32 Bets for 32 Teams: Best Futures to Bet Ahead of the 2026 NFL Season

There are 32 days until the 2026 NFL season kicks off, or even fewer if you're reading this any day after it was published. That means it's time for us bettors to lock in. Read previews, draft your fantasy teams, and place your bets for the upcoming season. As I do every year, my yearly preview is going to be my best bet I have for each team. 32 teams, 32 bets.

The bet can be any wager related to the team, whether it be a bet on them to win their division, go over their win total, or even a season-long player prop.

Every bet I've placed in this article is available at one of the following sportsbooks that are available to use in multiple states across the USA:

Strap in, my friends. It's football season.

Arizona Cardinals Best Bet

Jeremiyah Love UNDER 899.5 Rushing Yards -110 (DraftKings)

You would think that the Cardinals would've learned from the mistake the Las Vegas Raiders made a year before, when they ignored the list of holes they had on their roster and instead decided to use their top draft pick on a running back, Ashton Jeanty. The result was the former Boise State Bronco struggling to get to the line of scrimmage before having to face contact, averaging a measly 3.7 yards per carry.

Jeremiyah Love finds himself in a similar, but somehow even worse, situation. Not only will the rookie running back from Notre Dame be playing behind arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL, but his quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, won't strike fear in any defense, allowing them to completely stack the box. Love also won't get the carries Jeanty had, considering the Cardinals have a loaded running back room with Trey Benson, James Conner and Tyler Allgeier, who they just gave $12.25 million to.

Atlanta Falcons Best Bet

OVER 7.5 Wins +136 (DraftKings)

The Falcons might be the team with the highest level of variance in terms of potential outcomes this season. If they don't get good quarterback play, if their linebackers don't improve, if Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees can't find a way to scheme an offense to take advantage of Bijan Robinson and Drake London, then they're going to be one of the worst teams in the conference. In the same breath, if those things all go in their favor, they could win the division.

The bottom line is they have plenty of talent on offense and found a pass-rush on defense last year. They also have a new head coach who has been proven to lead bad rosters to a better record than they deserve. With their win total at 7.5 with the OVER at plus-money, I'll once again put my faith in the Falcons.

Baltimore Ravens Best Bet

Miss the Playoffs +305 (DraftKings)

The Ravens have the best odds to make the playoffs amongst all 16 AFC teams, and that's something I strongly disagree with. Should they be favored to return to the postseason? Absolutely, but I think there's value at +305 to bet on them to miss the playoffs for the second straight year.

I know the "Lamar Jackson's style doesn't age well" talking point is tiresome, and I know he was hurt at times last year, but he ranked just 14th amongst quarterbacks last season in adjusted EPA per play and 13th in completion percentage over expected. Are we sure he's going to bounce back with an offensive line that's far inferior to what it was last year, and a receiving core that still leaves a lot to be desired? Then there's Derrick Henry at 32-years-old, who will be even more affected by the loss of Tyler Linderbaum at center. Finally, Jesse Minter is a huge question mark as their new head coach, and I generally don't believe in defensive coordinators turned head coach.

I'm willing to take a chance at north of 3-1 odds.

Buffalo Bills Best Bet

To Win AFC East -136 (DraftKings)

The Bills are arguably the AFC team with the highest floor this season, and I don't think it's a hot take to say the Patriots will regress in the division now having to play a first-place schedule after playing a historically easy schedule in 2025. Even with the Patriots getting a massive schedule advantage last year, they still just squeaked out the division title.

As long as Josh Allen remains healthy, the Bills should have no issue reclaiming the AFC East title.

Carolina Panthers Best Bet

UNDER 7.5 Wins -136 (DraftKings)

The Carolina Panthers had the worst DVOA and the worst Net Yards per Play amongst all playoff teams, and the downside of them winning the NFC South is that Bryce Young has bought himself more time as their quarterback. While I like the management and coaching staff of this team, I can't take them seriously until they move on from Young and get a serious player at that position. End-of-season hype has inflated their numbers in the futures market for this season. I'm willing to bet on regression happening in Carolina.

