NFL Betting: AFC West Futures Odds

Today, in our NFL divisional odds preview series, we head west to discuss the odds for the AFC West division. Will Peyton Manning lead the Broncos back to the playoffs, or will the Chargers, Raiders or Chiefs take out the aging legend?

Denver Broncos +160 AFC West, +800 AFC, +2000 Super Bowl 

What will make a team shoot up the NFL Odds Boards? Adding Peyton Manning is a start. The Broncos made the playoffs and won a playoff game with Tim Tebow under center in 2011, but now the Manning era is about to begin in Denver. It remains to be seen how Manning will respond to that first big sack or hit, but if he can play like the Peyton Manning of old, the Broncos should almost be a lock to win the AFC West. It won't be easy by any means. The West is an above average division. The Broncos are getting the early nod as the favorites, however, and it’s hard to find reasons to bet against them. 

San Diego Chargers +220 AFC West, +1300 AFC, +3000 Super Bowl 

Coming in second are the Chargers, a team with the talent to win the division, but a team that hasn’t put it all together yet. Phillip Rivers will surely be fired up when he gets to face Manning twice a year, and no one should write this team off. Their offense will still be stellar, and as long as Ryan Matthews is healthy, things could go very well in the sunny city this season. Their defense will have to stop the likes of Carson Palmer and Manning, but as long as Rivers can keep up on the offensive end, their defense will be good enough to at least keep them in the game. 

Kansas City Chiefs +250 AFC West, +1800 AFC, +4000 Super Bowl 

The Chiefs fell apart last season after losing arguably their two best players early in the season. Both Brandon Flowers and Jamaal Charles should be back and healthy for 2012, which makes this Chiefs team dangerous. They are two seasons removed from a 10-6 season, and with the AFC West being somewhat wide open, Kansas City has a good chance to return to the playoffs. They will have to run the ball with Charles and hope that Matt Cassel can continue to manage the game well. Romeo Crennel is a great coach, and he will have to pull out all of his tricks to win this season. 

Oakland Raiders +300 AFC West, +2500 AFC, +6000 Super Bowl 

The Raiders aren’t getting much love in regards to Super Bowl odds, but they aren’t that far behind in the AFC West according to the sportsbooks. With a full training camp and season with Carson Palmer, the Raiders will be better. Darren McFadden staying healthy has a lot to do with the Raiders’ success this season, because they lost their handcuff in Michal Bush to the Bears. All the stars will most likely have to align for the Raiders to win the division, but it shouldn’t be ruled out. There is no true lock to win the division, and the Raiders have almost as good of a shot as the Chargers, Chiefs and Broncos.