2019 NFL awards, league leaders and preseason odds

Through the first 57 years that the Associated Press handed out the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, no New York Giants player ever took home the hardware. With Odell Beckham earning the award in 2014 and Saquon Barkley last season, two of the past five OROYs have wound up in the hands of G-Men. Despite an expected 5-11, subpar record last season, the Giants website was quick to highlight those postseason player accomplishments. The AP OROY is one of many postseason honors handed out to the best of the best at season's end, and it's where we begin our list of preseason NFL awards and league-leader favorites.

Odds via Bovada

Favorites: Kyler Murray (+165) | Josh Jacobs (+750) | Dwayne Haskins (+850)

Unlike the NFL MVP, where quarterbacks appear to possess a vice-like grip on the postseason honor, five of the past six AP OROY trophies have been awarded to non-QB skill position players. Four of the six were running backs, while Odell Beckham was the lone receiver to earn the award. In early preseason action, both Murray's and Haskins' play have been ridiculed by analysts. Whereas Haskins likely needs to leap Case Keenum on the Redskins depth chart, Murray is all but a lock to be the Cardinals Week 1 starter. But their sluggish starts have turned our attention to rookie Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. At better than 7-to-1 odds to win AP OROY, the former Alabama running back enters a great situation where he can make an immediate impact. There is little competition for touches behind him, and if the Antonio Brown saga takes a turn for the worse, Jacobs will earn more work throughout the season.

Favorites: Kyle Shanahan (+1,000) | Freddie Kitchens (+1,100) | McVay, Belichick (+1,200)

The 49ers finished 2-14 in 2016, fired their head coach and hired Shanahan to right the ship, which he did — somewhat — in his first season, as San Francisco improved to 6-10. However, the loss of starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Jerick McKinnon to season-ending injuries set the franchise back, and their record dipped back to 4-12 last season. With upgrades on the defensive side of the ball in Dee Ford and Nick Bosa and a healthy Jimmy G., Shanahan will have to fend off only Cleveland's Freddie Kitchens. This shouldn't be difficult, as the weight of the Browns' world rests on Kitchens' shoulders to not only finish with double-digit wins but also more importantly, to qualify for the playoffs.

Favorites: Jimmy Garoppolo (+325) | Le'Veon Bell (+450) | Devonta Freeman (+900)

One of these favorites is not like the other. Garoppolo shredded his ACL and missed 13 games last season. Freeman missed 14 games due to a variety of injuries including in-season groin surgery. This leaves Le'Veon Bell, who elected to sit out the entire 2018 season, gambled on himself and now has a chance to win Comeback Player of the Year as a member of the New York Jets. Typically, in addition to elite stats and/or leading his team to a lot of wins and the playoffs, the CPOY possesses some type of feel-good story. Garoppolo's and Freeman's stories have you pulling for them. Can Bell quiet the critics with a 2,000-yard campaign? Sure, but it's going to take a lot for him to win this award.

Favorites: Aaron Donald (+200) | Khalil Mack (+500) | JJ Watt (+800)

Former NFL player turned analyst Ryan Clark recently called Aaron Donald the Michael Jordan of football. While that's high praise for an athlete who rarely has the ball in his hands, the point is taken. After averaging nearly 10 sacks per season the first four years of his NFL career, Donald racked up 20.5 sacks last season before he earned 2018 DPOY honors. We were also reminded last season how much of an impact a healthy JJ Watt can make when he's on the field. His 16 sacks were in line with full-season career norms.

Favorites: Devin Bush (+500) | Nick Bosa (+750) | Devin White (+800)

The Steelers defensive line encountered little resistance attacking the quarterback last season, finishing with a league-high 52 sacks (t-KC). However, it finished near the middle of the pack in points allowed per game and 28th in defensive interceptions. So Pittsburgh got aggressive on draft day and traded up into the top 10 to acquire Bush, who they hope can fill the void left by Ryan Shazier two years ago. While all three favorites will make an immediate impact for their respective units, Bush's play can remind the league that the Steelers remain kings of the AFC North.

Favorites: Patriots (+650) | Chiefs (+800) | Rams, Saints (+1,000)

Since 2003 — a span of 16 years — the Patriots have won double-digit games every year and averaged 12.5 wins per season. When you look at the AFC East, the Dolphins are expected to be one of the league's worst teams. While a defensively gifted squad, the Bills offense will continue to struggle to put points on the board. The Jets are no doubt improved with the addition of Le'Veon Bell, but most of their success will depend on the second-year play and development of Sam Bradford. In other words, the Patriots' home division provides a high likelihood of six wins again. It's why their annual rite of passage to finish with the most regular-season wins continues.

Favorites: Ezekiel Elliott (+325) | Saquon Barkley (+450) | Derrick Henry (+1,500)

Whether or not Zeke Elliott remains the favorite to lead the league in rushing will depend on how long his holdout lasts. This time last year, many believed Le'Veon Bell's holdout was a momentary blip and that the Steelers lead back would return to pick up right where he left off. Bell elected to sit out the entire season. Will Elliott choose the same path? It's possible but unlikely. Although he played one more game, Barkley finished 127 rush yards shy of catching Elliott for the 2018 league lead. There's little doubt Barkley will flirt with 300 carries this season, but the Giants may be cautious with his workload as they continue to rebuild the franchise. While currently nursing a strained calf, Henry is a fascinating long shot, as he averaged better than 146 rush yards per game in the final month of the 2018 season. Assuming he's 100 percent come Week 1, it'll be interesting to see if he can pick up where he left off behind Pro Football Focus' 23rd-ranked offensive line.

