NFL Futures: 4 Best Value Bets to Win Their Division

With two weeks of the NFL preseason in the books and plenty of training camp action completed, we are slowly seeing the teams that are built to compete versus the teams that are essentially just happy to be here. We know the sure bets to win their division, so there’s no point in doing a deep dive on them. Bold prediction: the New England Patriots will win the AFC East. Instead, let’s take a look at the four best value bets to win their divisions right now.

All of the odds for these futures were taken from FanDuel Sportsbook.

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AFC South — Houston Texans (+270)
The Indianapolis Colts are the clear favorites to win the division (+110), but let’s not discount the Texans. This is a team that went 11-2 during the final 13 weeks of the 2018 season en route to winning the AFC South. With the health of Andrew Luck already in question for the Colts, the Texans are a good bet to be competing for the division title, and they are a bet that has a great return.

Their biggest weakness last season is still very much the same, with the offensive line giving up the most sacks in the league (62). However, they are healthier and improved. The improved health of the receiving corps should also allow Deshaun Watson to get the ball out quickly and hopefully neutralize this weakness slightly. Defensively, they are still elite and are a group that can win games.

AFC West — Los Angeles Chargers (+170)
The best time to bet on the Chargers is now. We recently heard again that the contract negotiations with Melvin Gordon are not close, and now the starting safety, Derwin James, will possibly be out three months. This has made their odds drop to make the Chargers a great value, considering they finished last season 12-4. I do not believe Gordon will miss many, if any, games. But even if he does, there is enough talent on this offense to supplement that loss. The James injury hurts, but this is still a solid defensive group that may now bring more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

We know what Derek Carr and Joe Flacco look like against pressure, so this group may have some fun weeks. All it takes is one injury to unravel to Kansas City Chiefs. And while we do not want to wish injury on anyone, it’s always smart to place a bet on the obvious favorites should something unfortunate happen.

NFC East — Dallas Cowboys (+150)
Speaking of injuries, has there been enough of a sample size to call Carson Wentz injury prone? Much like what was said previously, it’s always smart to place a bet on the obvious favorites should something unfortunate happen. If history repeats itself with the Philly quarterback, then Dallas will likely become the favorites; it’s not going to be Washington or New York.

Either way, the Cowboys are built to compete this season. Whether Ezekiel Elliott is suited up or not, Dallas will feature a strong running game behind a healthy offensive line. This opens up dangerous play action with an improved receiving corps. Should Dallas get a lead, they will grind out the clock and bring effective pressure defensively. This is a team that is overlooked, and I would gladly take these odds for them to win the division. Try not to judge this team based on their fans.

NFC South — Carolina Panthers (+550)
Are the Panthers most likely to win the NFC South? No, but they are a tremendous value to do so. At +550, they have the third-best odds in the division, behind the New Orleans Saints (-165) and the Atlanta Falcons (+320).

We saw last season how injuries can destroy a team since the Falcons were decimated by severe injuries. The Saints seem to be a team built to withstand hits with two talented players behind Drew Brees and depth all over the offense. However, the defense is an injury or two away from being bad again.

Many forget that the Panthers started the season 6-2 before injuries really hurt them. Cam Newton may be the healthiest he has been in recent seasons, and there are young, athletic playmakers all over this offense that will be a lot to handle.

Defensively, they lost some people, but they will be better than many think. With Luke Kuechly and Gerald McCoy anchoring them, this unit will make plays. Pressure should be lifted off of them by the offense, though, with last year’s offense being the most efficient rushing team in the league (5.1 YPC). The Panthers are being slept on, which is something that has not been the case in recent seasons.

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Zach Brunner is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Zach, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyFlurry.