Early Favorites for the New NFL Season

The 2026 NFL season is only a month or two from Week 1, and team rosters and predictions are all solidifying now ahead of the preseason. In February 2026 more than $1.76 billion was bet on Super Bowl LXI in the US, and some $30 billion was wagered across the season. 

Before the first round of practice games, these are the early betting and analyst favorites to take it all in the 2026 season - as well as some potential outside picks that may be undervalued by betting odds. 

The Los Angeles Rams are Solid Favorites 

The Los Angeles Rams are once again favorites to take home the Lombardi Trophy. Despite falling to the Seahawks three times last year, including in the big game, consensus of the markets and analysts is that they have the strength to make a very good run of it again this year.

Their recent acquisition of edge rusher Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns has considerably boosted their defense, while they already have one of the league's most potent offensive line-ups.

You can find the Rams for as low as +450 and averaging around +550 at various sportsbooks. That's implied probability of 15% to 18% for the Los Angeles team. On the other hand, the Rams do also have one of the toughest opening schedules of any team in 2026 - but market opinion is they have enough to overcome that.

Bills, Seahawks, Ravens all Second Tier

Looking at the early betting odds, behind the Rams are three teams - and then everyone else is far off the pace. The Buffalo Bills are slightly ahead of the Seattle Seahawks and the Baltimore Ravens, but it is very close with only a percentage point of implied probability between them. 

The Bills are as narrow as +850, averaging around +900 to +1000. The Seahawks are around +1100, with a bottom end of +1000 at some 'books. The Ravens come in behind with a slightly wider spread averaging around +1100 as well but hitting +1000 on the low but up to +1250. 

All in all, that's a 1.5% implied probability difference between the shortest odds on the Bills and the longest odds on the Ravens. Suggesting the markets currently think it could be anyone's game between those three, if the Rams fail to live up to expectations. 

The Bills and the Seahawks may also receive betting attention from Canada's sports bettors. The Seattle team are big in western Canada and British Columbia, while the Bills are big in Ontario given Buffalo's close proximity to the Canadian border. 

Although sports betting isn't quite as big a deal in Canada as it is in the US, the market is still valued at around $8 billion a year. You only need to look at a list of the best betting sites in Canada - as arranged by reviewers Covers.com - to get an idea of the extent of the market. Bettors use these resources to analyze their chosen sportsbook on factors such as bonuses, payment speeds and wagering options, just as much as they use NFL stats and analysis to choose their wagers.

The Super Bowl winning Seahawks particularly were underrated by the 'books throughout last season, despite their large regional fan base and support across the border - which would have seen quite a bit of public money on them. 

However, their defensive setup is considered more likely to regress than the Rams' stacked offence, and so they share best of the rest status with the Bills and the Ravens. You can find Seattle at around +1000 to +1200 to win Super Bowl LXI or around 8.3% implied odds. 

49ers, Packers Could be Underrated 

For some potential underdog picks, it's often interesting to look at where the market and pro or media analyst diverge. Especially when it comes to popular teams with a big fanbase, where betting money can shift the odds substantially. 

Remember, sportsbooks don't only look at team stats and form when setting or adjusting odds, they also look to balance their chances against public favorites. In this season, that can clearly be seen in the sportsbooks' odds on the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Most analysts don't expect the Missouri team to make a deep playoff run this year, even with some improvements. However, public money on them has remained strong. 

That means the 'books have the Chiefs as best of the rest, after the top four teams, in terms of Super Bowl LXI odds. Few analysts and media outlets have the Chiefs in their top 10 picks for the season let alone top five.

In terms of long shot but potentially undervalued picks, the Detroit Lions are highly regarded by analysts. They also have a relatively easy schedule, and are early favorites in a lot of their regular season matchups. They have appeared in several outside picks lists, despite being rated well below the Chiefs by the market. 

You can find the Lions for around +1600 to +1800 at most US sportsbooks, while the Chiefs start at around +1600 and go as narrow as +1400.