NFL oddsmakers seem to think Miami Dolphins will start Tua Tagovailoa from Day 1
William Hill sportsbook offers a handful of props on Tua Tagovailoa's rookie season with the Dolphins.
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LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was taken first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft, and there's no question that, barring injury, Burrow will be under center for Week 1 of the regular season – whenever that may be. Players taken with the top pick don't sit as rookies, even for a few weeks. However, when betting on some William Hill sportsbook props on No. 5 overall pick Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins, it's important to realize that Tua might not be the Week 1 starter.
There's little question that Tagovailoa is the most talented quarterback on the Dolphins' roster considering he's only battling veteran journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick and former first-round bust Josh Rosen. However, the Fins are on record saying they will be cautious with Tua considering all his injuries suffered at Alabama.
Miami head coach Brian Flores learned under Bill Belichick, and Belichick is rather conservative in playing rookies. Tom Brady got into just one game as a rookie with the Patriots and only took over early in the 2001 season because of an injury to Drew Bledsoe. Then again, neither Fitzpatrick nor Rosen is in Bledsoe's class.
For what it's worth, ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper said this Monday on NFL Live: "I said from the get go, I would sit Tua. He would not take a snap in a regular-season game. Let his body heal, medically redshirt him."
Still, it seems William Hill oddsmakers like Tua's chances of playing nearly every regular-season game considering the prices on a few of his yes-only props. For example, that Tua tops 3,330 passing yards is priced at -118 and so is him throwing more than 20 touchdown passes. If he plays, say, only the last 10 games then those totals are going to be almost impossible to reach – the yards surely won't be reached.
That Tagovailoa scores at least five rushing touchdowns this season is +300 and that he breaks the NFL rookie record of 27 touchdown passes is +333. Andrew Luck set the league rookie record with 4,374 passing yards and Tua is +450 to surpass that.
Finally, Tua is +750 to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Only one Dolphin has ever won that and it wasn't Dan Marino but running back Troy Stradford in 1987. His career went downhill quickly after that.