Top 5 NFL Futures Bets Heading Into the 2025 Season

The NFL regular season kicks off next week, and with the preseason in the books and 53-man rosters getting finalized today, betting markets are heating up. Super Bowl odds are settling into place, and that is giving us a clearer picture of who the top contenders are — and where the best futures bets lie. 

One of the best times to lock in value is before Week 1, so now is the time to get your NFL future bets made.

These 5 teams currently lead the odds boards, and each has a legitimate case to hoist the Lombardi Trophy next February. Sure, as the season unfolds, we may see some other contenders come into view, but for now, these are the 5 with the best odds of taking it.

Baltimore Ravens: +700

• Current Best Odds: Caesars +700
• 2024 Record: 12-5, AFC North Champions
• Playoff Exit: Divisional Round (Loss to Buffalo)

The Ravens might be the most well-rounded team in football this season, and it’s easy to see why. They had the league’s most efficient offense in 2024, and they somehow managed to improve their defense in the offseason. But make no mistake — we can all agree that this team’s fate lives and dies with Lamar Jackson.

Jackson’s coming off one of his best seasons ever, where he put up 4,172 passing yards, 41 total TDs, and just 4 picks. He also ran for over 900 yards. He’s now a two-time MVP, but he only has 3 playoff wins to show for it, which just might change this year. The narrative that Jackson can’t win in the postseason still lingers, of course, but this is the most complete roster he’s had since 2019, and you can bet he’s chomping at the bit to put it to work.

Derrick Henry may be on the older side at 31, but he’s coming off a near-2,000-yard season and still looks absolutely dominant. Zay Flowers is quickly becoming a legitimate WR1, and then add in the veteran presence of DeAndre Hopkins and Mark Andrews returning to form, and the offense is explosive from every angle. This one will be hard to slow down.

On defense, Zach Orr’s unit has the pieces to climb into elite territory. Roquan Smith leads the charge of the defense, but it’s the secondary — reinforced with Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie — that might be the biggest upgrade we’ve seen. The loss of Justin Tucker could come back to haunt them in close games, but if they clean up their one-score execution, where they were 5-5 last year, they could grab the AFC’s No. 1 seed and have an easy ride to glory.

Betting Angle: At +700, you’re not getting much of a discount, but you’re betting on the most dangerous team in the AFC outside of Kansas City. If Jackson stays healthy and they’ve got the O-line to keep him there, the Ravens are one of the safest bets on the board. +700 for a safe bet isn’t bad.

Buffalo Bills: +750

• Current Best Odds: FanDuel +750
• 2024 Record: 13-4, AFC East Champions
• Playoff Exit: AFC Championship Game (Loss to Chiefs)

Buffalo has been knocking on the door for years, but it’s in 2025 where they’ve got the talent and the urgency to finally kick it down and win it all.

Josh Allen won the MVP last season after accounting for 40 TDs and leading the NFL in QBR. He also shredded the Ravens in the playoffs with a surprising 147 rushing yards. Allen is as dangerous as ever, and Buffalo’s offense now features Joshua Palmer and Elijah Moore to replace some of the production they lost when Amari Cooper departed.

What really sets Buffalo apart is its scoring efficiency. The Bills put up a whopping 525 points last season and scored 30+ in 13 games. They’ve also dominated the second half in games, regularly pulling away after halftime to notch the win.

Defensively, they’re a decent mix of tough and opportunistic. Joey Bosa was added to the roster to boost a pass rush that was middle-of-the-pack in sacks, and Matt Milano is back healthy to add a bit of stability to the second level. Their biggest concern is still the secondary, which lacks high-end depth. But it looks like they’re hoping for Tre’Davious White’s return from Baltimore to solve part of that.

Buffalo has one of the toughest mid-season schedules when looking at weeks 9-13, but they’re favored in all 17 games based on preseason look-ahead lines. That says something big about this team.

Betting Angle: If you believe Allen has another MVP-caliber season in him and the tools he has are improved, this ticket could age well. The Super Bowl window is wide open, and +750 is a solid price if they fix the defensive back end.

Philadelphia Eagles: +750

• Current Best Odds: FanDuel +750
• 2024 Record: 14-3, Super Bowl Champions
• Playoff Run: Won Super Bowl LIX (beat Chiefs)

The Eagles come into 2025 with the biggest target on their backs. But when you look at this roster, it’s hard to argue they’re not the best team in the league — again. They didn’t lose any star power and added smart pieces on both sides of the ball. This team could easily be the 9th team to win the Super Bowl back-to-back.

