Heisman Trophy Odds 2022: Favorites, sleepers ahead of Week Zero
College football is back, and with it comes the weekly rant surrounding the sport’s most prestigious player’s award, the Heisman Trophy. While bettors can bet on Heisman 2022 all season long, studying the odds and betting on specific players can be beneficial in order to win the award before the start of the season as a big game or two early in the season can make a difference Sleepers can skip to a favorite in no time (think Lamar Jackson in 2016).
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (+430) wants to become the first player since Archie Griffin to repeat himself as a Heisman winner, but as of today, he’s not the clear favorite. Can Young embark on another dominant campaign, or will another player produce a Heisman-caliber season in 2022?
Below, we’ll break down a few favorites, sleepers, and long shots that offer betting value that Heisman could take home in 2022.
MORE COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETS: The regular season’s best overall wins
Heisman Trophy Odds 2022: Top 50
All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook
| player | school | opportunities |
| CJ Stroud | State of Ohio | +200 |
| Bryce Young | Alabama | +430 |
| Caleb Williams | Southern California | +700 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | State of Ohio | +2000 |
| Will Anderson | Alabama | +2200 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | Alabama | +2400 |
| Bijan Robinson | Texas | +2500 |
| Dillon Gabriel | Oklahoma | +2800 |
| Tyler van Dyke | Miami | +3500 |
| Quinn Ewers | Texas | +3500 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | State of Ohio | +4000 |
| Will Shipley | Clemson | +5000 |
| Spencer Rattler | South Carolina | +5000 |
| Anthony Richardson | Florida | +5000 |
| Jason Dart | Ole Fraulein | +5000 |
| DJ Uiagalelei | Clemson | +5000 |
| Will Levis | Kentucky | +6000 |
| Hendon hooker | Tennessee | +6000 |
| Braelon Allen | Wisconsin | +6000 |
| Stetson Bennett | Georgia | +6000 |
| KJ Jefferson | Arkansas | +6000 |
| Jayden Daniels | LSU | +6000 |
| Devin Leary | NC state | +6000 |
| JT Daniels | West Virginia | +6000 |
| Kedon Slowis | Pittsburgh | +6000 |
| Bo Nix | Oregon | +7500 |
| Cameron Rising | Utah | +7500 |
| Jordan Addison | Southern California | +7500 |
| Max Johnson | LSU | +7500 |
| Tyler Buchner | Notre-Dame | +7500 |
| Casey Thompson | Nebraska | +7500 |
| Malik Cunningham | Louisville | +7500 |
| Will Rogers | State of Mississippi | +8000 |
| Michael Penix Jr. | Washington | +10000 |
| Grayson McCall | Coastal Carolina | +10000 |
| Jake Haener | State of Fresno | +10000 |
| Blake Corum | Michigan | +10000 |
| Kayshon Boutte | LSU | +10000 |
| Phil Jurkovec | Boston College | +10000 |
| Jack Miller III | State of Ohio | +10000 |
| Sean Clifford | Pennsylvania | +10000 |
| Cameron Ward | Washington | +10000 |
| JJ McCarthy | Michigan | +10000 |
| Taulia Tagovailoa | Maryland | +10000 |
| Two Vaughns | State of Kansas | +10000 |
| Brennan Armstrong | Virginia | +10000 |
| Jase McClellan | Alabama | +10000 |
| Agiye Hall | Minnesota | +10000 |
| Aidan O’Connell | Purdue | +10000 |
| Panzer Bigsby | maroon | +10000 |
Heisman Trophy Odds 2022: Favourites
CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State +200 (implied probability 33.33 percent)
Stroud remains the clear favorite going into the season after an impressive freshman season in which he threw for 4,435 yards with a 44-6 TD-to-INT ratio. Another performance of 4,000+ passing yards coupled with an effective TD-to-INT ratio should invite him to New York City for a second straight year.
There isn’t really any money to be made right now by betting Stroud at +200 as you might be better off waiting for his odds to come down in the season before betting on him winning the Heisman. Conversely, if you think he’s off to a great start by setting fire to Notre Dame’s defense in Week 1, his chances could only increase.
