Broncos Drew Lock: Do Oddsmakers Buy Into All The Hype? -

The Drew Lock hype train is not slowing down.

If anything, it’s gaining speed.

In the words of Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons on Friday, when he was on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football:

“I don’t believe you’re pumping him up … enough. There was that type of swag. A lot of it is just confidence, not even cockiness.”

It really is incredible what happens when a team gets a sniff of a franchise quarterback.

Since Peyton Manning retired, John Elway and the Broncos knew what they needed to find but kept winding up with fool’s gold.

Now that Denver has found Lock, the compass points to what it wants most of all — another Lombardi Trophy.

It will be fascinating to watch if the hype in Broncos Country translates to the CO sports betting market.

Since sports betting apps in Colorado launched in May, if the 2020 season goes forward, this is the first opportunity for fans to bet on the NFL in Colorado. If fans think the Broncos have a legitimate shot this season, Super Bowl betting in Colorado could see some good play.

Lock’s odds for MVP

As to what that means for Lock’s futures odds for the NFL MVP, he’s still a long shot.

The oddsmakers feel the same about the hype for the Broncos — they are not buying it just yet. Though, it is nice to see Denver get some positive national attention again.

In fact, despite the additions on offense of Melvin Gordon in free agency and Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler via the NFL Draft, it seems the oddsmakers remain hesitant on Lock in general.

Until the second-year quarterback from the University of Missouri proves he can sustain more than five games, you can understand why.

As you would expect, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the favorite for all the awards. It’s a bit of a surprise he’s not the favorite for the defensive awards, too.

Individual awards odds

Broncos Individual Awards Odds	DraftKings	FanDuel
NFL MVP — Top 5 followed by Broncos	Top Five Patrick Mahomes +400 Lamar Jackson +700 Russell Wilson +800 Dak Prescott +1400 Tom Brady +1600 Broncos Drew Lock +6000 Von Miller +25000 Jerry Jeudy +50000	Top Five Patrick Mahomes +380 Lamar Jackson +700 Russell Wilson +700 Dak Prescott +1200 Carson Wentz +1700 Deshaun Watson +1700 Drew Bress +1700 Tom Brady +1800 Broncos Drew Lock +5500 Melvin Gordon +15000 Phillip Lindsay +20000 Courtland Sutton +30000 Von Miller +30000
NFL Offensive Player of the Year — Top 5 followed by Broncos	Top Five Patrick Mahomes +800 Derrick Henry +1000 Lamar Jackson +1000 Christian McCaffrey +1000 Michael Thomas +1000 George Kittle +1400 Russell Wilson +1600 Julio Jones +2000 Broncos Melvin Gordon +7000 Drew Lock +10000 Courtland Sutton +10000	Top Five Patrick Mahomes +650 Lamar Jackson +950 Christian McCaffrey +1300 Russell Wilson +1600 Michael Thomas +1800 Saquon Barkley +1800 Broncos Drew Lock +8500 Melvin Gordon +8500 Courtland Sutton +10000 Phillip Lindsay +13000
NFL Defensive Player of the Year — Top 5 followed by Broncos	Top Five Aaron Donald +700 Nick Bosa +1200 Khalil Mack +1400 J.J. Watt +1400 TJ Watt +1400 Joey Bosa +2000 Myles Garrett +2000 Stephon Gilmore +2000 Derwin James +2000 Chandler Jones +2000 Von Miller +2000 Jadeveon Clowney +2500 Danielle Hunter +2500 Broncos Bradley Chubb +4000	Top Five Aaron Donald +750 Khalil Mack +1100 Nick Bosa +1300 TJ Watt +1500 Stephon Gilmore +1700 Broncos Von Miller +1800 Bradley Chubb +4200 Justin Simmons +10000
NFL Comeback Player of the Year — Top 5 followed by Broncos	Top Five Ben Roethlisberger +300 Cam Newton +400 J.J. Watt +700 Matthew Stafford +800 Rob Gronkowski +800 Antonio Brown +1000 Broncos Bradley Chubb +3300	Top Five Ben Roethlisberger +260 Cam Newton +340 Rob Gronkowski +420 JJ Watt +700 Matthew Stafford +700 A.J. Green +900 Broncos Bradley Chubb +3300
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year — Top 5 followed by Broncos	Top Five Joe Burrow +200 Clyde Edwards-Helaire +700 Tua Tagovailoa +800 Jonathan Taylor +1000 Cam Akers +1600 Justin Herbert +1600 Jerry Jeudy +1600 D'Andrew Swift +1600 Broncos K.J. Hamler +10000	Top Five Joe Burrow +220 Clyde Edwards-Helaire +500 Tua Tagovailoa +750 Jonathan Taylor +1000 D'Andre Swift +1100 Broncos Jerry Jeudy +1500 K.J. Hamler +5500
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year — Top 5 followed by Broncos	Top Five Chase Young +200 Isaiah Simmons +500 Patrick Queen +900 Kenneth Murray +1100 Jeffrey Okudah +1600	Top Five Chase Young +250 Isaiah Simmons +550 Patrick Queen +1200 A.J. Epenesa +2000 Derrick Brown +2100 Jeff Okudah +2100 Kenneth Murray +2100
NFL Coach of the Year — Top 5 followed by Broncos	Top Five Bruce Arians +1200 Bill Belichick +1200 Mike McCarthy +1300 Kyle Shanahan +1600 Kevin Stefanski +1800 Brian Flores +2000 John Harbaugh +2000 Sean McDermott +2000 Sean Payton +2000 Frank Reich +2000 Andy Reid +2000 Mike Vrabel +2000 Broncos Vic Fangio +2500	Top Five Bill Belichick +1200 Mike McCarthy +1200 Bruce Arians +1400 Frank Reich +1400 Kliff Kingsbury +1800 Sean McDermott +1800 Kevin Stefanski +2000 Kyle Shanahan +2000 Mike Vrabel +2000 Andy Reid +2200 John Harbaugh +2200 Sean Payton +2200 Broncos Vic Fangio +2400

