2021-22 NFL futures: AFC season preview & best bets

The Kansas City Chiefs have won the AFC Championship in back-to-back seasons and are the early favorites in the 2021-22 Super Bowl betting markets. Are any of the other teams in the conference ready to challenge the Chiefs for the crown? Here’s a look at the AFC’s top contenders and our best future bets in the conference for the upcoming NFL season.

AFC Super Bowl odds & top teams

Kansas City Chiefs

• +525 to win Super Bowl
• +260 to win AFC

Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the league, and he’s got loads of elite weapons around him including tight end Travis Kelce and wideout Tyreek Hill. As long as Mahomes stays healthy, there just aren’t many teams in the NFL that can reliably slow him down or outshoot this Chiefs offense. Kansas City has gone 12-4 or better in all three of its seasons with Mahomes under center, including a 14-2 record last season. This is the team to beat.

Buffalo Bills

• +1100 to win Super Bowl
• +575 to win AFC

The Bills advanced to the AFC Championship Game last season with an impressive 15-3 record (12-6 ATS) before losing to the Chiefs 38-24. Josh Allen is a rising star at quarterback and this defense is one of the best in the league. All the pieces are in place for another AFC East title and another deep playoff run, but can the Bills close the gap on Kansas City?

Cleveland Browns

• +1400 to win Super Bowl
• +750 to win AFC

After missing the playoffs for 17 straight seasons, the Browns finally broke through with an 11-5 campaign in 2020. They even earned a win in their first playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers before losing to Kansas City in the divisional round. All 11 starters are back on offense including the league’s best running-back duo in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt as well as Odell Beckham Jr, who spent last season out with a torn ACL. The offense is good enough to go all the way; the question is whether the team’s moves to improve the defense this offseason will work out or not.

Baltimore Ravens

• +1600 to win Super Bowl
• +800 to win AFC

The Ravens always have to be in the contenders conversation with an outstanding defense, great special teams and one of the league’s most explosive dual-threat quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson. But as good as Jackson and the Ravens have been in the regular season, they are just 1-3 in the postseason over the last three years. The AFC may be a bit too deep this season to expect this to be the year for a Baltimore breakthrough.

More AFC Super Bowl odds

• +2500 – New England Patriots
• +2800 – Tennessee Titans
• +3500 – Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins
• +4000 – Pittsburgh Steelers
• +5000 – Denver Broncos
• +8000 – Las Vegas Raiders
• +10000 – Jacksonville Jaguars
• +12500 – Cincinnati Bengals
• +15000 – New York Jets
• +20000 – Houston Texans

AFC best bets for NFL 2021-22

Patrick Mahomes to win 2021-22 MVP

Last season, Pat Mahomes finished second in the NFL in passing yards (4,740), fourth in touchdown passes (38) and third in passer rating (108.2), all despite only playing in 15 games. This season he’ll likely play in 17, and it’s unlikely that 37-year-old Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson (legal issues) will match last year’s success. This prop is certainly worth a shot.

Cleveland Browns OVER 10.5 wins

The Browns managed to go 11-5 last season despite major issues on defense. Those issues have been addressed through the draft and free agency, and the Browns get one of their most explosive offensive weapons back in Odell Beckham Jr returning to action. With an extra regular season game to work with, a return to the 11-win mark seems like a very reasonable goal for the Browns.