Okay, so NFL football isn’t quite back for real yet, with the first exhibition game still a few weeks out on August 6th, but rookies are already hitting camp. And let me tell you, the buzz around Detroit’s tailback Jahmyr Gibbs for NFL Offensive Player of the Year is already deafening! Bettors are absolutely hammering him, making him the +700 favorite and leading all players in both tickets and handle on DraftKings. It’s wild to see this much action this early, but when you look at the numbers, it makes perfect sense.
Gibbs Is About to Get a BAG, And He’s Earned It
This dude is only 24 years old, and because he was a first-round pick in 2023, Gibbs is now eligible for a fat extension on his rookie deal. Get this: he might just become the highest-paid running back in league history! While the Lions had a bit of a letdown last season, dealing with injuries and having to replace both their offensive and defensive coordinators, Gibbs didn’t miss a beat. He had another monster year, piling up 1,223 rushing yards and an insane 13 scores on the ground. But wait, there’s more! He also hauled in 77 catches for 616 yards and another five scores through the air. That’s a ridiculous 18 total touchdowns, good for second in the entire NFL. His rushing numbers were *slightly* down from 2024, but those receiving stats? Career highs, baby!
Record Books? He’s Just Getting Started
When you dig into the history books, Gibbs’s name is already everywhere. His 49 career touchdowns through just his first three seasons? That’s an NFL record! You heard me, an NFL record! He’s only the second player ever to average at least 5.0 yards per carry in each of his past three seasons, and he’s tied for the second-best average yards per touch (5.9) for any running back in their first three seasons since the 1970 merger. Over the last two seasons, he’s first in scrimmage touchdowns with 38 and third in scrimmage yards with 3,768. Oh, and he’s the *only* player in franchise history to log multiple seasons with 17 or more touchdowns. The dude is a walking highlight reel, and he absolutely deserves to get paid.
Right now, though, Gibbs and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson, who was drafted just four spots ahead of him in 2023 and sits at +850 for OPOY, are in a bit of a standoff, neither wanting to be the first to set the market. We saw Saquon Barkley reset the top of the tailback market in March 2025 with a two-year extension with the Eagles at $20.6 million per year. Someone’s gotta blink first, but with numbers like Gibbs is putting up, you gotta believe that contract is coming. The only question is, how much will it be, and who’s gonna be brave enough to open that wallet?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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