Individual season total odds

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the futures bets on DraftKings is the season total projections.

If you think Lock and the others will surpass what the sportsbook predicts, this is a great way for Broncos Country to cash in.

Broncos Player Totals	DraftKings
Drew Lock 2020-21 Passing Yardage	Over 3,450.5 yards -110 Under 3,450.5 yards -110
Drew Lock Touchdowns	Over 21.5 touchdowns -110 Under 21.5 touchdowns -110
Courtland Sutton Receiving Yards	Over 1,050.5 yards -110 Under 1,050.5 yards -110
Jerry Jeudy Receiving Yards	Over 750.5 yards -110 Under 750.5 yards +110
Noah Fant Receiving Yards	Over 625.5 yards -110 Under 625.5 yards +110
Melvin Gordon Rushing Yards	Over 775.5 rushing yards -110 Under 775.5 rushing yards +110
Melvin Gordon Rushing + Receiving Yards	Over 1,050.5 rushing + receiving yards -110 Under 1,050.5 rushing + receiving yards +110

Broncos individual odds

The sports betting odds don’t improve much when it comes to other individual Broncos players and coaches.

The aforementioned Gordon still has better odds on DraftKings at +7,000 to win NFL Offensive Player of the Year than Lock at +10,000. Denver receiver Courtland Sutton has the same odds as Lock.

On FanDuel sportsbook app, Gordon and Lock have the same odds to win offensive player of the year (+8,500).

As for Jeudy, the rookie receiver has pretty good odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Jeudy is at +1,500 on FanDuel and +1,600 on DraftKings.

Bet on the Broncos defense

While there is excitement for the offense, the Broncos defense is probably a safer bet until we see Lock and his allotment of toys on the field.

Edge rusher Von Miller sits at +1,800 on FanDuel to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year and +2,000 on DraftKings.

I’m coming… 😈 pic.twitter.com/OmDI9FMjGW

— Von Miller (@VonMiller) July 17, 2020

Bradley Chubb, the edge rusher coming off an ACL injury, is at +4,000 to win the award on DraftKings and +4,200 on FanDuel.

What should benefit both the Orange Rush of Miller and Chubb is the addition of Jurrell Casey from the Tennessee Titans. The veteran defensive tackle should provide the interior rush the Broncos have lacked since Malik Jackson signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That push from the middle should take some of the focus off of Miller and Chubb, especially when it comes to double teams.

Broncos long shots

If you want some real long shots to wager on, Miller is at +25,000 odds on DraftKings and +30,000 on FanDuel to win MVP.

If you want an even bigger long shot: Jeudy is at +50,000 on DraftKings for NFL MVP.

Coach of the Year

As for NFL Coach of the Year, Denver head coach Vic Fangio has +2,400 odds on FanDuel and +2,500 on DraftKings to win the award.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is the favorite on both sportsbooks, tied with new Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians on DraftKings at +1,200, and tied with new Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on FanDuel at +1,200.