The 2025 NFL season is just days away from kicking off with the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles preparing to defend their title.
272 regular season games and 13 playoff games await between now and February to determine the winner of Super Bowl LX.
Before we get to Levi’s Stadium though, we have plenty of storylines to unfold as we work out which teams are going to be good and which ones are going to be bad.
Not to mention the players on new teams including the seismic trade of Micah Parsons just last week.
With a plethora of NFL futures markets available on Ladbrokes we have gone through the list to find our best bets for season 2025 below.
Division Breakdown
NFC East
Let’s kick things off with the home of the reigning champions, the Philadelphia Eagles who are going to be damn tough to knock off their perch this season.
Outside of a couple of cosmetic changes at backup, they are returning pretty much the best roster in the NFL and it’s pretty much pick your poison.
Saquon Barkley had a historic 2024 season and is showing no signs of slowing down, mostly because defences cannot afford to throw the kitchen sink his way.
If they do Jalen Hurts will get the ball to his all star receivers in AJ Brown and/or Devonta Smith and we know Hurts is going to be a touchdown vulture from short range with the infamous tush push.
Unfortunately for punters the value in the Eagles markets isn’t there outside of backing Smith for his third 1000 yard season,
Now we come to the Dallas Cowboys and if you asked me a week ago how the Micah Parsons saga would come to an end, seeing him traded to Green Bay and Jerry Jones defending it by rambling on about the need to stop the run was not on my bingo card.
It was already pretty much the case in Dallas but they are going to live and die by the fortunes of their offence and the hope is that Dak Prescott will be able to stay healthy after missing time in three of the last five years.
When he is healthy he is capable of putting up big numbers and if he can play all 17 games he is going to go well over his totals, as will CeeDee Lamb and George Pickers.
It might not be enough to get them to the playoffs if they are giving up 30 points per game but it will make them a lot of fun to watch.
As good as the Commanders were in 2024, when taking a step back and examining the big picture, they massively overachieved given the talent on that team.
All signs there are pointing towards a minor step back where they remain competitive but can’t get the job done quite as often as they did last year.
Then we come to the New York Giants whose main storyline is how long Brian Daboll can keep the rookie Jackson Dart on the bench as he tries to save his job.
Whoever is playing quarterback is going to feed Malik Nabers a lot of targets and he’s the one exciting part of the Giants offence to bet on.
PROJECTED RECORDS
- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (14-3)
- Washington Commanders (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (8-9)
- New York Giants (7-10)
Eagles Over 11.5 Wins @ $2.00
Jalen Hurts Over 12.5 Rushing Touchdowns @ $2.00
Devonta Smith 1000+ Receiving Yards @ $3.00
Cowboys Over 7.5 Wins @ $2.10
Dak Prescott: 4000+ Passing Yards @ $2.35, 4500+ Passing Yards @ $7.00 and 30+ Passing Touchdowns @ $3.20
Washington Commanders to Miss the Playoffs @ $2.20
Malik Nabers 1250+ Receiving Yards @ $2.60
Exact Order: Eagles – Cowboys – Commanders – Giants @ $5.80
NFC North
Hands down the best division, or at least the most entertaining one last season was the NFC North and every team comes into 2025 with massive questions and playoff expectations.
For Detroit, they lost both of their coordinators with Ben Johnson coaching in Chicago and Aaron Glenn with the New York Jets with some big shoes to fill for their replacements.
The aforementioned Johnson will have to harness the talent and unpredictability of Caleb Williams in Chicago as they try to become contenders and we should see some improvement there.
Minnesota could be in for the biggest drop off though, with a change at quarterback as JJ McCarthy and some big questions over whether he will be able to have the same level of success Sam Darnold did before Christmas.
Then we have Green Bay whose defence still has questions on the back end, but their pass rush got a massive upgrade last week in the form of Micah Parsons, a move they wouldn’t make unless they thought he would be the guy to get them over the line and into a Super Bowl.
