NFL Playoff Odds: Following Near-Future Futures

The year is gradually approaching its end and starting to wind down with the usual holiday festivities, and with that, so is the NFL regular season! As we head into a jam-packed week 15 lineup, just in time for the holiday season, we have:

• Seven playoff seeds in the AFC

• Seven playoff seeds in the NFC

• 28 teams gunning for one title

We have a clear frontrunner in the NFC Eastern Conference, as the Philadelphia Eagles are decisively leading the flock with only 13 wins and a single loss so far this season. Led by a powerhouse offense with players the likes of Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and Devonta Smith, the team is unquestionably delivering its best performance since its Super Bowl win in 2018.

But a few weeks and a few games can reshape the entire playing field, as the Cincinnati Bengals surprise Super Bowl bid last year goes to show. They were kept away from winning it all by a narrow field-goal-sized lead from the Los Angeles Rams. Speaking of looking at things out west, we’ve got another California team potentially in the running to get to the top.

With ten wins and just four losses so far this season, the San Francisco 49ers are also decent prospects to potentially mine for gold. But we’ve still got multiple playoff spots at play, with Super Bowl hopefuls coming from all angles: North, South, East, and West. So if you’re wondering where to even begin wrapping your head around the odds and lines for each division, you’ve come to the right place.

Let’s take a look ahead with the help of FanDuel Sportsbook’s current team future odds, the league’s own playoff outlook, and some online sportsbook promos that could help you make safer dart throws. Plus, if a few months out is too far ahead for you to forecast, we’ll also be taking a quick look at the odds for Week 15’s Monday night matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers!

NFL Playoff Lines

One of the big appeals behind betting on playoff futures is the ability to bet and potentially profit off the regular season’s overall winners without the need to precisely get the biggest winner right. Currently, the top three teams leading the market for the biggest winner at Super Bowl LVII are the Buffalo Bills (at +350 odds), the Philadelphia Eagles (at +430 odds), and the Kansas City Chiefs (at +500 odds).

Philadelphia, San Francisco, Cincinnati, and those other two teams are pretty much shoe-ins, more likely than not to make the playoffs and possibly get that coveted spot in the Big Game. However, FanDuel’s playoff future markets currently allow you to bet on whether or not nine other teams will make the NFL playoffs. Let’s take a quick peek at those nine teams, as well as the odds for each of their two respective markets:

1. Cleveland Browns To Make The Playoffs: Yes (+2500), No (-10000)

2. Detroit Lions To Make The Playoffs: Yes (+118), No (-144)

3. Los Angeles Chargers To Make The Playoffs: Yes (-750), No (+490)

4. Miami Dolphins To Make The Playoffs: Yes (-310), No (+240)

5. New England Patriots To Make The Playoffs: Yes (+490), No (-750)

6. New York Giants To Make The Playoffs: Yes (-600), No (+420)

7. New York Jets To Make The Playoffs: Yes (+370), No (-520)

8. Seattle Seahawks To Make The Playoffs: Yes (+164), No (-205)

9. Washington Commanders To Make The Playoffs: Yes (+164), No (-205)

At six wins and eight losses with only three weeks of regular season games to go, the Browns are effectively as much of a lock to miss the playoffs as the Eagles and 49ers are to make the playoffs. The Eagles clinched their playoff spot with a colossal Week 14 victory, blowing out the New York Giants 48-22.

The Giants basically clinched their own playoff spot with a 20-12 Sunday victory against the Commanders, putting Washington at slightly less favorable odds to make it to the postseason. As reported by The New York Times, this loss lowered the Commanders playoff chances from 77 percent to 43 percent.

It will be a difficult path to victory, as the team is a projected underdog for its next three games, but it’s not the most impossible, nor insurmountable path, potentially making them a worthwhile candidate for the NFL playoff’s wild card standings.

Despite being given similar odds by FanDuel to make the playoffs, the NYT’s playoff picture model only gives the Seahawks a 27% probability of going to the postseason. Like the Commanders, they’ll have to defy the odds against very formidable opponents if they want to be playoff hopefuls. Those two teams aren’t in quite as rough shape as the Jets and Patriots, but also aren’t in quite as great shape as the Giants, Chargers, or Miami Dolphins.

These three teams are all heavily favored to hit under FanDuel’s postseason odds markets, but you can follow the NFL’s playoff picture page to see real-time rankings of the 2022-2023 postseason.

NFL Playoff Rankings 2022

The league’s website offers real-time playoff rankings, categorizing the NFC and AFC teams who are:

• Already enjoying clinched playoff spots

• Hopefuls “In The Hunt” for a playoff spot

• Farther away “On The Bubble” from playoff spots

Right now, five teams in the NFC have already punched their ticket to the playoffs, while only two AFC teams have done the same: The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. At least three NFC teams are “in the hunt” to make the playoffs, as are five teams in the AFC Division.

Currently, the Miami Dolphins’ hopes are “Falling Down”, according to the playoff picture. If Tua Tagovailoa isn’t able to turn things around over the next three weeks, that might make the “No” on their playoff future market a potentially worthwhile value bet to sprinkle on. Don’t put your house on it though, as the NYT’s model still gives Miami a 61% probability of making it to the postseason.

Both the AFC and NFC divisions each have seven teams who fall just outside “The Bubble” to get to the postseason, and so far, there are only four teams who have been eliminated from any viable path to the playoffs:

1. The Houston Texans (1-12-1)

2. The Chicago Bears (3-11)

3. The Arizona Cardinals (4-10)

4. The Denver Broncos (4-10)

More teams will inevitably fall by the wayside, with the next three weeks inevitably bound to make or break their hopes and dreams. But if you’d prefer not to look that far ahead, let’s look ahead to this week’s MNF game between the Packers and LA Rams.

FanDuel Monday Night Football Odds

The Packers are very heavy moneyline favorites into Week 15’s Monday Night Football game, at -390 odds. If Dimers’ predictive computer algorithm is to be believed, those odds imply a whopping 78% probability of the team winning outright. Los Angeles offers more juice at +310 odds, but their odds don’t present the best outlook.

Whether you’re looking at singles, parlays, or futures, FanDuel is offering a fair bit of timely holiday no-sweat bonuses for new and existing users. These no-sweat offers will refund the stake of eligible losing bets into site credit. These promos are useful for both futures, as well as offering insurance (of sorts) for same game parlays. Note that this credit is not withdrawable or transferable, bet responsibly, and never wager more than you’d be comfortable losing.