Betting Odds Reveal Surprising New AFC West Favorite

The Kansas City Chiefs had been the kings of the AFC West division for nearly a decade until the Denver Broncos secured the division title this past season. Surprisingly, neither of these two teams are the early betting favorite for the 2026 season. That would be the Los Angeles Chargers led by quarterback Justin Herbert.

The former Oregon Ducks star will look to win the Chargers their first AFC West title since 2009.

Chargers Early AFC West Favorites

Oregon Ducks Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers Bo Nix Denver Broncos AFC West Division Betting Odds Kansas City Chiefs — Dec 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) participates in early pregame warmups against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers are the favorite to win the AFC West with betting odds of +170 according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Right behind them are the Chiefs with odds of +175. The defending AFC West champion Broncos are third at +215. Then there are the Las Vegas Raiders behind them with odds of +2500.

The Chargers went 11-6 in 2025 which gave them the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff picture. They were knocked out in the wild card round by the New England Patriots. Los Angeles was battered with injuries all season, especially on the offensive line. The oddsmakers clearly don’t see that happening in 2026 to the level it did in 2025.

Denver ran away with the division in 2025, going 14-3 and securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Broncos looked poised to make a run to the Super Bowl but those chances were dashed when their quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle in the playoffs. The former Oregon Ducks quarterback was unable to play in the Broncos AFC Championship game vs. the Patriots. The Patriots won 10-7 to advance to Super Bowl LX.

The Chiefs ran the division for so long it’s not a total shocker to see their odds that close to being the favorite even after their 6-11 2025 season. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be recovering from a torn ACL and his timeline to return is not set at this moment. That will play a major factor on if the Chiefs can compete for the division title. If he’s back sooner rather than later, it’s hard to bet against the Chiefs.

The worst odds are the Raiders, who went 3-14 in 2025. They have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. They should improve drastically with a new coach and quarterback, but the jump to winning the division in year one could be a stretch.

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Herbert vs. Nix

The AFC West is the division of former Oregon quarterbacks: the Chargers’ Justin Herbert and the Broncos’ Bo Nix. The two have faced off head-to-head three times so far. Herbert has got the best of Nix and has a record of 3-0 against him.

Herbert played for Oregon from 2016-2019. In these four seasons, he totaled 10,541 passing yards and 95 touchdown passes. Herbert’s final game in college was arguably his most memorable one as he led the Ducks to an epic Rose Bowl win over the Wisconsin Badgers. A few months later, Herbert was selected No. 6 overall by the Chargers in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Bo Nix played his final two collegiate seasons for Oregon from 2022-2023. As a Duck, he threw for 8,101 yards and 74 touchdowns. Nix led Oregon to a Fiesta Bowl win in his final game before being selected No. 12 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Broncos.

The two are set to continue to face off multiple times each season as AFC West rivals.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.