Detroit is still the team to beat in this division and it is worth remembering that if their defence stays even remotely healthy, they are surely hosting the NFC Championship instead of getting rolled by Washington.
They’ll get back to the playoffs but perhaps not with the NFC’s top seed like last year, and Green Bay should also find a way into the playoffs as one of the wild cards with nine or ten wins.
Despite losing Johnson, I’m happy to back the Lions’ offence to continue to roll with the likes of Gibbs, Amon-Ra St Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta all strong options in the player performance markets week in and week out.
Player wise I’m calling Green Bay a stay away just because it’s hard to see who will be their main source of production and it could be a case of riding the hot hand with one of their receivers or Josh Jacobs in the backfield.
Similar story for Minnesota outside of Justin Jefferson who is quarterback proof, although having to play without the suspended Jordan Addison to start the season might have him a bit slow out of the blocks.
To round it out we have Chicago, who have never had a 4000-yard passer in their history… until now.
Give me the overs for Caleb Williams who should be able to make enough things happen in Johnson’s offence behind an improved line, especially if they are forced to play catch up a lot.
PROJECTED RECORDS
- DETROIT LIONS (12-5)
- Green Bay Packers (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (8-9)
- Chicago Bears (8-9)
Multi: Detroit and Green Bay to Make the Playoffs @ $2.37
Detroit to Win the NFC North @ $2.85
Exacta: Detroit First, Green Bay Second @ $5.00
Detroit Lions Over 10.5 Wins @ $2.00
Jared Goff: 4000+ Passing Yards @ $2.15, 30+ Passing Touchdowns @ $2.15
Amon-Ra St Brown 1250+ Receiving Yards @ $3.25
Jameson Williams 1000+ Receiving Yards @ $2.85
Sam LaPorta Over 6.5 Receiving Touchdowns @ $2.00
Justin Jefferson 1500+ Receiving Yards @ $2.85
Caleb Williams 4000+ Passing Yards @ $3.10
Exact Order: Lions – Packers – Vikings – Bears @ $7.50
NFC West
There are two interesting divisions in the NFC that look like they will have a Super Bowl contender in them, then we have the West and South which are divisions that lack a truly elite team and could go in any number of different ways.
For better or worse I’m hitching my wagon to Sean McVay and the LA Rams, even with the concerns about Matthew Stafford’s back, that pass rush is going to get better and better as the season goes on.
That relieves a lot of the pressure on the offence and McVay has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to coaching players up and getting the most of their talent.
Even if Kyren Williams does get injured or struggle, they have a couple of solid backs waiting in the wings who you could easily back to come in and do a job for a few weeks here and there.
Arizona might have the biggest range of possible outcomes with this team having enough individual talent to get them to double digit wins and also the potential to collapse in a heap and have their coach fired by December.
I’m expecting them to improve just enough on their 8-9 season last year and sneak into the playoffs against a weak NFC field this season and come second in the division, largely on the back of a second season boom from Marvin Harrison Jr to go with Trey McBride.
Seattle just missed the playoffs last year in their first season under Mike McDonald and all signs are pointing towards a regression.
They invested in Sam Darnold who fell in a heap to close out last year in Minnesota and he might have been a major beneficiary of Kevin O’Connell’s coaching, while also trading away their best receiver.
It’s also time to sell all 49ers stock too, after a nightmare season with injuries saw them fall to 6-11, they moved on from a number of key players, gave a big contract to Brock Purdy and are pinning a lot of their hope on him carrying that offence with an aging core.
Kyle Shanahan is a sneaky candidate to get fired at some point this season if they get off to a slow start.
