Does Ja'Marr Chase deserve to be the 2021 NFL OROY?
Rookie wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase is having a historic season for the Cincinnati Bengals. He has already surpassed his former LSU teammate Justin Jefferson in setting a new record for most receiving yards in a season by a rookie. Jefferson set the record last year with 1,400 receiving yards with the Minnesota Vikings. Chase already has 1,429 receiving yards with one more game remaining.
Ja'Marr Chase is also currently tied with Jefferson's rookie mark of 13 receiving touchdowns. That's the second most of all time behind only Randy Moss' 17 receiving touchdowns as a rookie. No doubt Ja'Marr Chase is having a spectacular season, and he deserves to win the 2021 NFL Rookie of the Year award.
Ja'Marr Chase deserves to win the 2021 NFL OROY award
In addition to setting new rookie records, Ja'Marr Chase is also having one of the best seasons of any wide receiver in the NFL. He had a massive game in Week 17 against the Kansas City Chiefs, catching 11 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. His 266 yards were also a new single-game rookie receiving record.
Following a massive performance, Ja'Marr Chase ranks fourth in the entire NFL with 1,429 receiving yards and his 13 touchdown receptions rank second among all players. He leads the entire NFL with 18.1 yards per reception, demonstrating his elite ability to make big plays.
Ja’Marr Chase today:
— 11 REC, 266 YDS, 3 TD
— Youngest ever with a 10/250/3 game
— 7th player ever with a 10/250/3 game
— NFL rookie single-game receiving record
— Bengals single-game receiving record https://t.co/GTbW7EZl62
Week 17 marked the second time this season that Ja'Marr Chase eclipsed 200 receiving yards in a single game and the third time he recorded multiple touchdowns. He is finishing the season strong, recording 18 receptions for 391 yards and three touchdowns combined over his last two games.
According to bookmakers, Ja'Marr Chase's recent outburst has been enough to make him the new favorite to win the 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Entering Week 17, Mac Jones (-400) was the favorite while Chase (+300) was a distant second.
Before the season: Ja’Marr Chase can’t catch
Today: Ja’Marr Chase, 1429 rec. yards, 13 TDs and the Rookie of the Year favorite (-225) https://t.co/Cx6GPgusRX
After his record-setting performance in Week 17, Chase (-225) has become the favorite while Jones (+175) fell behind. Mac Jones has been the best rookie quarterback of the 2021 NFL season. He leads all rookies in key passing categories, including yards (3,540) yards and touchdowns (21). His solid play has helped the New England Patriots to a solid 10-6 record and a playoff berth.
While Mac Jones is having an impressive year, it doesn't quite compare to the monstrous rookie season Ja'Marr Chase has turned in. Jones has played well enough to have won the award most seasons, but Chase is literally rewriting the record books. It would be hard to argue against Chase being named the 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.