Favorites: Dolphins (+350) | Cardinals (+750) | Giants (+850) 

After grinding out a 7-9 campaign a season ago, the Dolphins are gifted one of the most grueling schedules this season, which includes non-conference games against the Cowboys, Eagles, Browns and Steelers. The Arizona Cardinals may be in over their heads with a first-year NFL coach and rookie quarterback playing behind the fourth-worst offensive line, according to Pro Football Focus. The fact the Cardinals also have to play the Rams and Seahawks both twice does their effort to remain out of the NFL's basement no favors. With the Odell Beckham era over and Golden Tate is suspended the first four weeks of the season, New York's passing game is fragile. The trickle-down effect of this is more work for Saquon Barkley (see: heightened risk of injury) and defensive front sevens cheating up to stop the run, forcing Eli Manning to beat them with his arm. Yikes.

Odds: Over 13.5 (+125) | Under 13.5 (-155)

The Saints and Rams flirted with the OVER last year, but during the past four seasons, the Patriots and Panthers remain the only two teams to finish with 14 or more wins. Oddsmakers believe that trend will continue, as they'll pay out $125 on a $100 bet. It's easy to see why, as even the most elite NFL teams — like your Chiefs, Patriots, Rams and Saints — feature flaws in their offenses and/or defenses. Also, with parity a feather in the league's cap, the race to 14 wins will always remain a challenging threshold.

Favorites: Patrick Mahomes (+350)  | Andrew Luck (+550) | Matt Ryan (+800)

Before he can think about leading the league in touchdown passes, Luck has to return to the field. He's missed part of the preseason due to calf and high-ankle injuries. It's not an ideal situation for a quarterback who missed all of 2017 due to a shoulder injury. This setback opens the door for Mahomes to make another run at leading the league in touchdown passes. His 50 scores were the most by a quarterback since Peyton Manning's 55 back in 2013. Matt Ryan has averaged 31 touchdown passes per season over the past three, and new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has big plans for a receiving corps that features Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu.

Favorites: Julio Jones (+400) | DeAndre Hopkins (+700) | Michael Thomas (+1,000)

Julio Jones' receiving totals have ranked top three in each of the past five seasons. Houston's DeAndre Hopkins tried to close the gap last season, hauling in 115 of 163 passes (70.5 percent catch rate) for 1,572 yards, but he still fell 105 yards short. If Thomas played in the Saints offense of a decade ago, he would have a shot to catch Jones as the league leader. But New Orleans does focus more on the run game these days, which limits Thomas' receiving yards ceiling this season.

Odds: Over 13.5 (-120) | Under 13.5 (-110)

Over the past five seasons, only five teams have lost 14 or more regular-season games and the Cleveland Browns account for two of them. Based on their schedule, it would appear the 2019 Miami Dolphins are in a position to assume the role of worst NFL squad this season. Josh Rosen and Co. open up against the Ravens, Patriots, Cowboys and Chargers before their BYE week. The Dolphins also have to play AT Pittsburgh and AT Cleveland in addition to playing a home game against Super Bowl favorites Philadelphia. For Miami to squeeze three wins out of this gauntlet of a schedule would be commendable.

Favorites: Patriots (+325) | Chiefs (+375) | Browns (+600)

At the moment the biggest area of concern for the hyped-up Cleveland Browns is the kicking game. With Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry ready to light up the scoreboard and Myles Garrett anchoring an improved defense, investors are lining up to back the Browns as AFC champion contenders this season. It would be wise to pump the brakes, as an inefficient kicking game combined with the fact that the defense still needs a lot work is a recipe for disappointment. No doubt the Browns are a playoff-caliber team, but to trump both the Patriots and Chiefs in Year 1 isn't a wise investment. It'll be interesting to see if Tom Brady's game regresses without Rob Gronkowski and how the Chiefs offense evolves without Kareem Hunt in the backfield. Despite their reputations, the top three AFC favorites are all susceptible to scrutiny.

Favorites: Rams, Saints (+400) | Bears, Eagles (+700) | Packers (+1,000)

Aaron Rodgers played all of last season with a fracture in his right knee. Reports suggest he may also miss the entire 2019 preseason due to a sore back. However, if he's on the field for 16 weeks surrounded by two solid starting receivers in Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison (pictured), who was on his way to an NFL-best season last year before injury, above-average tight end Jimmy Graham and the two-headed backfield of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, the Packers are a bargain at 10-to-1 odds. Will it be easy to flip the script from last year's disastrous 6-9-1 campaign? No. However, we could pick holes in the other four favorites listed as to why the Packers have just as good a shot to win the NFC title. Rodgers just has to grind out another campaign.

Odds: AFC (-120) | NFC (-110)

With the NFC often loaded with Super Bowl-caliber squads, preseason odds typically favor the National Football Conference. However, this preseason the tables are turning in favor of another AFC Super Bowl champion. The rise of the Kansas City Chiefs and, to a certain extent, Cleveland Browns paired with New England's soft AFC East schedule lead many experts to believe the AFC's window to win another Lombardi Trophy is now. The NFC will counter with a loaded Eagles roster, if Carson Wentz stays healthy, Drew Brees and the Saints' high-octane offense and the Rams, as long as Todd Gurley's injury history doesn't linger deep into the 2019 season. At the end of the day, don't be surprised to see a Patriots vs. Eagles Super Bowl rematch.