Best bets to lead NFL in rushing yards: Don't overlook Mostert
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With just over a week until the NFL season begins, we're running through our best bets to lead the league in key statistical categories. Today, we'll discuss the league's top rushers, led by reigning winner and Titans star Derrick Henry. No player has repeated as rushing champion since LaDainian Tomlinson (2006-07). Here are our best bets.
| PLAYER | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Derrick Henry | +700 |
| Nick Chubb | +800 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | +800 |
| Saquon Barkley | +900 |
| Christian McCaffrey | +1100 |
| Joe Mixon | +1200 |
| Dalvin Cook | +1400 |
| Josh Jacobs | +1400 |
| Chris Carson | +1600 |
| Kenyan Drake | +2000 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | +2000 |
| Lamar Jackson | +2000 |
| Aaron Jones | +2000 |
| Raheem Mostert | +2000 |
| Miles Sanders | +2000 |
| David Johnson | +2500 |
| Le'Veon Bell | +3300 |
| Leonard Fournette | +3300 |
| Todd Gurley | +3300 |
| Mark Ingram | +3300 |
| Alvin Kamara | +3300 |
| James Conner | +4000 |
| Melvin Gordon | +4000 |
| Cam Akers | +5000 |
| Sony Michel | +5000 |
| David Montgomery | +5000 |
| Devin Singletary | +5000 |
| Jonathan Taylor | +5000 |
| Austin Ekeler | +6000 |
| Ronald Jones | +6000 |
| Jordan Howard | +6600 |
| Marlon Mack | +6600 |
| D'Andre Swift | +10000 |
| Ke'Shawn Vaughn | +10000 |
Only two players have rushed for more yards than Chubb (2,490) since he entered the league in 2018, and he's the only player to average at least 5.0 yards per carry in both seasons (minimum 150 attempts). He finished just 46 yards behind Henry for the rushing crown last year despite the Browns holding him below 20 carries in each of his final five games.
His seven games of 100 rushing-plus yards last season were tied for the most by any player in the last five years. Now, with a better coaching staff and reworked offensive line, the sky is the limit for Chubb in his third campaign.
Raheem Mostert (+2000)Are we sure Mostert isn't really, really good? He led all running backs in yards per carry (5.6) in 2019, which would seem fluky if he hadn't tallied 7.2 yards per rush in his career heading into last season. He didn't get 10 carries in a game until Week 12, and he promptly averaged 89.4 rushing yards over his final eight contests, including the playoffs. That would have ranked third in the NFL over a full season.
The 49ers had more rushing attempts last year than any team outside of Baltimore, and they restructured Mostert's contract this summer to more closely align with his status as the team's leading rusher. With his potential combination of volume and efficiency, there's too much upside not to take a swing.
Jonathan Taylor (+5000)If you're looking for a long shot, you can do worse than Taylor, who had a record 12 200-yard rushing games at Wisconsin and earned more yards through three seasons (6,174) than any player in college football history. The Colts traded up into the second round to take the talented back, and he'll be right at home behind the league's best offensive line.
That dominant front five helped Marlon Mack to the NFL's ninth-most yards per game (77.9) a year ago, but injuries kept him from competing for the rushing title. If injuries cut into his competition with Taylor, too, you'll be running to the bank to cash on the Colts' workhorse back.
C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.
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