The six month wait between the Super Bowl and Week 1 is finally over as the 2020 NFL season kicks off on Friday from Kansas City.
Like every other sport, the absence of fans and the usual four-game preseason has left bettors feeling a little uneasy as the league suddenly feels wide open with so many variables to consider.
Fortunately, there is enormous value to be found if you know where to look.
From division winners, Rookie of the Year, right down to the MVP, the Neds Futures markets are stacked with value, and we’ve helped you out even further by offering our best selections in our 2020 NFL Season Preview below!
Very rarely does a team win the Super Bowl and turn over the same roster, let alone grow stronger, heading into the upcoming season.
The Chiefs drafted Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the 32nd pick in April’s draft, adding another element of danger to an offence that ranked sixth in total yards and fifth in points last year.
Kansas City also got busy on the dotted line signing Patrick Mahomes to a record-breaking $503 million contract, right before locking up head coach Andy Reid through 2025 – two important moves to ensure there are no off-field distractions.
Looking at the rest of the division, it’s safe to say the Chiefs have this in the bag.
The Chargers enter a new era with Tyrod Taylor replacing Philip Rivers under centre, while the Raiders, even with an improved set of receivers, are still a few key pieces away from truly competing.
If for some reason you want to bet against the Chiefs though, the Broncos are your best option.
Denver were very underrated defensively last year and they have only grown stronger on the other side of the ball by adding running back Melvin Gordon to the fold.
This is a team that defeated the Titans and Texans last year, so don’t sleep on them as a potential Wild Card threat.
Might we finally see a changing of the guard?
Tom Brady’s departure to Tampa Bay has seen the Bills firm into favouritism to win the AFC East after making it as far as the Wild Card game last season.
Buffalo really should have won against the Texans, but it was a result the Bills can build on under defensive mastermind Sean McDermott.
The Bills also wasted no time making moves during the offseason.
For the first time in a long time, the Bills have a star wide receiver on their roster after trading for Stefon Diggs – a move that is sure to compliment Josh Allen’s mobility and deep arm rather nicely.
Defensively, the Bills allowed the third-fewest yards in the league last season, so they should have their way against the rest of the division.
The Patriots enter a new era of uncertainty with former MVP Cam Newton (or maybe Jarrett Stidham) under centre, the Jets have again failed to couple Sam Darnold with a decent receiver, and while the Dolphins have improved immensely with the addition of Tua Tagavailoa, it’s still difficult to get past the fact they allowed the most points in the league last year.
It feels as though there is a decent gap between the Ravens and the rest of the AFC North and that is well and truly reflected in the market.
Baltimore finished a league-best 14-2 last season before the season ended abruptly in a 28-12 loss to the Titans in the divisional round.
The Ravens met their match against Tennessee’s elite run defence, while they were also handed a taste of their own medicine in the form of a Derrick Henry beatdown.
As a result, the Ravens addressed their interior defence by adding last year’s National Championship defensive MVP, Patrick Queen, in the first round of the draft.
Baltimore also added J.K. Dobbins to a very talented back field that already featured 1,000 yard rusher Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards.
Lamar Jackson is the obvious X-factor in Baltimore and unless he suffers the dreaded “sophomore slump”, the Ravens should be taking out the North quite comfortably.
The Steelers are relying on an ageing Ben Roethlisberger after missing most of last season, while the Browns are anyone’s guess after the Freddie Kitchens experiment went sideways rather quickly last season.
Number one overall pick Joe Burrow will be a fascinating watch with the Bengals in his rookie year, but Cincy remains a major work in progress.
With a versatile offence capable of matching the Chiefs and a smash mouth defence reminiscent of 2012, this is Baltimore’s to lose.
The AFC South is once again the most competitive division in the conference thanks in large part to a wild free agency period.
Philip Rivers departing Los Angeles for Indianapolis has seen the Colts open the season as the favourites, while the Texans have faded all the way out to $4.50 following March’s mind-boggling DeAndre Hopkins-David Johnson swap with the Cardinals.
Sandwiched in between are the Titans, fresh from a surprising run to the AFC Championship Game that ended in heartbreak against the Chiefs.
Out of the three contenders, Tennessee are perhaps the safest bet considering they’ve turned over basically the same roster from last season.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill still has his doubters, but there’s no denying just how great he was last season leading the Titans to a 9-4 record from Week 6 onwards.
Last year’s leading rusher Derrick Henry is a very rich man after signing a four-year extension, while A.J. Brown continues to fly under the radar as one of the most elite wide receivers in the league.
The Titans face a very favourable run in the first four weeks with games against the Broncos, Jaguars, Vikings and Steelers, so this price might come in a bit after Week 1.
We should be in for a tight race to the finish, but you have to like the Titans to build on what they achieved last season.
There’s some real money to be made in the NFC West market if you believe in Super Bowl hangovers.
