NFL Comeback Player of the Year Odds: Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson Opens As Favorite

Joe Burrow became just the second player in NFL history to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award for a second time, but a new field of players hope to bounce back in 2025.

According to NFL odds, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is the early favorite after breaking his leg last season. Meanwhile, guys like Christian McCaffrey and Dak Prescott will look to get back into the conversation involving the game's elite.

Here are the latest NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds.

NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds

Player
Aidan Hutchinson	+190
Christian McCaffrey	+250
Dak Prescott	+350
Trevor Lawrence	+450
J.J. McCarthy	+850
Rashee Rice	+1200
Brandon Aiyuk	+1400
Maxx Crosby	+1600

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of 3-3.

NFL Comeback Player of the Year favorite

Aidan Hutchinson (+190)

The Detroit Lions were supposed to break through and win the big one last season, but a broken leg suffered by Hutchinson in Week 6 was a major setback on defense. The Lions still scored in bunches, but Hutch's presence on the other side of the ball was greatly missed.

The former first rounder had 7.5 sacks in only five games of play and was heavily involved in the DPOY conversations before he went down. Hutchinson will look to return to his former glory and add not one, not two, but maybe three trophies into the case next season — including this one.

NFL Comeback Player of the Year betting trends

• Over the last seven years, the NFL CPOY Award has been handed out to a quarterback.

• Although Ryan Tannehill won the award in 2019 after bouncing back from a poor 2018 season, the NFL CPOY Award has been handed out to players coming off significant injuries in recent years. Over a five-year period from 2014 to 2018, every Comeback Player of the Year had suffered a season-ending injury during the previous year — and Alex Smith won in 2020 after recovering from a devastating leg injury that almost required amputation. 

• Joe Burrow joins Chad Pennington (2006 and 2008) as the only player to win this award twice.

Previous NFL Comeback Player of the Year award winners

Year	NFL CPOY winner	Team
2024	Joe Burrow	Cincinnati Bengals
2023	Joe Flacco	Cleveland Browns
2022	Geno Smith	Seattle Seahawks
2021	Joe Burrow	Cincinnati Bengals
2020	Alex Smith	Washington Commanders
2019	Ryan Tannehill	Tennessee Titans
2018	Andrew Luck	Indianapolis Colts
2017	Keenan Allen	Los Angeles Chargers
2016	Jordy Nelson	Green Bay Packers
2015	Eric Berry	Kansas City Chiefs
2014	Rob Gronkowski	New England Patriots
2013	Philip Rivers	Los Angeles Chargers
2012	Peyton Manning	Denver Broncos
2011	Matthew Stafford	Detroit Lions
2010	Michael Vick	Philadelphia Eagles
2009	Tom Brady	New England Patriots
2008	Chad Pennington	Miami Dolphins

How to bet on NFL awards odds

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when wagering on NFL awards betting odds.  

Change your strategy at different points in the season

Sportsbooks will adjust NFL awards odds as the season goes on. In the preseason and the early weeks of the regular season, betting on dark horses can prove very profitable. As the season continues, expect to see odds tighten around the favorites. At that point, it becomes wise to focus on the players near the top of the odds board and betting big underdogs is unwise.

Look for value with underdogs

Live long shots can provide tremendous value. Look at younger players on the verge of breaking out, or guys that have already been playing at a high level but could take the next step now that they are in an ideal situation with a new team, coach or system. Other players that can give a great payout are established stars coming off underperforming seasons due to injuries or other factors.  

Follow the narrative

When placing futures bets on individual awards, keep in mind that voters, not a scoreboard, are often the deciding factor. Voters can be influenced by a variety of factors, including media coverage and public opinion. Consider what the media narrative is for a particular season and which players they seem to be rooting for and against. 

Research historical trends

Historical trends, especially recent ones, can give you a good idea of which way voters tend to lean. For example, the NFL MVP has been handed out to a quarterback in 14 of the last 15 seasons. Identifying those trends is a good way to separate the true contenders from the pretenders.