The Complete NFL Futures Odds Picture : Week 3

Here’s what we know heading into week 3 of the NFL season. The West divisions are very good. The NFC West is a Seahawks overtime loss away from being 8-0 right now. The AFC West is 6-2 and the Chiefs have company at the top in the Raiders. On the flip side, the NFC North and the AFC South each have recorded just two wins so far. Outside of the two west divisions, only the Panthers and the Bucs are undefeated. Outside of the two struggling divisions, only the Giants, Jets, and Falcons are winless. 

Here are some thoughts on the NFL futures odds for a pair of teams that are 2-0 and a duo of teams that just suffered very confusing losses to fall to 1-1. 

Stocks Rising

Las Vegas Raiders Futures Odds Week 3

Current best odds: +5000 (FanDuel)

Are the Raiders for real? No team has a more impressive pair of wins in 2021 as Las Vegas knocked off the Ravens in overtime on Monday night and then went to Pittsburgh and outplayed the Steelers on a short week. 

It’s worth taking a look back to 2020 for the Raiders. While the team ultimately went 8-8, they won a game in Kansas City and narrowly missed sweeping the Chiefs. They beat the 12-4 Saints by 10 points, the only team to do so all season. They won at the Chargers, they won in Cleveland, all told they were 6-2 on the road. Now, with their home stadium rocking, Vegas could end up having one of the few legitimate home field advantages in the league. 

They get a schedule break this week playing Miami without Tua Tagovailoa and they still have four games remaining against a relatively weak NFC East. 13 wins are in play for the Raiders this season. 

Los Angeles Rams Futures Odds Week 3

Current best odds: +1300 (FanDuel)

The Rams are playing the Bucs on Sunday night football this week and if you squint you can see that they are two extremely similar teams. Both teams shun running the football. Both use fearsome, veteran front sevens to rush the passer. And both have veteran QBs that are thriving in their new homes. Okay, so Tom Brady is 44 and Matthew Stafford is 33, but only Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Aaron Rodgers actually have more experience than Stafford amongst NFL starters. 

Stafford has thrown for 601 yards through 2 games, Cooper Kupp is averaging 135.5 receiving yards per game and six different Rams have already recorded sacks. 

The schedule is impossibly tough these next three weeks, with Tampa, Arizona, and Seattle, arguably the three other best teams in the NFC, but few teams have a lighter stretch all season than when the Rams play the Giants, Lions, and Texans, all three of whom could make a case to be bottom five NFL teams, to end October. 

Stocks Falling

Seattle Seahawks Futures Odds Week 3

Current best odds: +2200 (Points Bet)

One week the Seahawks are the best team in the NFC, the next week they have the third best Super Bowl odds in their own division. Such is the life of an NFC West team, as the division is shaping up to be historically good. 

Last week’s home loss in overtime to the Titans is disappointing, but there are three easier AFC South games ahead. Seattle faces a hungry 0-2 Vikings team on the road this week, but even a 1-2 start shouldn’t scare Seahawks backers. Seattle’s schedule will open up in a few weeks when they still have games left against the Jaguars, Texans, Lions, and the Washington Football Team. Seattle can beat any team in the league in any week and now is the time to take advantage of a +2200 number that you probably won’t be able to get in a few weeks. 

New Orleans Saints Futures Odds Week 3

Current best odds: +3400 (FanDuel)

Is there a confusing team in the NFL? The Saints destroyed the Packers 38-3 in week one and looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Then they went to Carolina and got beaten 26-7. Oddly, in hindsight the Packers win looks even better, while it’s inherently possible that the Panthers are very good. But you don’t often see a team look that divergent two weeks in a row. 

There are some red flags. Jameis Winston has only thrown for 259 yards in 2 games, good for 32nd in a league with 32 starting quarterbacks. The receiving core looks really weak with Michael Thomas out until October. But these are solid odds for a team that is very likely to make the playoffs. 

If you want a great Saints related play, then grab Jameis Winston now at +900 to win Comeback Player of the Year. The past few years there has been a very obvious winner, like Alex Smith last season, but in a wide open race Jameis does not have the best odds, when he probably should. Unless Dak Prescott is in the MVP race, Jameis probably just needs to hold down the Saints’ job all season to win the award.