NFL Player Props Odds: Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski Sit Behind Favorites
With a four-game suspension to Tom Brady looming to start the season, the New England Patriots quarterback’s top target sits well back of the favorites on the odds to lead the NFL in receiving yards in 2016 at +4000 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Tight end Rob Gronkowski has enjoyed an impressive comeback since suffering a serious knee injury in 2013, tallying over 1,100 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons. However, as the clock ticks toward New England’s season opener in Arizona, questions remain as to how effectively inexperienced pivot Jimmy Garoppolo will connect with the club’s receivers when he takes over under center for the Patriots vs. Cardinals Week 1 matchup at University of Phoenix Stadium.
With the start of the NFL regular season just over a month away, last year’s two top receivers lead the way as co-favorites to again rack up the most receiving yardage this year, with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Antonio Brown and Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones deadlocked at +350.
Jones picked up over 100 yards on nine occasions in 2015 to finish the season with a league-high 1,871 yards. Brown cracked the 180-yard mark on four occasions a year ago, including an impressive 274-yard performance against the Oakland Raiders in early November, finishing with 1,834 yards.
Odell Beckham of the New York Giants and Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins sit off the pace at +1000, while Green Bay’s Jody Nelson is at +1400, and Cincinnati’s AJ Green rounds out the front of the pack at +1600.
Brady’s suspension also has impacted the odds to lead the NFL in passing yards.
The 38-year-old finished third in the NFL last season with 4,770 passing yards, just 100 yards shy of Drew Brees, who led the way at 4,870. However, Brady badly trails the New Orleans Saints quarterback for the season ahead — Brees sits atop those prop odds at +500.
Brady’s +2000 odds also put him well back of eight rivals, including Steelers pivot Ben Roethlisberger, who endured an injury-filled campaign last year to pile up 3,938 yards and is a +550 wager to lead all passers this season.
San Diego’s Philip Rivers sits at +700, and the Falcons’ Matt Ryan sports +850 odds, while the Giants’ Eli Manning is pegged at +1000.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is a +333 favorite on the odds to lead the NFL in rushing yards for a fourth time, ahead of Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley at +400, while Tampa Bay’s Doug Martin sits alongside Dallas Cowboys rookie Ezekiel Elliott at +900.
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
