Michael Thomas now odds-on favorite to lead NFL in receiving yards

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, who has a league-leading 1,141 receiving yards through 10 games, is the commanding favorite to tally the most receiving yards this season.

Let's handicap his chances to keep the lead, as well as the chances of his two leading competitors and a dark-horse candidate.

Odds to lead the NFL in receiving yards

Michael Thomas (-160)

Thomas has a 148-yard cushion on Buccaneers wideout Mike Evans going into Week 12, when his team will face the Panthers and their 14th-rated pass stoppers. The Saints have just one game left on their schedule against an elite pass defense–Week 14 against the top-ranked 49ers.

With Thomas also leaps and bounds ahead of second-place DeAndre Hopkins in receptions (94 to 75), it’s tough to envision the Ohio State product will struggle for yardage down the stretch.

Mike Evans (+300)

Evans averages a healthy 17.1 yards per reception and has a favorable schedule in front of him. He'll face the Falcons defense (26th in passing yards allowed per game) twice, as well as the Lions (30th) and Texans (29th) once each before the year ends. However, Tampa Bay teammate Chris Godwin, third with 887 receiving yards, will continue to take opportunities away from Evans.

Julio Jones (+600)

Jones is fifth in yardage but just five yards behind Godwin (887 yards) for third. However, with Godwin sitting at +900 and fourth-place Amari Cooper (886 yards) at +700, Jones represents terrible value in this market. His schedule is somewhat favorable down the stretch, but a meeting with the 49ers in Week 15 could put a crimp in his chances to catch and pass Thomas.

Dark horse: Stefon Diggs (+2500)

Diggs has just two fewer receiving yards than Jones, yet is sitting at more than four times the price (although he has played one extra game). His 880 yards come despite a woefully slow start, which almost saw him demand a trade out of Minnesota. Diggs is averaging 19.1 yards per reception and has a chance to build on his solid season, with games against the Seahawks (28th in pass defense), Lions (30th) and Packers (23rd) still in front of him.