Chicago Bears Best Bet

Miss the Playoffs -110 (BetMGM)

Every season there's a team that continuously pulls out wins late in games, falls on the right side of variance more often than not, and the 2025 version of that was the Chicago Bears. I'm still not sold on this team on either side of the ball, and I'm not yet convinced that Caleb Williams is a franchise quarterback. If they do it again in 2026, I'll be the first to put my hand up and admit I'm wrong, but I'm not there yet. Their wide receiver core got worse, losing DJ Moore, and their center, Drew Dalman, decided to retire at 27.

Let's also remember the Bears lead the NFL in average turnover margin at +0.9 per game. That's extremely hard to replicate in back-to-back years. If it doesn't repeat, they're going to regress and struggle to make the playoffs in a loaded NFC.

Cincinnati Bengals Best Bet

Win AFC North +194 (DraftKings)

If the Baltimore Ravens don't bounce back after last year's disappointing season, then that leaves the AFC North wide open for the Cincinnati Bengals, with the Pittsburgh Steelers or Cleveland Browns likely both struggling to make any noise this season.

It's time for the Bengals to put up or shut up. Joe Burrow has to stay healthy, and Dexter Lawrence has to make an immediate impact on defense. If those things happen, the Bengals have a chance to return to the type of team that made the Super Bowl a few years ago. They're going to benefit from playing the third-easiest schedule in the NFL based on opponents' win totals, which is going to be a huge help when it comes to competing for the division title.

Cleveland Browns Best Bet

UNDER 5.5 Wins +110 (DraftKings)

I think the Browns are going to show us just how good a coach Kevin Stefanski was by showcasing how truly awful this roster is. Sure, they made some smart moves in the offseason to start building for the future, but that's not going to help them this season. Their best offensive weapon is Jerry Jeudy, their quarterback room is a mess, and they traded away the Defensive Player of the Year. I don't know how they can manage to scrap together six wins this season.

Dallas Cowboys Best Bet

Miss The Playoffs -104 (FanDuel)

The Cowboys' defense was last in the NFL in EPA and last in DVOA last season, and they did little to improve it in the offseason outside of hiring Christian Parker to be their new defensive coordinator. That's not enough to make me think they'll improve on that side of the football, which means we're likely to see yet another Cowboys team that will be all offense and no defense. Some seasons, that could be enough to snag a playoff spot in the NFC, but I don't think that's going to get it done in 2026.

Denver Broncos Best Bet

UNDER 9.5 Wins +105 (Caesars)

The Denver Broncos had the best record in the NFL in one-score games last season at 11-2, a record that's certainly going to be almost impossible to repeat in 2026. They still have a great defense and arguably the best offensive line in the league, but Bo Nix ranked just 18th in the NFL in adjusted EPA per play, which is a concern heading into this season. There's no getting around the fact that the Broncos will play a much tougher schedule this season while still being in one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL. I envision regression incoming for Denver.

Detroit Lions Best Bet

Win Super Bowl 61 +1900 (DraftKings)

My pick to win Super Bowl 61 is the Detroit Lions. There are a lot of things to like about this team heading into the 2026 season. Firstly, I thought they were a lot better than their record showed last season, finishing the year third in DVOA and sixth in Net Yards per Play, the best mark amongst all teams that didn't make the postseason. This season, they get to play the easiest schedule in the NFL based on opponent projected win totals, which gives them an inside track to not only win the NFC North, but potentially capture the No. 1 seed.

I also love their move trading away David Montgomery. He has been far less effective than Jahmyr Gibbs, and the Lions' offense wasn't as good when he was in the game. Now, they can utilize Gibbs much more, which will do nothing but help their offense.

At 19-1, I think they're the best Super Bowl value bet on the board.

Green Bay Packers Best Bet

OVER 9.5 Wins -130 (DraftKings)

I have high hopes for the Packers this season, a team that ranked sixth in the NFL in offensive DVOA in 2025. Their defense is what cost them in 2025, but bringing in the likes of Zaire Franklin in free agency and spending their top pick on cornerback Brandon Cisse out of South Carolina should bolster that unit. They failed to reach 10 wins last year, finishing at 9-7-1, but I have faith they can reach that mark this year.

Houston Texans Best Bet

Win AFC South +135 (Caesars)

The Texans' defense may very well be the best unit in the NFL, and they spent the money they had to spend this offseason to keep this unit together. They were fourth in the NFL in team DVOA last season, but failed to win the division due to the Jacksonville Jaguars catching fire in the second half of the season. I have more faith in the Texans repeating their success this season, especially with their offensive coordinator, Nick Caley, entering his second year with the team. If they can stay healthy, I think the AFC South goes through them.

