Comeback player of the year 2019: No Zeke, no problem.

Cowboys O-line return to the top

This unit was considered as the best for a couple of years. In 2018, there were too many injuries, which affected their performance. Left tackle Tyron Smith was bothered by a neck injury, which forced him to miss a few games in the second half of the season. While the center Travis Frederick got diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome that sidelined him completely for several months. It's an autoimmune disease that causes numbness and loss of strength. Returning on the field after something like that immediately puts a spotlight on him. The media will love the story and he is one of the most recognized offensive linemen anyway. With a good season by Dallas' offense, he will definitely be one of the top candidates for the reward.

I feel like I am obligated to explain why I titled the article with: No Zeke, no problem. Cowboys' top running back Ezekiel Elliot is holding out at the moment, trying to leverage the franchise into making him the highest-paid player at the position. If that holdout doesn't get ended soon, Zeke might miss regular season games. That could potentially hurt this bet because rushing yards and pressures/sacks allowed are a measuring stick for how well the line is playing. Elliot can definitely get the most out of the push created upfront. But ultimately, if the OL is winning in the trenches constantly, any NFL running back will look good running behind it. That is also the reason why the teams are reluctant to pay top dollar for RB's. Because they are replaceable.

Duds

There is a bunch of other guys with shorter odds on this list, that are simply overrated. Starting with the top favorite Le'Veon Bell. He was on the losing end of a contract dispute with the Steelers the last offseason. Refusing to play under the franchise tag, he held out the entire season and signed with the Jets in March. I am not doubting his ability, but the situation for him in New York is much worse than in Pittsburgh. He will run behind a worse offensive line and we'll see if the Jets will use his versatility as efficiently as the Steelers did. Dealing him at +450 is just too short.

The second favorite is Josh Gordon. Somebody has to be joking with this one. +500 could as well be the price for him to still be in the league for the playoffs. This guy is a nightmare when it comes to maintenance. He is constantly in trouble off the field and can't decide if he even wants to play or not.

Jimmy Garoppolo is rounding up the Top 3 candidates. He is returning from an ACL tear that he suffered in Week 3 of the 2018 season. He looked really good when the 49ers traded for him. Good passer with a big arm and some upside. But later, some of his weaknesses started to become more obvious. He was not seeing the underneath defenders well. He was not taking very good care of the ball, etc. And even in training camp this year, there were reports about some horrendous performances by him. I'd say Niners are still not good enough and he'll throw too many interceptions to be in consideration for the award.

Other studs

Travis Fredrick is not the only player that caught my eye here. There are some other guys being overlooked by the market. One of them is Earl Thomas. For these veterans, it is not easy to find success when changing the team late in their careers. Usually, these are the players that are past their prime. Former teams are not willing to pay them what they are asking, so they sign for another franchise that has a big need at the position, or to be a mentor to younger guys. But here, it's not like that. Earl Thomas can still produce and has signed for a team with a very good defense. For a free safety that is very important. Because if you have quality around you and everybody is good at what they're doing, you don't need to correct other's mistakes as much, but can play freely and make plays. That is what I expect from Thomas if he stays healthy.

Leonard Fournette is another player that I really like. He is returning after a foot/ankle injury, that kept him out of 8 games last year. He had a bad season as well, rushing for just over 400 yards, with only 3.3 yards per carry. But that O-line was a wreck and so was the entire offense in general. They are getting back Cam Robinson, Andrew Norwell and Brandon Linder. John DeFilippo took over the playcalling, and Nick Foles is their new QB. The offense will be way more potent and explosive in the passing game, which will not allow opponents to keep that safety in the box anymore.