The National Football League returns at full speed to an uncertain season. 66 players opted out of participation due to coronavirus concerns. The New England Patriots lost the most talent by far, with 8 players opting out, including LB Dont’a Hightower, OL Marcus Cannon, and S Patrick Chung. Other notable withdrawals include the Kansas City Chiefs’ RB Damien Williams, the NY Jets’ LB C.J Mosley, and Green Bay Packers’ Devin Funchess. Ultimately, injuries and hold outs are a part of the game, so the real question is, are you ready for some football!?
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AFC Division Odds
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills +120
New England Patriots +130
Miami Dolphins +800
New York Jets +850
Adding Stephon Diggs to an underrated receiving core gives the Bills’ offense more punch than a season ago. More is riding on Josh Allen’s inaccurate shoulders to make the most of their stellar defense. New England may have lost a lot but Bill Belichick remains and that has historically been enough. Cam Newton as their likely starting quarterback adds a bit of spice in the absence of Tom Brady.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens -255
Pittsburgh Steelers +350
Cleveland Browns +550
Cincinnati Bengals +2500
Coming off their best season in franchise history, the Baltimore Ravens lost little and added firepower on both sides of the ball. Aging Ben Roethlisberger will need a vintage season to keep up with the Joneses as Cleveland and Cincinnati try to pull themselves from the perpetual basement with young shiny new talent.
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs -455
Los Angeles Chargers +800
Denver Broncos +900
Las Vegas Raiders +1200
Often, winning a Super Bowl can lead to the departures of key players as other teams try to siphon off talent. The Chiefs managed to reward their key pieces with new contracts and bolster their roster through the draft. Repeating in the NFL takes a herculean effort but the Chiefs appear ready to do just that. However, many pundits see Denver as undervalued. The Broncos over of 7.5 has attracted 89% of the total dollars bet, which leads the NFL.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts +120
Tennessee Titans +160
Houston Texans +350
Jacksonville Jaguars +2200
The arrival of Phillip Rivers, all-pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, and a favorable schedule early all contribute to the Colts installation as the odds on favorites. However, Tennessee will likely be heard from as they return with most of their team from a surprisingly deep playoff run last year. The questions surround Ryan Tannehill’s ability to maintain last year’s stunningly high level of play and the health of bell cow RB Derrick Henry.
NFC Conference Division Odds
NFC East Odds
Dallas Cowboys -110
Philadelphia Eagles +140
New York Giant +1000
Washington Football Team +1300
Naturally, America’s team was billed the favorite but a new coach and an almost embarrassment of riches on the offense side of the ball may not lead to initial success. A difficult start to the schedule and finding the balance between Zeke Elliot and their deep stable of wide receivers could lead to some early bumps.
The Eagles look forward to the return of Carson Wentz, who completed 67.6% of his passes for 1,199 yards, seven touchdowns, and no interceptions over the final four games with no-name receivers.
NFC North
Minnesota Vikings +160
Green Bay Packers +180
Chicago Bears +380
Detroit Lions +550
Despite being the favorite, Minnesota has some questions after the loss of Stephon Diggs and their troubles along the offensive line. Less open receivers and more pressure add up to trouble for Kirk Cousins. Green Bay, as always, lurks with Aaron Rodgers, a great offensive line, and enough talent to make noise into January.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints -130
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +150
Atlanta Falcons +800
Carolina Panthers +2200
On paper, the NFC South and West are the two strongest conferences in football. Tom Brady brings his winning ways and Rob Gronkowski to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers haven’t made noise in years but an all-star cast of offensive players should at least provide some fireworks. Their offensive line remains their biggest concern. The Saints continue to look like one of the most talented teams in the league. The regular season hasn’t been the problem for Drew Brees and Co.
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers -106
Seattle Seahawks +220
Los Angeles Rams +550
Arizona Cardinals +700
The NFC champs’ roster looks as formidable as last year’s but health concerns and a difficult schedule could lead to a bumpy beginning. As always, the Seahawks will be there at the end as Russell Wilson helms a talented offense. However, Seattle failed to really address their offensive line troubles. We’ll find out if Wilson can dance himself to another playoff berth. Arizona’s off-season moves have garnered some buzz. Pairing dynamic Kyler Murray with Deandre Hopkins and a reinvigorated Larry Fitzgerald should be fun!