Lawrence Smelser
Updated: Sep 6, 2024
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The NFC North has a rich history thanks to many Super Bowl titles, legendary hall-of-famers and being home to the NFL’s fiercest rivalry (Green Bay vs. Chicago).
It consists of the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and Detroit Lions.
The division was formerly known as the NFC Central until it became the NFC North in 2002.
Minnesota has won the most division titles (21) since the NFC North’s inception in 1970, with Green Bay closely behind (17).
2023 NFC North Standings
Team | 2023 Overall Record | 2023 Divisional Record |
DET Lions | 12-5 | 4-2 |
GB Packers | 9-8 | 4-2 |
MIN Vikings | 7-10 | 2-4 |
CHI Bears | 7-10 | 2-4 |
Last season, after a 30-year drought, the Lions claimed their first NFC North title since 1993. Dan Campbell’s squad went on to lose in the NFC Championship to the San Francisco 49ers.
Green Bay endured a slow start to the year at 3-6 but rallied by winning six of its last eight contests, including its final three, to secure a Wildcard berth. It also fell at the hands of San Francisco (In the Divisional round).
Minnesota had a promising start to the season, but when four-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins tore his achilles in week 8, it became evident its playoff hopes were dashed.
Chicago continued its unsuccessful experiment with second-year quarterback Justin Fields (traded to Pittsburgh in the offseason) but finished last in the division.
In our article below, we discuss:
- 2024 NFC North – Win Totals
- 2024 NFC North – Super Bowl Odds
- 2024 NFC North – Division Winner Odds
- 2024 NFC North – Player Awards Betting
- 2024 NFC North – Player Prop Betting Tip
Note: All odds were correct and the best available at the time of writing.
2024 NFC North Win Totals & Key Insights
After an impressive 12-5 season and deep playoff run, Detroit is favored to win the most games in the division.
The roster is filled with weapons, and the franchise retained its highly acclaimed offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson. The Lions also bolstered their secondary via the 2024 draft.
Team | Win Totals |
DET Lions | 10.5 |
GB Packers | 9.5 |
CHI Bears | 8.5 |
MIN Vikings | 6.5 |
My Key Insights
- The Packers were expected to be in rebuild mode after four-time MVP and Super Bowl Champion Aaron Rodgers went to the Jets. Jordan Love displayed a masterclass under center by throwing for 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions. Expectations are now sky-high.
- Chicago selected Caleb Williams, one of the highest-graded quarterback prospects ever, in the NFL draft with the No. 1 overall pick. Sportsbooks are showing him respect by listing the Bears’ win total at 8.5.
- The Vikings are in rebuild mode, and it’s already started awful for them. Their No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft, J.J. McCarthy, tore his ACL during training camp and is out for the season. They were eager to see what he could do as a rookie and hoped he’d be their quarterback of the future.
2024 NFC North – To Win Super Bowl Odds
Detroit is the fourth-favorite to lift the Lombardi Trophy behind Kansas City (+575), San Francisco (+625) and Baltimore (+1100).
Last year, it appeared the Motor City was headed to the Super Bowl because it led the 49ers 24-7 at halftime in the NFC Championship game but eventually lost 34-31.
Team | 2024 Super Bowl Odds |
DET Lions | +1200 |
GB Packers | +1800 |
CHI Bears | +4000 |
MIN Vikings | +10000 |
- The Packers were +4000 to win the Super Bowl entering the 2023 season. At +1800 this year, they are ranked ninth in terms of favorites.
- If Williams can live up to the hype, Chicago might contend for a Wildcard. It’s unlikely they’ll reach the Super Bowl, but adding veteran slot receiver Keenan Allen provides offensive depth.
- Sam Darnold will be Minnesota’s QB1 and is considered to be a journeyman quarterback. He has top-tier weapons in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson, but it still probably isn’t enough to make a run in the playoffs, much less contend for the division.
2024 NFC North – To Win Division Odds
The Detroit Lions are trying to win a second-consecutive NFC North title. They’ve never previously achieved the feat.
NFC North Teams – 2024 Division Winner Odds
Team | Odds | 2023 Divisional Record |
DET Lions | +135 | 4-2 |
GB Packers | +240 | 4-2 |
CHI Bears | +350 | 2-4 |
MIN Vikings | +1100 | 2-4 |
- The Packers definitely have a chance at the title, with oddsmakers putting them close behind the Lions. If Love continues to improve, anything can happen. Head coach Matt LaFleur has won the division three times, more than any other active coach.
- Chicago has only claimed the NFC North twice since 2010, and quarterback issues have been the primary reason. Williams has the chance to bring joy to the Windy City.
