2023 Comeback Player of the Year odds: Joe Flacco making up ground

National Football League

Updated Dec. 26, 2023 1:12 p.m. ET

Damar Hamlin remains the odds-on favorite to win Comeback Player of the Year, but he now has a serious challenger.

The Buffalo Bills safety opened the season as a huge favorite to win the award at -500. This was in the wake of his life-threatening on-field collapse suffered during the 2022 season.

Hamlin sat at -600 to win the award last week, and now he’s at -470. He’s appeared in three games and recorded two solo tackles this season.

But Browns quarterback Joe Flacco is firmly in the conversation.

The veteran quarterback was recently named Cleveland’s starter, and two weeks ago, he sat at +2000 to win Comeback Player of the Year. But in the Browns’ thrilling win over the Chicago Bears in Week 15, Flacco threw for 374 yards and two touchdowns, and his odds shortened to +1000.

Then Flacco did it again in Week 16, throwing for 368 yards and three touchdowns in Cleveland’s 36-22 win at Houston (he also threw two picks). And with that, his odds shortened again.

Let’s take a look at the latest Comeback Player of the Year odds.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR ODDS: *

Damar Hamlin, Bills: -470 (bet $10 to win $12.13 total)

Joe Flacco, Browns: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)

Baker Mayfield,Buccaneers: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)

Matthew Stafford, Rams: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)

Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)

Lamar Jackson: Ravens: +2600 (bet $10 to win $270 total)

*odds as of 12/26/2023

NFL Rankings: Flacco helps Browns rise; Mayfield, Bucs in the top 10?

Another name to watch is Tampa Bay’s Mayfield.

The Bucs are on a four-game winning streak. In Tampa Bay’s 34-20 Week 15 win over Green Bay, Mayfield threw for 381 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Before that game, his odds to win Comeback Player of the Year were +2900. They then shortened to +1600.

In a 30-12, Week 16 win over Jacksonville, Mayfield shined again, completing 26 of 35 passes for 283 yards and two TDs. The performance helped his odds shorten again, all the way down to +850.

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