DraftKings has dropped its preseason odds for the main NFL awards, even though the start of the season is still more than two months away.
According to the site, San Francisco's star pass rusher Nick Bosa has the fourth-best odds to win the Defensive Player of the Year for the upcoming season at +1100, behind Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, and T.J. Watt.
Donald, who won the award last year and has done so three times in the past four years, was unsurprisingly the favorite again, slotting in at +400.
Garrett edged out 2020 runner-up T.J. Watt for the second-best odds at +600, while the Steelers star came in at +700.
Ranking fourth, Bosa comes in higher than his brother, Joey Bosa, 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young, Khalil Mack, Derwin James and many other defensive standouts.
After a strong rookie season during which the 49ers star won the Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bosa tore his ACL in the 49ers' Week Two win against the Jets, which ended his season.
Bosa is working to return during training camp, although it is unclear whether he will fully participate or be limited in action.
Despite the injury, expectations are high for both Bosa and the 49ers this upcoming season, as the defensive end is already ranked above several talented defensive players to win the NFL's most prestigious defensive award.
Playing along a star-studded defensive line in 2019, Bosa racked up nine sacks, 25 quarterback hits, 47 tackles, and one interception, and will look to improve on those numbers when he returns to the field this season.
Bosa recently received some high praise from teammate George Kittle while the tight end was on the Rich Eisen Show.
"The fact that we are getting everybody back, it's very exciting," Kittle told Eisen. "I think I've said this about 100 times; I still think Nick Bosa is like the second-best NFL player behind Aaron Donald, and I think he's going to come back with a vengeance. And I'm very excited about that because he's a very talented football player, and he definitely makes that defense gear up a whole extra notch."
In addition, head coach Kyle Shanahan provided an update on Bosa's recovery, expressing optimism that the defensive end would be ready by training camp, despite Bosa being a no-show in the early stages of the offseason program.
"I just didn't want to take [Bosa] off his routine right now. I totally agree with him (being) out there. He's going to show up at some time during this, but he won't be going out there, doing anything coming off the ACL, but we fully expect him to be ready for training camp."
- Rohan Chakravarthi
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Written by:Writer/Reporter for 49ers Webzone
