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NFC Win Total to Bet Right Now: Odds & Picks (2023 NFL Futures)

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NFL training camp is just around the corner, which means now is the time to start looking ahead into NFL future bets. Last week, I went through my three favorite AFC win totals to bet right now. This week, it’s time to put the NFC under the spotlight.

Admittedly, I think most of the win-total projections across the NFC are spot on. But here’s my favorite win total bet for the upcoming season in the conference.

All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook 

Check out our consensus odds on all 2023 NFL win totals >>

2023 NFL Futures: One NFC Win Total to Bet Right Now 

Future Bet #1: Chicago Bears over 7.5 wins (-130) 

The NFC is ripe for a team to emerge from the cellar and exceed expectations, and the Bears could certainly be that team in 2023.

After a year in which GM Ryan Poles tore the team down to the studs, the Bears were one of the league’s most active teams this offseason. They traded the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina for a lucrative package that brought them wide receiver D.J. Moore, who should become a trusted option for Justin Fields at all levels of the field.

The Bears also spent heavily at linebacker, bringing in Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards. You can say what you want about the value Chicago’s getting by signing two players at non-premium positions. But on the field, both guys should boost a Bears’ run defense that ranked 30th in DVOA. Both backers were also graded highly from a coverage standpoint in 2023.

Chicago also bolstered what was one of the league’s worst offensive lines by signing guard Nate Davis and taking tackle Darnell Wright 10th overall. If Wright can serve as a reliable tackle in his rookie season, then this line should definitely improve.

The Bears have plenty of questions, most notably whether they can create a consistent pass rush. Chicago also needs its young, talented pieces in the secondary to take a leap if this defense is to return to the league average.

But perhaps I buried the lede. Chicago’s ceiling, and this win total wager, ultimately depends on how much Justin Fields develops after an exciting second season. Fields has plenty of Lamar Jackson-like ability in him. But like Jackson, Fields has to show strides in processing plays from the pocket. If he can improve as a passer, he could be an MVP candidate in 2023. If he fails, the Bears are likely moving on from him in next year’s draft.

The Aaron Rodgers-less NFC North is pretty wide-open. I’m not sure Chicago has improved enough to contend for a playoff berth. But they do have a manageable schedule with just four games against playoff teams from last season. Chicago also has a significant rest advantage, with 12 more days of rest than their opponents, per Sharp Football Analysis.

Chicago was a team I faded heavily in 2022 to monstrous success. Now, we’ll hope for a monstrous turnaround in the Windy City.


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