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3 Best Futures Bets to Place Through 2024 NFL Season’s Halfway Point

Here are three futures bets to consider as we near the final stretch of the regular season.

By Shelby Dermer

Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws a pass during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws a pass during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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The weather is getting colder, days are getting shorter and the NFL season is charging toward the playoffs. 

By now, there are clear-cut pretenders and contenders in the league, but there are still valuable ways to attack the futures market as teams prepare for a playoff push. 

Here are three best future bets to place ahead of Week 11. 

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

3 Best Futures Bets to Place Through 2024 NFL Season’s Halfway Point

  • Arizona Cardinals to win NFC West (+115)
  • Denver Broncos to Make the Playoffs (+185)
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win NFC South (+500)

Arizona Cardinals to win NFC West (+115)

Arizona is now a small favorite to win the NFC West over the San Francisco 49ers (+135) after blowing out the New York Jets. Arizona navigated some early-season growing pains while playing one of the most difficult schedules in the league and made it to the other side.

The result has been a four-game winning streak (five of six overall) and a team that is humming on both sides of the ball. Kyler Murray is playing his best football since leading the Cardinals to the playoffs in 2021. Arizona has a versatile rushing attack behind Murray and three capable running backs and the defense is coming around after being shredded through the first four weeks of the season. 

Arizona’s schedule the rest of the way is palatable compared to San Francisco. The Cardinals have three division games left against the struggling Seahawks and the sub-.500 LA Rams. Arizona will also be big favorites in back-to-back December weeks against New England and Carolina. San Francisco, meanwhile, will play Green Bay and Buffalo in back-to-back weeks on top of a cross-country road trip to Miami, followed by a primetime game against Detroit. 

Denver Broncos to Make the Playoffs (+185)

It was a toss-up between Cincinnati and Denver when it came to which team suffered the more heartbreaking loss last week. Coincidentally, the final AFC playoff spot will likely come down to either the Broncos, Bengals, or Colts. 

Denver (+185) is a slight underdog to Cincinnati (+135) to make the postseason but the Broncos have a defense that should power them to the dance and an upcoming four-game stretch to improve their playoff odds.

Over the next five weeks, Denver has a bye, three winnable home games (vs. Atlanta, vs. Cleveland, vs. Indianapolis), and a road tilt against the lowly Raiders. On the other hand, Cincinnati is a road underdog to the Chargers this week and still has to face the Pittsburgh Steelers twice. 

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix is growing in year No. 1 under Sean Payton and it’ll be enough to get the Broncos into the postseason. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win NFC South (+500)

Time for a long shot. 

Is it crazy to think Atlanta could cough up its commanding lead in the NFC South? The Falcons hold a two-game edge in the standings over Tampa Bay, but Atlanta had been pulling out miraculous one-score wins. 

Atlanta overcame huge win probability deficits for its first three wins of the season (at Philadelphia, vs. New Orleans, and vs. Tampa Bay). The Falcons are about an average team, and no average team should be -900 to win the division. Atlanta has three consecutive toss-up games (at Denver, vs. LA Chargers, at Minnesota) coming up while Tampa Bay continues to play well despite massive injuries at receiver.

The Buccaneers have lost five of their last six games, but four have been by one possession. Tampa Bay just took Kansas City to overtime on the road and nearly upset the 49ers in consecutive weeks, so it’s not crazy that Tampa Bay could make a run with Mike Evans returning soon, possibly after this week’s bye. 

Odds update periodically and are subject to change.

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