San Francisco’s loss to the Chiefs is almost reminiscent of the Falcons several years earlier and it would not be the least bit surprising to watch them struggle to match their 13-3 record from last season.
Jimmy Garopolo has drawn his fair share of criticism following a rather underwhelming performance in the Super Bowl, and although I think he’s likely to bounce back, one look at San Francisco’s wide receiver core suggests it won’t be easy.
Seattle are always a danger and they are certainly a nice option at $3.25.
The Seahawks’ defence was torched by the Packers in the divisional round last year, which forced General Manager John Schneider to draft linebacker Jordyn Brooks and defensive end Darrell Taylor with the team’s first two picks.
Seattle also added veteran running back Carlos Hyde in free agency, while there’s a lot to like about D.K. Metcalf coming off a 900-yard rookie season.
The jury remains out on the Rams’ offence under Jared Goff, especially with the running duties falling squarely on the committee of Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson following Todd Gurley’s departure.
Arizona, meanwhile, appear to be one of the biggest dark horses in the entire league.
DeAndre Hopkins joining Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk and KeeSean Johnson in Kliff Kingsbury’s air-raid offence is is a scary thought, especially if Kyler Murray plays like he did in his final few games last year.
The Cardinals also drafted defensively with four of their six picks in the draft, so there’s a bit to like about Arizona here at $9.00.
The Cowboys have opened as the favourites to win the NFC East despite missing the playoffs last year.
Mike McCarthy steps in to replace Jason Garrett, which appears to be a strange fit for a team that has struggled to maintain pace with the rest of the league in terms of creativity on offence over the last five years.
McCarthy won a Super Bowl in Green Bay, but his final few seasons with the Packers were forgettable as the play calling became stale and predictable.
Dak Prescott signed his franchise tag back in June, but the fact the Cowboys still haven’t extended his contract makes you wonder just how long it will be before this becomes a distraction in the locker room.
The Eagles are the main danger to the Cowboys, but it’s hard to completely fall in love with their chances.
Carson Wentz’s durability over a full season is still in question, and so too is the Eagles’ depth at receiver.
Alshon Jeffery is far from the receiver he once was, while the oft-injured DeSean Jackson provides little in the way of depth with Nelson Agholor now playing in Vegas.
It’s highly likely we see one of these two teams win the division at 9-7, but my money is on Dallas.
It’s easy to forget the Cowboys led the league in total offensive yards last year and they’ve only grown stronger through the draft with the addition of CeeDee Lamb.
Dak finally has some weapons, and maybe an experienced veteran coach is just what this team needs.
The NFC North is easily one of the most wide open divisions in the league and it appears the bookies are having a tough time separating the Packers from the Vikings heading into Week 1.
Green Bay claimed the honours rather comfortably last year finishing 13-3 before going on to lose in a blowout to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.
The Vikings, meanwhile, finished 10-6 before losing to the Niners themselves in the divisional round.
The Packers offseason has been interesting to say the least after General Manager Brian Gutekunst shocked the world by drafting Aaron Rodgers’ potential replacement, Jordan Love, with the 26th overall pick.
Green Bay also added running back A.J. Dillon in the second round, a player who’s been compared to Saquon Barkley.
The Vikings lost the disgruntled Stefon Diggs in a trade with the Bills before drafting 6’1 LSU standout Justin Jefferson as his replacement.
Outside of Green Bay and Minnesota, the Lions look the biggest threat.
Matthew Stafford missed most of last season with a back injury, but he’ll return fit and healthy just in time to take over a very talented and underrated roster.
Kerryon Johnson, who missed time himself last year, is one of the most promising young backs in the league, while Kenny Golladay and emerging tight end T.J. Hockenson are both big names to watch in 2020.
The Bears are a great defensive team, but they’ve already handcuffed themselves to Mitch Trubisky for another year.
Green Bay took a huge step forward defensively last season, but it’s difficult to know exactly what is going on behind the scenes with Rodgers, Love and head coach Matt LaFleur.
Things have sailed smoothly heading into Week 1 though, so until we know otherwise, you have to side with the most complete roster in the division, and that’s Green Bay.
The Saints are the odds-on favourites to win the NFC South for the fourth year in a row, but they do find themselves with some unexpected company in the form of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tom Brady’s departure from New England has created a bit of a follow-on effect as Rob Gronkowski has since returned from retirement to compliment Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Cameron Brate in the receiving game.
The Bucs also got busy last week signing Leonard Fournette to a one-year deal to help bolster a backfield that already featured Ronald Jones II and LeSean McCoy.
Brady, as well as Bruce Arians, are the obvious X-factors here and it is no surprise to find so many of these big names flocking to join them in Florida.
Outside of the Bucs, the Falcons appear a legitimate dark horse that people should take seriously.
