Saquon Barkley won the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year Award, but the honor could go to someone out on the West Coast in 2025. Individual award races are wide open ahead of the 2025 season and one of the more OPOY has one of the more interesting markets. No player has won the award in back-to-back years since Marshall Faulk three-peated from 1999 to 2001. Los Angeles Rams receiver Puka Nacua is one name with plenty of value worth watching, as Sam Panayotovich noted on BetMGM Network’s Bet Sweats.
“Puka’s gonna get 120, 125 catches next year. Assuming he stays on the field, that is a tremendous possession receiver who runs himself open and catches almost everything in the vicinity,” Panayotovich said.
The Rams appear likely to part with star pass catcher Cooper Kupp, who won OPOY in 2021 but has now fallen under 80 receptions and 900 receiving yards in three consecutive seasons. The 31 year old’s health issues are cause for concern and his departure could open up the door for Nacua to thrive.
Nacua had his own injury struggles last season but burst onto the NFL scene with 105 receptions for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He’s proved that he’s able to handle a heavy diet of targets when available and that makes him a real threat to lead the NFL in receiving yards. He finished fourth in receiving yards in his first pro campaign before catching 79 passes for 990 yards through 11 starts last season.
Barkley is the odds-on leader to win OPOY next year at +500, per BetMGM. He’s trailed by Jahmyr Gibbs (+1000), Ja’Marr Chase (+1000), Bijan Robinson (+1200), and Derrick Henry (+1400). Nacua has the fifth best odds (+1600) alongside Justin Jefferson.
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