It’s part of the gamble, but ultimately to say that a player already has a 33.33 percent chance of winning the Heisman before the season starts is really high praise. Stroud is undoubtedly a talented QB, but there are other talented players at CFB who could make this year’s Heisman race interesting.
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama +430 (implicit probability 18.87 percent)
Were it not for Stroud’s projects for a dominant 2022 season, Young would be the clear favorite to repeat as Heisman. Young has a chance to throw for 5,000 yards in his second season as a full-time starter as he’s had another offseason to learn and develop.
He’ll also get much better play off his offensive line after Alabama conceded 41 sacks a season ago. Cleaner pockets can allow Young to trust the scheme instead of jumping out of pocket and improvising.
The loss of WR students Jameson Williams, John Metchie and Slade Bolden certainly hurts, and while he won’t be nearly as talented by a WR corps this season, Young is too good a QB to worry about the ramifications of a WR – to worry about downgrading.
Young has a chance to become the clear favorite if he makes a big showing against Texas in Austin in Week 2. His chances may only get smaller as the season progresses, and now may be the best time to get involved in a potential Heisman reprise.
Heisman Trophy Odds 2022: Sleepers
Will Anderson, LB, Alabama +2200 (implied probability 4.35 percent)
Anderson was snubbed when he didn’t get an invite to New York City last season, and that’s likely to change this year. For a defensive player to sit at just 22-1 to win the preseason Heisman speaks to just how elite he really is. He’s so good he has a real shot at becoming the first defender to win the award since Charles Woodson in 1997.
Anderson recorded a dominant 2021 season in which the edge rusher accumulated 17.5 sacks (first in the NCAA) and 57 solo tackles. He’s unguardable in one-on-one situations and still difficult to contain in doubles. Like Young, Anderson has a chance to move up preseason with a big performance against Texas on national TV in Week 2.
While there was a time this offseason when Anderson’s odds were higher than 22-1, he’s still a sleeper worth keeping an eye on.
Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee +6000 (implied probability 1.64 percent)
Tennessee is probably Georgia’s biggest threat in the SEC East, and a big part of that is Josh Heupel’s efficient offense led by Hooker. Hooker took over for an ineffective Joe Milton last season, and the Volunteers started clicking a new signal caller.
Hooker has had a full offseason to continue learning Heupel’s scheme, which could lead to an even better 2022 for the 6-4 QB. If Tennessee is able to shock the world and win the SEC East at 60-1, Hooker has an outside chance of earning the New York invite.
Heisman Trophy Odds 2022: Long shots
Cameron Rising, QB, Utah +7500 (implied probability 1.32 percent)
Rising Heisman’s “narrative” is similar to Hooker’s in that he also took over an ineffective QB early last season, resulting in a much better end to the season for his school. While Utah was the most efficient offense leading ball last season in terms of extra points expected, they still had to rely on Rising to matriculate the ball on the field and consistently make the right reads. Rising posted an effective TD-to-INT ratio of 20:5 with an 84.2 QBR (sixth place in the NCAA).
Given his talent and the fact that he’s on a team with playoff ambitions, Rising’s 75-1 price tag is a miss. While it’s more realistic that he won’t receive an invite to New York City in December, there’s a good chance he’ll fall to less than 75-1 over the course of the season.
Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State +10000 (implicit probability 0.99 percent)
Vaughn led all qualifying players with wins over substitutes last season, and while he’s not on a team likely to finish the season in the top 10, he’s a big part of Kansas State’s offense and one of the most difficult RBs to be held over 60 minutes.
There’s a reason Deuce Vaughn is PFF’s #1 returning RB 😬pic.twitter.com/uZ1YLvrFeM
— PFF College (@PFF_College) January 30, 2022
Vaughn’s big play ability could result in a 2,000-yard rushing output and a 500-yard receiving output. At 100-1, he’s a long shot whose skills justify a lower price in the betting market.