2018 NFL Betting Futures: Chargers Favored to Win the AFC West

A team nobody wanted to play down the stretch of the 2017 NFL regular season is getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers going into 2018, as the Los Angeles Chargers are listed as +175 favorites (bet $100 to win $175) to win the AFC West at the sportsbooks. This after an 0-4 start a year ago that looked like it could be the beginning of the end for 36-year-old veteran quarterback Philip Rivers. Now, they’re on top of the AFC West odds for this season.

Who Is The Favorite In The AFC West Odds?

Instead, Rivers helped lead the Chargers to nine wins in their last 12 games. This came after losing three of their first four by three points or less. He threw for 4,515 yards with 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. This was Rivers’ second-lowest number of his 14-year career when playing a full 16 games. But the defense also played a vital role in Los Angeles’ resurgence. The Chargers held opponents to just 17 points per game, third-best in the NFL.

Can Kansas City And Oakland Overtake the Chargers?

The Kansas City Chiefs won the division last season for the second year in a row with a 10-6 mark. However, they will not have quarterback Alex Smith around anymore after shipping him to the Washington Redskins. This paved the way for second-year player Patrick Mahomes to become the starter.

Kansas City is tied with the Oakland Raiders as the co-second choice in the AFC West odds to win the division at +275. They hope Mahomes proves to be the real deal following his selection with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Mahomes was the second quarterback taken behind Mitchell Trubisky of the Chicago Bears with the second overall pick. He still has plenty of offensive weapons and a solid defense surrounding him.

The Raiders are still two years away from moving to Las Vegas. They will try to treat their fans in Oakland to at least one more playoff appearance before they leave town. They finished a disappointing 6-10 last season after starting the campaign with high hopes. Quarterback Derek Carr regressed a bit last year statistically. But he should only improve under new head coach Jon Gruden, who is in his second tour of duty with the Raiders. Gruden beat them in Super Bowl XXXVII with Tampa Bay.

How Dangerous Can Denver Be?

The Denver Broncos were even worse than Oakland at 5-11 in 2017. However, they are hoping a new quarterback will turn the offense around in 2018. The Broncos are +400 to win the AFC West in these NFL online betting odds and brought in veteran Case Keenum to replace multiple players who failed to get the job done, including Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch.

Keenum was outstanding for the Minnesota Vikings last season in leading them to the NFC North title and a berth in the NFC Championship Game. There, they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. He parlayed that success into a two-year free-agent deal in Denver worth $36 million. With a great defense on his side anchored by All-Pro linebacker Von Miller and top draft pick Bradley Chubb, Keenum will be in a similar situation to Minnesota where he can be more of a game manager.