Indianapolis Colts Best Bet

OVER 7.5 Wins -125 (BetMGM)

The Colts are a perfect example of season-to-season recency bias. The Colts were one of the best teams in the NFL in the first half of last season, but a few close losses and an injury to Daniel Jones caused them to end the season on a losing streak. As a result, the betting market only thinks of the second half of their season and completely forgets the first half. The New Orleans Saints are an example of a team in the opposite situation.

At the end of the season, the Colts still ranked fifth in team DVOA, seventh in EPA per play, and eighth in Net Yards per Play. While they didn't do a ton this offseason, I did like their move of signing Arden Key to help out their defense.

We aren't asking for much from the Colts. An 8-9 season would be enough for us to cash this bet.

Jacksonville Jaguars Best Bet

Trevor Lawrence OVER 3,750.5 Passing Yards -114 (FanDuel)

Why is this number so low? Trevor Lawrence has reached 4,000+ passing yards in three of his past four seasons, and the one year he didn't in that stretch was 2024, when he played just eight games due to an injury. He passed for 4,007 yards last season in the first year under new head coach Liam Coen. Now that he has a full season in Coen's offensive system, I'd be shocked if he doesn't go over this number if he stays healthy.

Kansas City Chiefs Best Bet

UNDER 10.5 Wins -135 (BetMGM)

I don't think this is automatically going to be a bounce-back season for the Kansas City Chiefs. Yes, Patrick Mahomes got hurt late in the season last year, and they lost plenty of one-score games, but I wasn't impressed by this team as a whole even before the Mahomes injury. The team was just 15th in the league in DVOA, and Mahomes ranked just 21st in the league in completion percentage over expected. Their defense wasn't a top 10 unit either, ranking 12th in EPA and 14th in success rate.

On top of all their 2025 woes, they had a less-than-stellar offseason. They traded away Trent McDuffee and let Jaylen Watson walk, and I don't think they did enough to replace those two pieces.

Is Mahomes really going to return from an ACL injury and lead this roster to an 11-win season? I don't think so.

Las Vegas Raiders Best Bet

Brock Bowers OVER 900.5 Receiving Yards -114 (Caesars)

Let's not forget that Brock Bowers racked up 1,194 receiving yards on 112 catches in his rookie season. He took a step back in 2025, battling injuries throughout the season and playing on a team that couldn't find good quarterback play and a head coach who was stuck in the 2010s with his offensive scheme. Now, he's going to get much-better quarterback play and have a head coach in Klint Kubiak who knows how to get the ball in the hands of his best player. As long as his injuries don't linger into this season, expect Bowers to have an explosive campaign.

Los Angeles Chargers Best Bet

Win AFC West +190 (DraftKings)

I expect major regression from the Broncos as I wrote about above, and I also don't think the Chiefs are going to bounce back the way people expect this season. That leaves the AFC West wide open for the Los Angeles Chargers to take. I don't think it can be overstated how pivotal hiring Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator will prove to be. He may not be head coach material, but he can scheme an offense, especially if he has talent, and he has plenty of that on this Chargers roster.

Let's also remember that the Chargers lost both their starting offensive tackles last year. With them now healthy, an elite offensive coordinator, and Jim Harbaugh leading the team, all signs point to them having the best season they've had in years.

Los Angeles Rams Best Bet

OVER 11.5 Wins -125 (Caesars)

It's always tough to figure out how exactly to bet on the team that's treated as a significant step above the rest in the betting market heading into the season. Do you just bet on them to win the Super Bowl? To win the division? I'm going to take the safest of all of them and bet them to go OVER 11.5 wins. The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are too good for me to be confident in betting the Rams to win the NFC West, and the number is too short for me to want to bet on them to win the Super Bowl.

The only concern I have with the Rams is Matthew Stafford's age. At 38-years-old, you have to think the wheels are going to fall off eventually. It likely won't be this year, but I wouldn't be completely shocked if it is. As long as he stays healthy and can compete at a high level, the Rams' only weakness is their special teams, which was one of the worst units in the league last year. Even if they don't completely fix that issue, they shouldn't struggle too much reaching a record of at least 12-5.

