Dylan Harper has dropped from the third-highest odds to win Rookie of the Year to sixth (+4000), according to FanDuel. It's no fault of his own. Injuries happen in sports. But he's going to have to pay the price anyway, manifesting in an even steeper uphill climb than he had before to achieve something with the Spurs that no organization can boast: 3 consecutive ROY wins.
Harper's obstacles were already tough enough
This season is about more than a single award, but that doesn't mean the former Rutgers star doesn't still want to win it. As a matter of fact, he made it clear that he was going after the honor when he was drafted to San Antonio. He entered the year as a top-three candidate, but he wasn't always second, depending on the publication or oddsmaker, despite a general consensus that he's a top-two prospect with NBA-ready skills.
VJ Edgecombe was expected to come into this season as a force of nature, and he's done exactly that. He and Cooper Flagg had an advantage as starters on their teams, affording them additional time on the floor and more opportunities to make an impact. Harper's role coming off the bench on a deep team with a generous guard rotation was always going to make his path to victory treacherous.
The Rookie of the Year race is going to be intense all year
Once the season began, D. Harp did exactly what he needed to do to solidify himself as a bona fide candidate in this race by being one of the most efficient players in his class. He's averaging 14 points on 50% FG and doing multiple things on the floor, proving himself to be a winning player who truly understands the game. Unfortunately for him, he hasn't been the only one shooting a high percentage.
Edgecomb is averaging 20 points on 49% and shooting 42% from outside. Cedrick Coward and Kon Knueppel have also emerged, scoring with comparable numbers to Dyl, but they're both shooting better from deep. I haven't even mentioned Flagg in a while because he hasn't been the best rookie so far, but don't sleep on him. He came in with the most hype, so he'll be afforded the most leeway.
Harper is expected to miss "multiple weeks," and it's out of sight, out of mind for the voters. The good news is that it's early in the season, and recency bias plays a large role in all of our lives. If he can come back and be undeniable, he stands a chance at righting the ship, but he'll need the others to slow down as he charges through the competition like a battering ram.