Following being selected with the second overall pick by the New York Giants in this year's draft, it has placed a tremendous level of expectations upon running back Saquon Barkley in his first campaign. This has put him in the position to secure a huge role in the offensive game plan from the get-go next season.

All of this has quickly levied Barkley into being considered the betting favorite by Bovada to earn the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award (h/t Manish Mehta of The New York Daily News)

2018 NFL Rookie of the Year Odds

The Giants are hoping that Barkley can quickly step in as the lead running back that could help carry the offense alongside star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Barkley is a uniquely talented player that has shown the ability to impact the game as both a runner and a receiver out of the backfield. He put that all on display in the 2017 season at Penn State where recorded up nearly 1,300 rushing yards along with hauling in 54 catches for 632 yards along with two kickoff return touchdowns.

He is in line to be the clear-cut starter that should give him ample opportunities to be highly productive that should push him toward being one of the top rookies of his class. It will lie on his shoulders to take advantage of the situation of where the team is hoping that he could become their franchise cornerstone player in the backfield that could bring stability the team hasn't had since the days of Tiki Barber.

There could be other compelling rookies such as quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Baker Mayfield but each of those situations doesn't have the current trajectory of being the starters to begin the season. Nonetheless, these betting odds show the level of expectations that have been put ahead of the Giants' new running back.