Miami Dolphins Best Bet

Fewest Wins in NFL +375 (Caesars)

We can pretty confidently predict that either the Arizona Cardinals or Miami Dolphins will finish the upcoming season with the fewest wins, but my prediction is going to be the Dolphins, which is being offered at longer odds at +375. The Cardinals are the favorites due to their tough schedule, but when it comes to roster construction, I think Miami is the worse team.

The Dolphins have Malik Willis at quarterback, De'Von Achane at running back, and their best receiver is Malik Washington. Defensively, they're a disaster and might just be the worst unit in the entire NFL. I'm also not a believer in first-year head coach Jeff Hafley.

If you're a fan of the Dolphins, you have to like that they are intentionally rebuilding, and they had a great offseason when it comes to loading up draft picks and preparing for the future, but this season is going to be tough to watch.

Minnesota Vikings Best Bet

Kyler Murray Comeback Player of the Year +600 (FanDuel)

Patrick Mahomes may look like a shoo-in for this award, but I don't have faith in him returning to his peak form, and he'll likely have to return to his elite self if he wants to be named Comeback Player of the Year. That's why the door is open for Kyler Murray at +600. Not only is he in a new situation, but he now has a great coach and plenty of offensive talent he can lean on, including Justin Jefferson at wide receiver. If it's not going to work for Murray this year, it'll never work. He has all the tools he needs to live up to his potential, and I'm hoping he realizes this could be his last shot.

New England Patriots Best Bet

Miss The Playoffs +184 (DraftKings)

Not only did the Patriots have a historically easy schedule last season, but they went 7-3 in one-score games. Now, they have to not only play a much tougher schedule, but they're going to have to try to either repeat their strong late-game luck or improve enough that they won't find themselves in 10 different one-score games.

Is A.J. Brown's talent going to outweigh his locker room personality that plagued the Philadelphia Eagles? Can Will Campbell improve on what was an embarrassing Super Bowl performance now that he has to face much better pass rushes? Can they find a pass rush themselves? There are a lot more question marks surrounding the defending AFC champions than you might think. I'll take a shot on betting them to suffer a Super Bowl hangover and miss the playoffs entirely.

New Orleans Saints Best Bet

UNDER 7.5 Wins +105 (BetMGM)

Every season, there's a bad team that catches fire in the last handful of weeks and then convinces everyone it's a dark-horse playoff team the next season. This year's version of that team is the New Orleans Saints. Forgive me if I'm not impressed by beating the Buccaneers, Panthers, Jets, and Titans in four of their last five games. They also lost to the Falcons (twice) and the Dolphins in their seven games after their BYE.

Now, because Tyler Shough looked decent against terrible opponents, their win total deserves to be set at 7.5? Give me a break. The Saints did nothing to improve a defense that ranked 27th in DVOA last season, and their offense still has plenty of question marks. I'm selling any stock I had in the Saints.

New York Giants Best Bet

OVER 7.5 Wins -110 (DraftKings)

I'm cautiously optimistic about the Giants this year. I don't think they'll be able to grab a playoff spot, but eight or nine wins is certainly in reach. They made the head coach hiring of the offseason, bringing in John Harbaugh, who has been one of the best coaches in the league over the past two decades. He should make an immediate impact on not only this team, but the franchise as a whole.

Grabbing Arvell Reese at No. 5 in the draft and Francis Mauigoa at No. 10 is going to prove pivotal in 2026, grabbing two high-end pieces at important positions. Malik Nabers coming back healthy is also going to do wonders for this offense.

If a few things bounce their way, they could make some noise in the NFC East.

New York Jets Best Bet

UNDER 5.5 Wins +100 (Caesars)

The New York Jets were dead last in the NFL in DVOA last season and second last in net yards per play, and they responded in the offseason by maintaining Aaron Glenn as head coach and signing a ton of veterans who are well past their prime, like Geno Smith, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Demario Davis. They would now have to go 6-11 or better to go over their win total. I can't see that happening. It's going to be another long year for Jets fans.

Philadelphia Eagles Best Bet

Win NFC East +125 (BetMGM)

Leave it to the Eagles to once again have arguably the best offseason in the NFL. They may have had addition by subtraction when they traded away A.J. Brown, who unarguably had a negative effect on the Eagles' locker room last season. They attempted to fill his shoes by trading for Dontayvion Wicks and drafting Makai Lemon in the first round.