Their offense is built to dominate. Saquon Barkley rushed 2,000+ yards last season, and Jalen Hurts continues to be the engine with his 68.7% completion rate, 5 playoff TDs, and just 5 interceptions all year. That’s dominant. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are still one of the best WR duos in football.

The defense was rated as No. 1 in the league by Pro Football Focus last year, as they were elite in pass rush, run defense, and coverage. Rookie Jihaad Campbell only makes them deeper, and Cooper DeJean looks like the next great shutdown corner.

Philadelphia is favored in 16 of its 17 games for the season, and the only major shakeup was losing both coordinators, which could affect in-game playcalling. They seem to have shaken out some of the issues in the preseason. Also, the interior O-line will need to hold up after center Frank Ragnow’s retirement.

But this is still a team with the youngest core in the NFL. They have continuity, swagger, and the best offensive line in football.

Betting Angle: Repeat champs are rare, sure, but this group is built differently, and it’s obvious. At +750, you’re essentially getting the defending champions at the same price as last year’s runner-ups. That’s some serious value for your bet slip.

Kansas City Chiefs: +800

• Current Best Odds: Caesars +800
• 2024 Record: 15-2, AFC Champions
• Playoff Run: Lost Super Bowl LIX to Eagles

Mahomes is still Mahomes, and as long as that’s true, Kansas City has a shot — again. But there’s more reason for concern than usual this year.

The Chiefs were perfect in close games last year, and with that, they’ve had a lot of close ones. In fact, they were 10-0 in one-score games. That kind of luck tends to swing the other way after a while. They also had their least explosive offense of the Mahomes era, relying more on methodical drives than big plays, which had many questioning whether Mahomes was himself.

Travis Kelce showed a few signs of aging, Rashee Rice is hurt and facing a possible suspension, and while rookie Xavier Worthy adds some much-needed speed, he’s still raw. There are too many unanswered questions with this team to justify the +800.

Defensively, Kansas City still remains strong. Chris Jones is still a monster up front, and Trent McDuffie continues to lead a quietly solid secondary. On top of them, they added first-round tackle Josh Simmons to protect Mahomes better this year.

What’s working in their favor is undoubtedly experience, pride, and revenge. After getting thumped in the Super Bowl, this team has plenty of motivation to show up. Andy Reid still coaches circles around most teams, and Mahomes has never lost before the AFC Championship Game. So, keep that in your mind.

Betting Angle: The Chiefs aren’t as deep as they’ve been in years past, but they’re still the class of the AFC. If Rice returns midseason, this offense could spike again and take them all the way. You’ll rarely see Mahomes at +800, so now is the time to take the value if you believe the playoff magic returns.

Detroit Lions: +1100

• Current Best Odds: Caesars +1100
• 2024 Record: 15-2, NFC North Champions
• Playoff Exit: Divisional Round (Loss to Commanders)

The Lions have never looked better —and that’s not just hype.

They led the NFL in scoring in 2024 and had arguably the league’s best RB duo (most of the season) with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Jared Goff was lights out in play-action, and Amon-Ra St. Brown has blossomed into one of the most reliable receivers in football, earning him a 90+ PFF grade for the 3rd time in a row.

Jameson Williams adds the deep threat element to keep opponents’ defense from focusing on the RB duo, and the offensive line continues to be among the top units in football. Detroit’s defense also flashed early in the year before Aidan Hutchinson’s injury stalled their pass rush. If he returns to form and Za’Darius Smith contributes, this could be an elite front. 

Carlton Davis gives them a legit CB1, and rookie guard Tate Ratledge should eventually settle into the O-line. The biggest red flag we see is the coaching changes. Losing both coordinators creates risk for a team that finally found chemistry last year. However, if anyone can pull them together, it’s Dan Campbell.

The Lions will be tested early with 11 games against playoff teams. But their final stretch is a little more forgiving, which should give them plenty of time to clean up anything they left out before the playoff push. If they can stay healthy and integrate new schemes quickly, this is a team no one wants to face come January.

Betting Angle: At +1100, this is your best value among the true contenders on the board. The upside is real, and if the coaching staff clicks, which we believe it will, Detroit has the firepower to beat anyone.

Get Your NFL Futures Picks In!

Futures betting isn’t just about who’s the best team; instead, it’s more about timing, value, and understanding where the ceiling is. Baltimore and Philadelphia offer immediate strength for your bet slip, while Kansas City brings postseason pedigree. Buffalo is the high-upside MVP team, and Detroit gives you the best odds-to-roster ratio of the bunch.

Just remember — injuries, suspensions, and late-season collapses happen, and that’s the biggest risk with futures bets. The regular season hasn’t started yet, but for futures bettors, the game’s already begun.

Now is the time to load up your bet slip before the odds shift too much.