Rookie Quarterback Prop Bets: Which Rookie QB Will Have the Most Passing Yards in 2024?
The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft was a historic one, with six quarterback being taken within the first 12 picks. The six quarterbacks selected helped contribute to 23 offensive players hearing their name called on Day 1, which was also a record-breaking occurrence.
It all began with Caleb Williams expectedly drafted by the Chicago Bears with the No. 1 overall pick, followed by Jayden Daniels at No. 2 to the Washington Commanders and Drake Maye at No. 3 to the New England Patriots. The Minnesota Vikings elected to move up one pick to No. 10 to make J.J. McCarthy their first selection in the first round. None of that was too crazy.
The surprises of the draft came when the Atlanta Falcons took Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 overall pick and the Denver Broncos added Bo Nix with the No. 12 overall pick.
Following the theatrics of the first round, FanDuel Sportsbook is offering a market via its NFL odds section for which rookie quarterback will have the most regular season passing yards. Given where each signal-caller landed, let's take a look at the odds and break down each quarterback's chances of recording the most passing yards among the rookie passers.
All NFL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.
NFL Rookie Quarterback Prop Bets
Most Regular Season Rookie Passing Yards in 2024-25
Player | Odds |
---|---|
Caleb Williams | +110 |
J.J. McCarthy | +250 |
Jayden Daniels | +350 |
Bo Nix | +800 |
Drake Maye | +1000 |
Michael Penix Jr. | +8000 |
Caleb Williams, Bears (+110)
Before the first round of the draft began, our own Annie Nader wrote about Williams' over/under on passing yards, which was originally set at 3,375.5 -- with the over at -116 odds. Upon being the first player to shake Roger Goodell's hand -- and the Bears taking Rome Odunze with the No. 9 overall pick -- the over/under on Williams' passing yards prop has risen to 3,400.5, and the over remains at -116 odds.
Besides Odunze, the Bears have done a fantastic job getting plenty of weapons for Williams. D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet remain on the roster while Chicago added D'Andre Swift and Keenan Allen via trade or free agency this offseason.
Taking everything into consideration, ESPN's Mike Clay has Williams projected for 3,468 passing yards in his rookie campaign. With Williams posting the shortest odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (+210) in 2024-25, there's a chance we get a historically productive year from the talented signal-caller out of USC.
J.J. McCarthy, Vikings (+250)
The Vikings entered this year's draft needing to find a replacement for Kirk Cousins, who signed with the Falcons in free agency. Instead of trading up to select one of the top three consensus quarterback prospects, Minnesota moved up to the 10th overall pick to make McCarthy their hopeful franchise signal-caller.
Similar to Williams, McCarthy will be joining an offense that is littered with talent across the board. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are a strong one-two punch at receiver while T.J. Hockenson -- who is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL -- and newly signed Aaron Jones give McCarthy a formidable arsenal.
Clay is bullish on the Michigan product, predicting McCarthy to air it out for 3,529 yards in what should be a pass-heavy offense under head coach Kevin O'Connell. Entering his debut season in the NFL, McCarthy is tied with Jayden Daniels for the third-shortest odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (+1000) and his over/under on passing yards is hovering at 3,075.5.
Jayden Daniels, Commanders (+350)
Right after Williams heard his name called by the Bears, Daniels was the second player taken in the first round of this year's draft. Daniels, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, is an exciting dual-threat quarterback who will look to produce for a new-look coaching staff in Washington.
While Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson form a solid receiver duo, it remains to be seen what newly signed veterans Austin Ekeler and Zach Ertz can contribute next season. There is also uncertainty about how the Commanders will perform on offense under new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who struggled to have success as a head coach with the Arizona Cardinals.
With the talent that Daniels possesses, Clay is forecasting 3,450 passing yards for the first-year quarterback of the Commanders. Daniels has the same over/under on passing yards (3,075.5) and odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (+1000) that McCarthy does.
Bo Nix, Broncos (+800)
One of the most shocking selections in the first round came when the Broncos stayed put at the 12th overall pick and took Nix. Sean Payton reportedly had the same affinity for Nix as he did for Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Following the departure of Russell Wilson, Nix is expected to start pretty quickly -- possibly Week 1 -- despite Denver recently acquiring Zach Wilson from the New York Jets. Along with Courtland Sutton and Javonte Williams returning, the Broncos are hoping Marvin Mims can improve in his sophomore campaign after Jerry Jeudy was traded to the Cleveland Browns.
Even with Nix being an older prospect and Denver having an uncertain group of weapons, Clay is anticipating Nix to throw for 3,161 yards in the upcoming season. Nix has the fifth-shortest odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (+3000), and his over/under on passing yards is set at 2,850.5.
Drake Maye, Patriots (+1000)
Rather than trading back and accumulating draft capital, the Patriots remained at No. 3 and selected Maye in hopes to expedite their rebuild in the post-Bill Belichick era. Seeing that New England reunited with veteran Jacoby Brissett in free agency, there is no rush for Maye to start under center for the Patriots.
That being said, fans in Foxborough shouldn't have to wait too long for Maye to make his debut despite a lack of weapons. At the moment, the top three wideouts on the depth chart for the Patriots are Demario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Kendrick Bourne -- the latter of whom is recovering from a season-ending knee ailment.
Even with there being a chance Brissett opens the year under center, Clay foresees Maye logging 3,355 passing yards in 2024. As one of the younger signal-callers in this year's draft class, Maye has the fourth-shortest odds to win Offensive Rookie of the Year (+2000).
Michael Penix Jr., Falcons (+8000)
Aside from Nix, you could argue the most surprising first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was Penix going to the Falcons at No. 8. Atlanta signed Kirk Cousins to a massive four-year, $180 million deal in the offseason despite the veteran coming off a torn Achilles.
Given the presence of Cousins, it would be extremely surprising to see Penix start for the Falcons next season. There's a chance we don't see Penix get a chance to make a meaningful start in Atlanta for a couple seasons, which is why there are so many people questioning the selection.
With Cousins slated to be the starter for the foreseeable future, Clay envisions Penix finishing with only 471 passing yards in his rookie year. When looking at Penix's current situation, it's no wonder he's a massive longshot to win Offensive Rookie of the Year at +6000 odds.
New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You’ll receive $150 in Bonus Bets when you place your first bet of at least $5 —win or lose! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.
Looking for the latest NFL odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the NFL betting options.
Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!
The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.