NFL rushing yards futures odds, best bets & top value picks

In the NFL today, the running back position is very different from what it once was. Due to injuries, many teams are using multiple running backs rather than giving all the work to one guy. That has made the rushing landscape harder to project as it’s less clear who will get all the touches. That being said, there is still a lot of value in betting on who will lead the league in rushing yards.

Last year, Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts led the league with 1,811 yards and had almost 600 yards more than Nick Chubb, who finished in second. Taylor is the favorite to do it again, but due to the fragility of the position, we recommend avoiding him in this year’s futures markets. Here are some other picks who have better odds.

Derrick Henry

As far as pure running backs go, Derrick Henry is probably the best of them. The 28-year-old running back for the Tennessee Titans is a behemoth of a runner and the type of guy who can dominate a game. He plays in a run-heavy offense, so as long as he stays healthy, he will be in contention to lead the league in rushing yards. He led the league in yards the two seasons before last year and he was well on his well to being the rushing king last year as well. Prior to his Week 9 injury, he was the league leader and averaged more yards per game than Jonathan Taylor. This is a risky bet due to his injury history, but Henry is a stud and will always be towards the top of the league leaders in all the rushing categories.

Javonte Williams

Javonte Williams is a second-year running back for the Denver Broncos who rushed for 903 yards last year. Williams only had 203 carries last season due to the presence of Melvin Gordon, who also had 203 carries. However, Williams should be the lead running back this year and the Broncos brass have been vocal in their desire to feed Williams. If Javonte is able to get more carries this year, he will continue to dominate and rise towards the top of the league in terms of rushing yards. It’s a lot of projecting, but Javonte clearly has the talent to do it. At +2100 with Bovada, it’s worth a wager.

Josh Jacobs

Josh Jacobs is a running back for the Las Vegas Raiders who could be in line for a ton of work. At +4000 with most football betting sites, it’s a longshot bet, but there is a case for Jacobs. He is entering the last year of his contract and it is pretty clear that it will be his final season with the Raiders. With similar situations in the past, these contract-year running backs get the ball a ton as their current team doesn’t really care about their long-term health outlook. It is a sinister reality, but one that has played out in the NFL many times. While Jacobs may not possess the rushing talent of our other picks, he could just get more volume than all of them. And in terms of rushing yards, volume is king.

AJ Dillon

To finish out our picks, we have another longshot. This time it’s AJ Dillon, one of the best young running backs in the NFL. He projects to be a key figure in a Green Bay Packers team that should run the ball a lot this season. The issue, however, is that he will split time with Aaron Jones, another elite rusher. Last year, Dillon only had 187 carries, and he will need substantially more opportunities than that if he is going to lead the league in rushing yards. Dillon should be a great runner and his odds present a lot of value, but it is somewhat contingent on an injury to his backfield partner. At +8000, we’ll take that.

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