USFL League Champion Betting Odds, Picks & Preview (2022)

I’m excited about spring football and the betting opportunities accompanying the new USFL. Since February, I’ve been digging in on the head coaches, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers (part one and part two), and tight ends for FantasyPros. I’ve also kept my eyes peeled for transactions, familiarized myself with the supplemental draft picks, and learned more about the offensive lines and defenses. As a result, my finger is firmly on the pulse of the USFL. Finally, the beauty of an upstart league and general unfamiliarity for folks is juicy futures betting lines across the board. Below, I highlight one chalky fade, my favorite pick, and a rock-solid second-favorite selection to win the league’s inaugural championship.

Fade

Michigan Panthers (+450)

I’m not surprised the Panthers are the co-betting favorites. Jeff Fisher is the team’s head coach, and he’s likely the most familiar coach to NFL fans. Further, they had the first pick in the first round of the USFL draft, allowing them to pick their signal-caller — each round of the USFL draft was dedicated to a position group. Nevertheless, I’m not enamored with Fisher or his choice of quarterback, Shea Patterson.

Unsurprisingly, milquetoast Fisher’s offensive coordinator, Eric Marty, loves multiple tight ends and leaning heavily on the running game, per a conversation from fellow USFL enthusiasts Cody Main and Anthony Amico from Establish The Run.

Michigan’s modus operandi screams Boomer Ball, three yards and a cloud of dust on offense and playing good defense. Can they have success with that formula? Maybe. However, I suspect Fisher’s antiquated method for playing football will result in mediocrity or worse than hoisting a championship trophy. Thankfully, I’m not alone in fading the Panthers, as Bryan Knowles from Football Outsiders explicitly stated Michigan wouldn’t be his pick to win the title.

Favorite Pick

Philadelphia Stars (+600)

I share good company picking the Stars as my favorite to win the inaugural USFL title. The previously mentioned Knowles and Main both like the Stars.

Knowles described the Stars as the defending champions of a league just starting, a hat tip to The Spring League (TSL). Bart Andrus had an 11-2 record in four years in TSL, winning the 2020 championship game.

Andrus has gotten the band back together as best as possible in the USFL, creating continuity I value in making the Stars my pick to win the championship. Most notably, the offense will be run by two-time TSL MVP Bryan Scott. Scott has played for Andrus. So, he’s familiar with the offense. Additionally, wideouts Jordan Suell and Devin Gray have played for Andrus as well. I love the pairing of spring football stalwarts Andrus and Scott, making them a steal at +600, behind three teams in betting odds to win the title.

Second-Favorite Pick

New Orleans Breakers (+550)

The odds are so juicy for picking an inaugural USFL champ that I like dabbling on two teams, especially since I’m fading the co-chalk picks, the Panthers and Tampa Bay Bandits. Picking two teams provides you a quarter of the league as candidates to win the championship and clear a profit. That’s not too shabby!

The primary reason for my infatuation with the New Orleans Breakers is their starting quarterback, Kyle Sloter. He had an unusual path in his college career. Nevertheless, he caught the eye of scouts at his pro day. Sloter has received workouts with and spent time in training camp or on practice squads for the  Broncos, Vikings, Cardinals, Lions, Bears, and Raiders. Sadly, he’s never played in the regular season in the NFL. However, he’s been a preseason darling, as I discussed extensively in the USFL quarterback profiles for FantasyPros.

Therefore, I expect Sloter to be a cut above most USFL quarterbacks. A top-shelf signal-caller can paper over other shortcomings on a roster. Moreover, Sloter will command a spread offense run by offensive-minded head coach Larry Fedora, making New Orleans’ offense potentially one of the top units in the USFL. When choosing between putting a chip on a top offense or top defense winning a ‘ship, I’ll put my chip on the offense nine out of ten times. So, I like Sloter and Co. as a contender to win the title.

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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.