They also bolstered their defense by acquiring Jonathan Greenard and signing Riq Woolen, two of the more underrated moves of the offseason. They should still be the Kings of the NFC East as the Cowboys don't have a defense, the Commanders have a ton of question marks, and the New York Giants are in the middle of a rebuild. Time will tell if they can be at the same level as teams like the Rams, Seahawks, and whoever comes out of the NFC North, but I think they'll be good enough to comfortably win the NFC East for the third straight season.

Pittsburgh Steelers Best Bet

Aaron Rodgers UNDER 3,149.5 Passing Yards -115 (DraftKings)

Once quarterbacks start to decline with age, they don't typically (or ever) bounce back and all of a sudden have an elite year at 42 years old. Aaron Rodgers has decided to give it one more year in the NFL, and I think that's going to spell disaster in Pittsburgh. In fact, I'd be surprised if he plays the full year. Playing for his former coach, Mike McCarthy, who has allowed the game to pass him by, isn't going to make a difference.

Rodgers threw for 3,322 passing yards last season, so he'd have to almost entirely hold off further regression to reach that number and go over his set total for this season. I feel comfortable taking the UNDER.

San Francisco 49ers Best Bet

Brock Purdy MVP +2200 (BetMGM)

You can point to Kyle Shanahan's offensive scheme if you want to, but the fact of the matter few quarterbacks have been as efficient as Brock Purdy over the past few years. Even in a year where he played just nine games, he was second in the NFL in both adjusted EPA per play and completion percentage over expected while leading the 49ers to a 7-2 record. People also forget that in 2023 he finished fourth in MVP voting and was the betting favorite late in the year before a bad game in prime time against the Baltimore Ravens.

If the 49ers bounce back this season and Purdy stays healthy throughout, his numbers alone will be up with the top quarterbacks in the NFL. That makes him worth an MVP bet at 22-1.

Seattle Seahawks Best Bet

Jadarian Price Offensive Rookie of the Year +850 (BetMGM)

Almost every name at the top of the odds list to win Offensive Rookie of the Year gives me pause. Jeremiyah Love will play behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league; Fernando Mendoza may not start enough games; Jordyn Tyson will be the No. 2 receiver on a bad Saints team; Carnell Tate has a huge question mark in Cam Ward throwing him the ball; and Makai Lemon will be a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver for the Eagles. That leaves Jadarian Price, the Seahawks' rookie running back, as the one player near the top of the odds list that's in a favorable position.

Price will step in and fill the shoes left by Kenneth Walker, who signed with Kansas City, and the only other running back who will be competing for carries is Zach Charbonnet, who averaged just 4.0 yards per carry last season. Not only that, but with Sam Darnold and Jaxson Smith-Njigba on this offense, opposing defenses certainly won't be loading the box to try to slow down Price.

He's in a great situation in his rookie season, making him a great bet at +850.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Best Bet

Win NFC South +190 (Caesars)

Let's not overthink the NFC South. The Saints and Panthers may have gotten hot at the end of last season, but the Buccaneers are the clear best team in this division. They were 6-2 before the BYE week last season, and then went 2-7 after the BYE. Their final four losses were all by four points or less, so I expect some late-game variance to go back in their favor this season.

They have the best quarterback and the most complete roster of the four teams in the NFC South. They also drafted Rueben Bain Jr., who could make an immediate impact on defense for them.

They won't be an NFC contender, but they'll win the worst division in football.

Tennessee Titans Best Bet

Robert Saleh Coach of the Year +1600 (FanDuel)

We know the recipe for Coach of the Year at this point. It's going to be a new coach who has taken over a bad team and then leads them to the playoffs, preferably a division title, in his first year. There are a few other names that fit that bill, like John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski, but I think it's Saleh taking over the Titans who has the best chance of taking a team from worst to first. The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars are both good, but not great, teams. The division is winnable if the Titans take a significant step forward under Saleh.

Washington Commanders Best Bet

OVER 7.5 Wins -120 (Caesars)

In 2024, the Washington Commanders won virtually every one-score game they were in and converted third and fourth downs at an unprecedented rate. They were bound to regress in 2025, and regress they did, but I think they're better than their final record showed last season. With a healthy Jayden Daniels and new offensive and defensive coordinators, I expect them to be around a .500 team and potentially flirt with a playoff spot.

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