This was a little bit of a shocker. San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle owns the fourth-best odds to be named Offensive Player of the Year, per DraftKings Sportsbook (h/t to Jose Luis Sanchez III of SI).
Die-hard fans are well aware of the All-Pro tight end's talent level. He is an exceptional pass catcher and a punishing force on the field with the football in his hands. Kittle is also a menacing pass and run blocker, making him one of the better all-around tight ends in the league, if not the best.
Oddsmakers certainly feel Kittle could be in for a big season. He has the best odds among tight ends, with Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs being the next tight end on the list, rounding out the top 10.
Only running back Derrick Henry, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and running back Christian McCaffrey own better odds than Kittle. Henry won the award last season after finishing the regular season with 2,027 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns.
Below are the top 10 players with the best odds to earn Offensive Player of the Year.
- Derrick Henry +600
- Patrick Mahomes +700
- Christian McCaffrey +800
- George Kittle +1200
- Dalvin Cook +1400
- Josh Allen +1600
- Saquon Barkley +1600
- Nick Chubb +1600
- Alvin Kamara +1600
- Travis Kelce +1600
Kittle is coming off a season that saw the tight end miss eight games due to injuries. However, he still managed to haul in 48 passes for 634 yards in his limited playing time. That followed up back-to-back seasons of over 1,000 yards receiving and 85-or-more receptions.
With wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk contributing in the passing game, it's not tough to imagine Kittle having an outstanding season, assuming everyone can stay healthy.
San Francisco made Kittle a fifth-round draft pick out of Iowa in 2017. He is preparing to enter his fifth NFL season.