NFL Futures, Super Bowl LIX Winner
Kansas City Chiefs
$6.50
The Kansas City Chiefs enter the season aiming for a three-peat and fourth Super Bowl in the past six years. If they were to pull it off it would undoubtedly take Patrick Mahomes to even further rarefied air and achieve something no one person or team has accomplished in the history of the league.
It’s hard not to see them reaching yet another AFC title game with the additions on offense that was questioned so regularly last season. First-round pick Xavier Worthy brings blistering speed and a deep threat Mahomes hasn’t had since Tyreek Hill left for the Dolphins. Hollywood Brown is another shrewd signing and despite a shoulder injury that has kept him out of pre-season and at least Week 1, the wide receiver corps look a lot stronger than they did 12 months ago.
Steve Spagnuolo’s defense was mighty a season ago, ranking 2nd in the league yards against and total sacks and despite losing L’Jarius Sneed, the defense is still loaded with a mix of veterans and youth to help contend again. It’s near impossible seeing them not come out on top as AFC West champs for an incredible ninth straight season.
Detroit Lions
$12
The NFC looks potentially the most open it has in years, and after leading the NFC Championship game 24-7 at halftime, Detroit Lions fans finally dared to dream.
It wasn’t meant to be as the Niners rallied back to win an epic contest, but the battled hardened Lions now know what it takes to make the franchises first ever Super Bowl- yes, you read that right.
While the Lions had a quiet offseason in terms of acquiring big named skilled players, they had a sneaky good offseason in upgrading personnel on both sides of the line. Kevin Zietler was a Pro Bowl guard last season and has switched over from the Ravens, Marcus Davenport had an injury plagued season last year but will help Aidan Hutchinson immensely on the interior, while Carlton Davis and Terrion Arnold are two good upgrades at cornerback.
With young stars Amon St-Brown, Jahymr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, along with a very respectable supporting cast, the Lions look built for another deep run with some question marks hanging over other fancied NFC rivals.
Houston Texans
$15
The team most likely to threaten the Chiefs in the AFC could be the Houston Texans.
After a stunning rookie season by quarterback C.J. Stroud and the unbelievable fit for first-year head coach Demeco Ryans has been in that organisation, the Texans are looking to build off their one playoff victory from last season.
While they didn’t have a pick in the first round of this year’s draft, they splashed the cash in free agency to acquire Defensive End pair Daniele Hunter and Denico Autry to pair with reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Will Anderson Jr. Plus, they signalled their intentions by trading for veteran Pro-Bowlers Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon.
With those signings alone, not to mention breakout stars Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Derrick Stingley Jr, and Stroud, give the Texans as balanced a roster as there is in a stacked AFC.
Los Angeles Rams
$26
If you’re hunting more value, the Los Angeles Rams look like the team that could make a Super Bowl run and are my smokey this season.
Yes, they have lost arguably the greatest defensive player ever and certainly of this generation, Aaron Donald, but there seem to be young stars ready to step up in his place. Kobie Turner, Byron Young, and Bobby Brown make up a young and hungry core of their defense, plus their incredible weapons on the other side of the ball.
Matthew Stafford looks healthy and primed for a big season, along with his safety blanket Cooper Kupp, who was unstoppable two seasons ago, is finally healthy again and ready to support rookie sensation from last year, Puka Nacua, in one of the best 1-2 pouches in the league.
Not to mention explosive running back Kyren Williams, who is my pick to be the league’s rushing champion this season. Of course, they need to overcome the Niners, who have absolutely dominated them over the past few seasons, however, with holes appearing in that Niners offense due to contract negotiations, the Rams could be the biggest beneficiary and represent fantastic value with a proven formula and a coach who knows how to win.