PROJECTED RECORDS
- LOS ANGELES RAMS (10-7)
- Arizona Cardinals (9-8)
- Seattle Seahawks (8-9)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-11)
LA Rams to Win the NFC West @ $2.75
Quinella: LA Rams and Arizona Cardinals @ $6.40
Cardinals to Make the Playoffs @ $2.25
49ers to Miss the Playoffs @ $2.60
Kyren Williams 1250+ Rushing Yards @ $4.00
Davante Adams: 1000+ Receiving Yards @ $2.05 and 10+ Receiving Touchdowns @ $2.75
Marvin Harrison Jr: 1250+ Receiving Yards @ $5.00 and 10+ Receiving Touchdowns @ $3.50
Trey McBride 1000+ Receiving Yards @ $2.85
NFC South
For a division that struggled to produce a repeat winner for so long, Tampa’s spell of dominance in the NFC South even after Tom Brady’s retirement is pretty impressive.
No need to overcomplicate this one, the Bucs are going to be the best team in this division once more with Baker Mayfield at the helm once more.
He is coming off a career year with 4500 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and a division crown, the guy is going to sling it around the field for better or worse.
Mike Evans is chasing another 1000 yard season and even with some uncertainty behind him on the depth chart, he’s just that good he will find a way to get there.
Then we have running back Bucky Irving who broke out last year and might not take teams by surprise, but the Bucs will find a way to beat up on their division rivals in quite a few of these games.
The Falcons will have their moments having turned the team over to the lefty Michael Penix, but that offence will live and die by the production of Bijan Robinson who is not only being counted on by Raheem Morris, but fantasy owners everywhere.
Carolina will continue to show signs of growth this season but they still look a bit light across their roster to push for that nine win mark and I have them falling just short, although rookie Tet McMillan might be the breakout player on that offence.
Then we have New Orleans, not so much an NFL calibre roster as much as a bunch of guys making up the 32nd team in the league until they get themselves out of cap jail.
Might as well start printing the Arch Manning jerseys for April now.
PROJECTED RECORDS
- TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (12-5)
- Atlanta Falcons (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- New Orleans Saints (2-15)
Tampa Bay to Win the NFC South @ $2.00
Baker Mayfield: 4000+ Passing Yards @ $2.35 and 35+ Passing Touchdowns @ $3.50
Mike Evans 1000+ Receiving Yards @ $2.05
Bijan Robinson 1250+ Rushing Yards @ $2.30
Tet McMillan 1000+ Receiving Yards @ $3.60
Exact Order: Tampa Bay – Atlanta – Carolina – New Orleans @ $5.40
AFC East
Right, it’s Buffalo and the field in this division (again) with the only real intrigue coming from whether or not the Bills have it wrapped by Christmas Day.
Their main worry will be securing as high a seed in the AFC Playoff field as possible, and that win total of 11.5 has seen the over absolutely hammered to the point where there’s not much value to be had.
Player wise, Josh Allen will be the main guy once again with the reigning MVP set to put up plenty of yards with his arm and legs.
He has topped 4000 yards in four of his six full seasons starting for the Bills but his touchdowns have come down below 30 in the last few years.
I’m calling James Cook a stay away from a betting perspective though, an offseason contract dispute means he will come into the season underdone and might not be at full bore until November.
Then we have the other three teams in the division who are at best going to max out as the AFC’s seventh seed in the NFL playoffs.
New England has won a grand total of eight games combined over the last two seasons due in large part to some majorly dysfunctional coaching staffs and they responded to that by bringing in Mike Vrabel to sort out the mess that is that team.
We have already seen a major attitude shift in New England and to be honest, them getting back to average would be a miraculous recovery considering where they started from and should be responsible for an extra one or two wins.
Unfortunately for them, their offence has a ceiling of being “good enough” with some major talent deficiencies but their defence will keep them in it most weeks with Vrabel calling the shots.
Drake Maye should make some strides in the Josh McDaniels offence and there is some value to be had on him having a decent if unspectacular statistical season.
Let’s not pretend like these guys are going to be challenging for a Super Bowl but having games in Weeks 17 and 18 that actually mean something will be enough for a success.
As for Miami, they should be the second best team in the AFC East but that place looks like a mess this offseason and Mike McDaniel appears to have lost control of the room.
Throw in Tua Tagovailoa’s injury history and this could be a nightmare season for the Dolphins, which of course makes them a bounce back candidate for 2026.
