The NFL season is almost about ready to kick off with the World Champion Chiefs set to host the Baltimore Ravens, who are one favorites in the AFC North. The AFC North had three playoff teams and all four teams had a winning record in 2023, making it the most interesting division in football this season.
Here are the odds for the four teams from DraftKings:
Baltimore Ravens +145
Cincinnati Bengals +145
Cleveland Browns +550
Pittsburgh Steelers +800
There is a tie for first place in the AFC North between the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals – so which team is the better one to bet?
Lets take a closer look.
Both teams have MVP-caliber quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson (+2000 MVP odds with the best sportsbook promos) and Joe Burrow (+950 MFVP odds). Baltimore went out and added veteran running back Derrick Henry (+5000 OPY), while the Bengals have all-pro wide receiver Ja.Marr Chase (+1200 OPY).
The difference could be on defense, where the Ravens have a top-five defense in the NFL, while the Bengals had a bottom-five defense in 2023.
Of the two, the Ravens seem to be the more complete team and should have enough to finish on top of the AFC North.
Looking for more value?
The team with the third shortest odds is the Cleveland Browns. At +550 the Browns could be a dark horse in the AFC North, with one of the best defenses in the league. They made the playoff last year despite a ton of injuries, and with Joe Flacco running the offense, with their starting quarterback Deshaun Watson and stud running back Nick Chubb out.
In addition to their defense, the team added more offense with wide receiver Jerry Juedy coming over from the Denver Broncos to pair with Amari Cooper.
The biggest question for the Browns is what Watson are they getting? He played in just six games last season but has not regained the form that he displayed in Houston. The Browns are also hopeful that Chubb, who is currently on the PUP list, can help them at some point this season.
If the Browns’ defense is on the same level as they were in 2023 and Watson returns to his Texans form, they could be a real contender to capture the AFC North.
With the longest odds in the AFC North is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even though they made the playoffs last season, the Steelers have a new quarterback in 2024, with veteran Russell Wilson as their new starter, replacing Kenny Pickett. The team also added former Bears QB, Justin Fields.
George Pickens is a big play wideout, but the Steelers just don’t have a lot of proven weapons on offense.
They do however have a pretty solid defense with T.J Watt, the betting favorite (+550 with the betMGM bonus code) to win Defensive Player of the Year, leading the way. Their defense helped them land them in the playoffs last season, and they added linebacker Patrick Queen to some already solid pieces which include, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (+10,000) and corner Joey Porter Jr.
It just seems there is too much talent in the AFC North this season for Pittsburgh to make a return trip to the playoffs.
The play:
It is a real toss-up in the North on the AFC side. If you are looking for a dark horse and get good odds, I think the Browns could be a really good team to look at but they do have one of the most difficult schedules in the NFL.
But if you want to bet the most likely winner it is going to be the Baltimore Ravens. They are the most complete team in the division and Lamar Jackson is looking to finally get over the playoff hump with the first step, winning the NFC North.
AFC North Divison Betting Offers