Atlanta added Todd Gurley during the free agency period and spent four of their six draft picks on sorely needed defenders.
First round corner A.J. Terrell looks to be a star in the making out of Clemson and the Falcons will need every bit of him to help solve their issues in the secondary.
People also forget the Falcons won four straight to close out the 2019 season with wins over the Panthers, 49ers, Jaguars and Bucs.
This is an experienced team with one of (if not the best) top wide receiver trios in the league, and with Gurley now in the fold, I want to have something on them at odds.
I’ll probably regret betting against Patrick Mahomes, but I can’t go past Matt Ryan at this price.
Julio Jones finished with over 1,000 yards last year and Calvin Ridley wasn’t far off in just his second year in the league.
Ryan has consistently been one of the most accurate quarterbacks over the last decade, evident in the fact he led the league in completions last year whilst also throwing the longest touchdown pass of the season (93 yards).
If you fancy Mahomes to regress, or worse, get hurt again behind a shoddy offensive line, this appears a good bet.
Kliff Kingsbury loves to roll out with an empty backfield in a five receiver set, so I like DeAndre Hopkins to lead this category in Arizona’s air-raid offense.
Plenty of this depends on Kyler Murray’s ability to get him the ball, but with his scrambling ability and surprisingly deep arm, I think we’ll be seeing Nuk pull in some big catches in an offence that reads very similar to the one he played in at Clemson.
Tough to go past Derrick Henry in this market based on the way he ran during the playoffs.
The Titans have paid last year’s leading rusher a handsome sum of money, so at least we know his mind will be squarely on the game.
Tackling Henry was almost impossible last season when he built up a head of steam, and in an offence that relies primarily on the run, he should see somewhere in the ballpark of 300 carries again.
Minkah Fitzpatrick looks a little over the odds based on his efforts last year.
The 26-year-old finished with five picks, two forced fumbles and 44 solo tackles, a mark he is sure to improve on during his first full year with the Steelers.
It’s been a while since a safety has taken out DPOY honours, 10 years to be exact.
Former Steelers legend Troy Polamalu was the last one, so the timing is just right.
Matthew Stafford has a great chance to take this award out after missing most of last season with a fracture in his back.
Before he went down, Stafford had thrown 19 touchdowns in just eight games to go with only five interceptions and a 64% completion rate.
Offensively, the Lions are stacked with talent in the form of Kerryon Johnson, T.J. Hockenson and Kenny Golladay, so the chances of Stafford returning to his reliable best appear relatively high.
What better way for Dak Prescott to prove his worth than by taking out MVP honours?
Last season Prescott ranked third in passing yards per-game and fourth in passing touchdowns, so while we don’t often think of him in the same tier as Mahomes, Lamar or even Drew Brees, the numbers suggest that he isn’t far off the mark.
Adding CeeDee Lamb gives Dak another tall target down field, while there’s also plenty to like about Amari Cooper heading into this season.
The jury is still out on offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, but with a year under his belt and a new coach at the helm, I’m happy to take Prescott at a price in his ‘prove it’ year.
Joe Burrow has been announced as the Bengals’ starter in Week 1, so we should get a good look at him nice and early against the Chargers.
Cincinnati were a laughing stock last year, but they do have some talent surrounding their No. 1 overall pick.
A.J. Green returns healthy for the first time in forever, while Tyler Boyd and John Ross are two talented young wide receivers capable of big numbers.
Burrow was compared to Brady throughout his final season at LSU last year where he led countless game-winning drives. The Bengals probably won’t find themselves in many of those situations in 2020, but that isn’t to say he can’t enjoy a massive first year in the league.
Take a look at the last five DROY winners.
Notice anything?
Yeah, three of them played at Ohio State.
Chase Young is hoping to become the next after being drafted second overall by Washington back in April.
The 21-year-old set a new Buckeyes single-season sack record during his junior year (16.5) and was also among the finalists for the Heisman.
Many considered Young to be one of the scariest defensive ends in college football, so all things considered, this price is actually generous.
There’s no denying the Ravens have room for improvement after coming up well short of expectations last year.
That said, there are a couple of key stats worth keeping in mind when it comes to evaluating Baltimore’s chances.
John Harbaugh’s side ranked second in red zone points last year, while on the other side of the ball, they held opponents to the third-lowest red zone percentage against.
You might say those kinds of stats are meaningless heading into a new season, let alone one as weird and wacky as 2020. But what we do know is this: the Ravens have experience on their side now.
I tend to liken the Ravens to the Chiefs a year ago.
Kansas City lost to New England in the AFC Championship Game in 2019, a loss that helped them grow into a hardened contender capable of gutting out gritty wins – much like they did against the Texans and Titans on the way to a Super Bowl.
The Ravens, like the Chiefs, will be a contender for years to come, but don’t be surprised if they reach and grab their golden ring sooner rather than expected.