Then we have the Jets who are still the Jets, they might try hard under new coach Aaron Glenn but they aren’t that good and remain a cursed franchise.
PROJECTED RECORDS
- BUFFALO BILLS (12-5)
- New England Patriots (9-8)
- Miami Dolphins (5-12)
- New York Jets (5-12)
New England Over 8.5 Wins @ $2.00
Miami Under 7.5 Wins @ $1.83
Josh Allen: 4000+ Passing Yards @ $2.60 and Over 10.5 Rushing Touchdowns @ $2.00
Drake Maye: 3500+ Passing Yards @ $2.35 and 30+ Passing Touchdowns @ $11.00
Exact Order: Buffalo – New England – Miami – NY Jets @ $4.40
AFC North
If the NFC North is not the best division in the NFL, then it is the AFC North with all four teams throwing up entertaining storylines.
Baltimore has been the perennial bridesmaid over the last few years with Lamar Jackson and this team is one of the best during the regular season.
We are going to see them get to double digit wins but a tough division might stop them from running away with it and see them drop down to 10 or 11 wins which is where the under might be the value play.
Especially with the star studded duo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry who will get the benefit of the doubt statistically until proven otherwise.
Their best competition will come from the Cincinnati Bengals who might not have an NFL level defence, but that offence is a lot of fun to watch.
Load up on the overs for Joe Burrow, Ja’Maar Chase and Tee Higgins because they are going to have to put up 35 points each week to win.
The thing is though, they are that good they probably will more often than not and find a way into a wild card spot.
Pittsburgh’s run of non-losing seasons under Mike Tomlin looks like it will come to an end in 2025 with the Steelers hitching their wagon to whatever is left of Aaron Rodgers.
Nothing about this team suggests that this is going to be the same sort of 2009 Brett Favre in Minnesota revival, Rodgers is done and it’ll be a miracle if he is starting games in December.
As for the Browns, just no, this team looks awful outside of a couple of guys on defence, another contender for the first overall pick.
PROJECTED RECORDS
- BALTIMORE RAVENS (11-6)
- Cincinnati Bengals (11-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (6-11)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
Baltimore Under 11.5 Wins @ $2.00
Cincinnati Over 9.5 Wins @ $1.87
Lamar Jackson 35+ Passing Touchdowns @ $4.20
Zay Flowers 1000+ Receiving Yards @ $2.60
Joe Burrow: 4500 Passing Yards @ $2.90, 40+ Passing Touchdowns @ $4.00
Ja’Marr Chase: 1500+ Receiving Yards @ $2.50
Tee Higgins: 1250+ Receiving Yards @ $6.00, 10+ Receiving Touchdowns @ $3.00
Exact Order: Baltimore – Cincinnati – Pittsburgh – Cleveland @ $3.70
AFC West
Kansas City has dominated the AFC West since before Patrick Mahomes took over the team, winning nine straight division titles and that streak should continue in 2025, but not without some stiff competition.
They are going to win the division but this won’t be a repeat of last season where they held on for dear life 15 times to finish with the best record in the AFC.
In fact, even with an offence that should be moderately better than in 2024, they might lose a few more games just because of some improved opposition around the league.
Both the Chargers and Broncos are teams that I have making the playoffs on the back of their coaching staffs.
Jim Harbaugh has changed the culture in LA with the Chargers, getting them to the playoffs in his first season in charge on the back of an improved run game and defence.
Meanwhile in Denver, Sean Payton found his guy in Bo Nix and got the Broncos to the AFC’s seventh seed.
He has sought to bolster his roster around Nix and the Broncos or Chargers are more than capable of challenging the Chiefs right through the season.
Las Vegas brought in the experienced Pete Carroll who has a great history when it comes to revitalising NFL programs and engineering a quick turnaround.
He has a couple of exciting difference makers on offence in Brock Bowers and Asthon Jeanty, but they are going to struggle playing in such a tough division.
They are going to be the team that just can’t close it out at the end and loses a whole lot of games in heartbreaking fashion but is everyone’s pick for a riser in 2026.
