texans

Will Anderson Jr. finished the season with 29 solo tackles and seven sacks.