Bo Nix’s Dark Horse Campaign Could Earn Him OROY Over Jayden Daniels
Denver Broncos QB Has Closed the Gap With Jayden Daniels, and the OROY Is Up for Grabs
Tight Race
Everybody who had Chicago’s Caleb Williams taking this season’s NFL OROY award in your NFL predictions, raise your hand. Don’t be shy; I’m not here to judge.
Screw it; I’m totally here to judge, but more importantly, speak some truth about the two rookies who have stepped up and taken over the OROY race, Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Denver’s Bo Nix.
Total TD among rookie this season
Bo Nix 19
Jayden Daniels 14
Drake Maye 10
Caleb Williams 9 pic.twitter.com/LhgAUGStdm— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 18, 2024
With Daniels seeming like a lock to win the award, whoever had Nix pulling up and delivering some top-notch performances leading a decent to good Broncos squad to a 6-5 record in their script, I see what you’re doing, and I’m here for it.
So, can Nix pull off the upset and get revenge on Daniels, who beat him out of last season’s Heisman Trophy, or will Jayden finish the season as the top offensive rookie?
Stats and Odds Don’t Lie
Ever since I first watched Daniels ball out at LSU, I felt this could be the next big thing for the NFL.
While NFL news sites continued to sell Williams as the biggest generational talent to come out of college ball since Andrew Luck, my mind kept going back to Daniels and his Michael Vick meets Lamar Jackson with Randall Cunningham’s arm kind of game.
After performances like his win over Chicago, with a Hall of Fame-worthy Hail Mary to close it out, Daniels basically put his name next to the OROY award. It’s no wonder he leads the Offensive Rookie of the Year winner race at -500 per BetUS odds.
.@JayD__5’ Hail Mary is Entering the #HOF! 🏆
His 52-yard game-winner to Noah Brown now has Brown’s gloves & the signed pylon on display! 🏈✨pic.twitter.com/pvCRgYcNiX
— LockerRoom RAW (@LockerRoom_RAW) November 8, 2024
That is until Denver’s Nix, with current OROY winner odds at +350, decided to step up his game and add a bit more excitement to the OROY race.
Putting up his best numbers this month, passing for nine touchdowns to one interception, making NFL player props bettors “Bolievers,” including last weekend’s showing against the Atlanta Falcons, which earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, Nix is telling the league that he’s not here to let Daniels waltz his way to the award.
But don’t just take my word for it; stats don’t lie.
Jayden Daniels has the lead in a lot of these categories but if you compared their numbers a few weeks ago I’d bet it wasn’t even close. Now they’re neck and neck.
Bo NiX ROTY is still +300 / +400 depending on the book 👀 pic.twitter.com/NGfUfHBMSG
— Kyle Nap (@KyleNaps) November 20, 2024
Even if Daniels might hold the edge momentarily, Nix is not ready to step aside from the race just yet.
Can Denver’s Schedule Help Bo’s OROY Odds?
Comparing Daniels’ and Nix’s remaining NFL schedule, if Bo continues to play the same way he’s been doing in November and his defense pulls through, there could be a strong argument here for a Nix OROY win.
🔙 to 🔙
RT to congratulate QB Bo Nix on being named @NFL Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week!
📰 » https://t.co/aW23SViUks pic.twitter.com/M6A3xZMnrZ
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 21, 2024
Playing the Raiders next, followed by home games against the Browns and Colts, visits to the Chargers and Bengals, a team Daniels already beat to a pulp this year, and finishing up with a home game against a Chiefs team who will probably play their backups, who’s to say Nix can’t pull it off.
If Bo can lead the Broncos to a playoff berth, winning at least four of the team’s six remaining NFL games, his final play could be beating Daniels for the OROY and evening out their award competition at one each.
Your move, Bo.