But for now, unless Patrick Mahomes does his ACL in September, this team is going to win 12 or more games yet again and be a Super Bowl contender come January.
PROJECTED RECORDS
- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (12-5)
- Los Angeles Chargers (12-5)
- Denver Broncos (10-7)
- Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
Multi: Kansas City, LA Chargers and Denver to Make the Playoffs @ $3.81
Patrick Mahomes 30+ Passing Touchdowns @ $2.50
Xavier Worthy 1000+ Receiving Yards @ $3.30
Omarion Hampton: 1000+ Rushing Yards @ $3.30 and 10+ Rushing Touchdowns @ $5.50
Bo Nix 30+ Passing Touchdowns @ $4.60
RJ Harvey 1000+ Rushing Yards @ $4.50
Ashton Jeanty: 1250+ Rushing Yards @ $3.00 and 10+ Rushing Touchdowns @ $3.25
Brock Bowers: 1250+ Receiving Yards @ $4.20, Over 5.5 Receiving Touchdowns @ $2.15, 10+ Receiving Touchdowns @ $7.00
Exact Order: Kansas City – LA Chargers – Denver – Las Vegas @ $6.20
AFC South
From one of the most interesting divisions in the league to the least interesting division in the NFL, the AFC South.
Houston is going to be a fun watch with CJ Stroud, a couple of good young receivers coming back from injuries and a dynamic pass rush.
If you want to be really optimistic, that roster with those coaches might be enough to make a case for a dark horse run to a Super Bowl, but that’s being a bit too optimistic for my liking.
What should happen though is a comfortable AFC South division title and a potential run at the top seed in the playoff field.
CJ Stroud has to be closer to the version we saw as a rookie and the only thing stopping that might be their potentially porous offensive line.
Granted with this level of competition in the division, that might not matter too much during the regular season.
Jacksonville has cleaned out the front office and coaching staff, but their replacements don’t exactly inspire confidence with the GM overly reliant on analytics in a game where the human eye still reigns supreme over the data and the head coach possibly a great coordinator that might not have the people skills to be a great head coach.
But Trevor Lawrence is in a make or break season in Jacksonville and he has been given every chance of having some success in this critical season.
Receiver Brian Thomas Jr is a player plenty of people should be high on, while dynamic two-way athlete Travis Hunter is going to make them a more intriguing watch.
They are too good talent wise to bottom out completely but they are going to be playing catch up all season and that will wind up costing them.
Tennessee is going to be better than a 3-14 team this time around and a doubled win total to six with Cam Ward finding his feet at the NFL level might be enough for this team to call it a successful campaign.
Indianapolis might also be in the Arch Manning sweepstakes because there is nothing to like about what has been built there.
Best case scenario Daniel Jones undergoes a minor revival, but can we be sure his best is going to be good enough and are you actually willing to bet on it?
Didn’t think so.
PROJECTED RECORDS
- HOUSTON TEXANS (13-4)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (8-9)
- Tennessee Titans (6-11)
- Indianapolis Colts (4-13)
Houston Over 9.5 Wins @ $2.00
CJ Stroud: 4000+ Passing Yards @ $2.25 and 30+ Passing Touchdowns @ $7.00
Brian Thomas Jr. 1250+ Receiving Yards @ $2.60
Travis Hunter Over 700.5 Receiving Yards @ $2.00
Exact Order: Houston – Jacksonville – Tennessee – Indianapolis @ $8.75
Player Awards
MVP
We know that this is going to be a quarterback award given the last non-QB to win it was Adrian Peterson in 2012 and only four running backs since 2000 have won it.
If there is no obvious contender it will likely go to whoever has the better record out of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen, but I’m expecting a few names to pop out.
Joe Burrow could well have won it last year after tearing up the league and if he can get the Bengals to the playoffs and posting a 4000-yard and 40-touchdown season.
But if things proceed as expected with the Buccaneers and Texans both topping 12 wins, CJ Stroud and Baker Mayfield could earn some votes for their efforts as well.
