Three NFL Team Futures Bets for the 2026 Season: Fly Eagles Fly

With the start of the regular season quickly approaching, it’s time to start attacking season-long markets. From a division title to a regular-season win total, there are a wide variety of futures I have circled heading into the new year, with a breakdown of three of my favorite bets below.

My 3 Favorite NFL Team Futures For 2026

Philadelphia Eagles to Win the NFC East (+135, FanDuel)

No A.J. Brown, no problem; the Philadelphia Eagles are loaded on both sides of the ball, sitting head and shoulders above the rest of the NFC East. They're strong primarily on defense, fielding a group that excels at all three levels of the field, which will help them avoid playing in highly volatile contests. This is a massive advantage for the reigning division champions, masking any potential slow start should their new-look offense struggle to find their footing early on in the year.

Speaking of the rest of the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys will continue to combat a high amount of variance due to their low level of play on defense, making it difficult for them to pull away on the scoreboard on a weekly basis. The Cowboys were abysmal on that side of the ball last year, ranking dead last in Defensive DVOA and in Success Rate.

The New York Giants and Washington Commanders also have question marks they need to address at multiple positions, lacking the talent that is needed to keep pace with Philadelphia. Barring an injury to Jalen Hurts, expect the Eagles to run away with the division title.

Chicago Bears to Miss the Playoffs (-115, DraftKings)

After sitting on the right side of Lady Luck in 2025, negative regression looms large over the Chicago Bears heading into this season—especially with Caleb Williams handicapping their ceiling on offense with his sporadic play under center, finishing 36th out of 36 qualified QBs in Completion Percentage Over Expected.

If Williams is unable to take a step forward with his production, there will be too much pressure placed on the shoulders of their defense to keep them afloat, a unit that finished near the bottom of the board in Defensive DVOA. Injuries have also started to rear their ugly head, with Coby Bryant going down in training camp, sidelining him for 8-10 weeks.

The rest of the NFC is also expected to bounce back in a big way with health back on their side, including the Detroit Lions, who are currently the betting favorites to win the NFC North. Assuming projections hold true, the Bears will jockey with the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, and Seattle Seahawks for one of the three wildcard spots, a tall task for a team that has glaring holes on both sides of the ball.

Atlanta Falcons Under 7.5 Regular Season Wins (-120, Caesars)

Even when loaded with talent at the skill positions, it’s tough to envision the Atlanta Falcons being able to compete with either Michael Penix or Tua Tagovailoa under center. Both QBs have been unable to reduce the amount of Havoc in their throws when under pressure, ranking well below league average in EPA per play and in bad throw percentage.

To make matters worse, their schedule does them no favors, hovering in the top half of the board in Strength of Schedule with an average win total of 8.74. The Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints have also shown signs of progression while integrating their young talent, making the division tougher than years past. With some sportsbooks fading the Falcons' win total to 6.5, grab the under of 7.5 before it continues to steam down.