The narrative is there for Stroud if the Texans are good and he is the long shot play in this market.
Joe Burrow MVP @ $7.00
CJ Stroud MVP @ $26.00
Offensive Player of the Year
There is no shortage of exciting players to back in this market, but there are a few cross offs for various reasons.
Saquon Barkley is going to have another great season, but if he runs for 1500 yards and 15 touchdowns that’s still a big drop off from last season.
Jahmyr Gibbs is going to produce a full five minute highlight reel of plays this season but he might lose some traction just because he is on an offence full of players who can do the same.
However Ja’Marr Chase might also lose some points playing with Burrow and Higgins with a similar red flag on Derrick Henry for Lamar Jackson.
Puka Nacua might be the sneaky value in this market, needing to shoulder the workload for the Rams and possibly having to produce with multiple quarterbacks.
At that price, I’m happy to have a play on him leading the way for the Rams as they push for another NFC West crown.
Puka Nacua Offensive Player of the Year @ $17.00
While I went a big exotic in the offensive market, I’m going to play it fairly straight with the defensive players.
Micah Parsons is now the outright favourite after his trade to Green Bay, but unless he gets 15 or more sacks, he might lose out because of the perception he hasn’t lived up to expectations.
Aidan Hutchinson was on the way to winning this award before breaking his leg last season and is the next option in the market.
If he plays the whole season he is going to get some votes.
Aidan Hutchinson Defensive Player of the Year @ $7.00
Offensive Rookie of the Year
You could make a case for any one of a dozen players in this market, and it really could go in any direction.
Cam Ward might be the favourite but if he’s taking the Titans to only six wins, someone else is going to mount a stronger case.
Same for Ashton Jeanty who will put up the stats, but his team’s record might cost him when all is said and done.
Travis Hunter is going to get plenty of attention in this market but his two-way versatility might limit his offensive snaps and therefore production.
Which then brings us to Omarion Hampton who could be the undisputed lead back in LA before October and is going to have a big season as teams are forced to respect Justin Herbert’s arm, leaving a couple of lanes wide open for the rookie.
Give me 1200+ yards and 10+ touchdowns for him as well as an NFL rookie of the year award.
Omarion Hampton Offensive Rookie of the Year @ $9.00
Defensive Rookie of the Year
If you want some fun, you can back Travis Hunter as the Offensive Rookie of the Year at $9.00 and Defensive Rookie of the Year at $11.00, but we’re dealing in the realms of realism here.
Pass rushers Abdul Carter and Jalon Walker are going to be dynamic additions to their respective defences and both could be pushing for double digit sacks by the end of the year.
It is tough to see someone other than those two winning this award but I can’t escape Eagles rookie linebacker Jihaad Campbell who just seems like a perfect fit in that defence.
He is going to benefit from playing in front of a dominant group of defensive linemen and will be put in a position to succeed by teammate Zac Baun.
Jihaad Campbell Defensive Rookie of the Year @ $15.00
SUPER BOWL LX PICKS
Now for the most important pick of the whole blog post, who is going to win the Super Bowl.
Out of the heavy hitters, this seems like a make or break year for Buffalo under Sean McDermott and I’ve got them going all the way, beating the upstart Rams in Matthew Stafford’s farewell NFL appearance.
However to spread the value around, I’m going to take a couple of other value plays in each conference.
That Rams team can go a long way not because of Stafford, but because of a defence that will be lead by a brutal pass rush and can dominate offensive lines like the 2007 Giants and last year’s Eagles.
As for finding an AFC dark horse, it just depends on who you like to get hot in January and it comes down to Denver or Cincinnati.
Joe Burrow took the Bengals all the way to the Super Bowl despite a porous defence three years ago and I can absolutely see him doing it again, which is why he gets the edge over the Broncos.
Buffalo Bills to Win the Super Bowl @ $7.50
Los Angeles Rams to Win the Super Bowl @ $21.00
Cincinnati Bengals to Win the Super Bowl @ $23.00