- Minnesota are longshots at +1100. It would take arguably a miracle to win the division.
2024 NFC North – Player Awards Odds
All four quarterbacks in the NFC North have a shot at leading the NFL in passing yards.
Goff was second in the league in passing yards (4,575) in 2023. He came up just 49 yards short of Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa.
This year, Goff is the fourth betting favorite at +1100 behind C.J. Stroud (+750), Patrick Mahomes (+800) and Dak Prescott (+950).
2024 – Most Passing Yards Odds
Player | Team | To Record The Most Passing Yards |
Jared Goff | DET Lions | +1100 |
Jordan Love | GB Packers | +2000 |
Sam Darnold | MIN Vikings | +3000 |
Caleb Williams | CHI Bears | +4000 |
- Love finished seventh in passing (4,149 yards) last campaign and is the seventh favorite this year to record the most passing yards.
- Darnold is +3000 due to having arguably the best receiver in the league (Jefferson) and talented Addison and Hockenson. The +1100 odds to win the division also indicate they’ll be in losing game scripts often, which leads to even more passing attempts against soft coverages.
- Williams is the group’s underdog in terms of passing yards but has an arsenal full of weapons. It’ll be a tall task since he’s a rookie, but it’s not impossible.
Interesting NFC North Bets to Consider
Caleb Williams total regular season passing yards: Over 3,450.5 (-135 at ESPN BET)
According to scouts, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick has all the tools necessary to succeed in the NFL.
I’m not tipping him to make NFL history in this case, just to throw for more than 3,450.5 yards, which is totally attainable if he can stay healthy.
The Bears have surrounded Williams with a plethora of talent at the receiver position, including D.J. Moore (excellent at recording yards after the catch), Pro Bowler Keenan Allen, and highly touted rookie Rome Odunze (ninth pick in the 2024 draft).
Cole Kmet has proven to be a solid tight end as well, and versatile running back DeAndre Swift is excellent in the passing game.
Sportsbooks giving Williams +4000 odds to lead the league in passing yards implies he’ll beat the 3,450.5 yards.
Other quarterbacks in the same range, such as Baker Mayfield at +4000 (threw for 4,044 yards in 2023) and Geno Smith at +5000 (threw for 3,624 yards in 2023), passed the total last year.
The 8.5 win total for Chicago, being a consensus among many sportsbooks, indicates they expect Williams to have a decent first year.
Even if the Bears struggle in the win column, the game script will involve passing should they fall behind.
In the past, highly graded pro-style rookie quarterbacks picked first or second via the draft (and stayed relatively healthy) have eclipsed this number.
- 2023: C.J. Stroud: 4,108 yards in 15 games
- 2021: Trevor Lawrence: 3,641 yards in 17 games
- 2020: Justin Herbert: 4,336 yards in 16 games
Another factor is Chicago likely using a rotation in the backfield with Swift and Herbert.
The team doesn’t feature a ground-and-pound every down back like Christian McCaffrey, Josh Jacobs or Jonathan Taylor, so they likely won’t game plan primarily around the run. Williams will surely be slinging the pigskin around.
Using data models for fantasy football is also a great tool when analyzing projections. Here are some of the top ones in the industry projecting the former USC quarterback’s full-season passing yards.
Top Model Projections for Williams’ Passing Yards
- Numberfire: 4,178.41 yards
- DraftSharks: 4,166.4 yards
- Yahoo: 3,862 yards
- FantasyPros: 3,783 yards
- ESPN: 3,537 yards
All five anticipate the 22-year-old surpassing the 3,450.5-yard mark. Four of them predict him to do so easily.
The -135 odds at ESPNBet provide superb value for the over 3,450.5 yards. Caesars lists his total at 3,550.5 yards (-115 for the over), which is a whole 100 yards higher. UnderDog Fantasy features Williams’ total at 3,600.5 yards (-137 for the over) at a worse price with him requiring 150 more yards.
Always Shop Around for the Best Odds
As many readers know, sports betting is available in many states, meaning many online operators are available to punters.
This allows bettors to odds shop and find the best available line for any bet type. Shopping around should be done for every single bet you place.
There’s no reason to grab the first odds you see. It’s 2024, so you’re not limited to a brick-and-mortar casino. Everything can be done from your fingertips using a mobile device or laptop, for example.
We’ll use the Caleb Williams bet as an odds-shopping example. If you were a customer at UnderDog Fantasy and bet on Williams to hit over 3,600.5 passing yards (-137) because it’s the first line you saw, you would be making a grave mistake.
Taking him at ESPN BET to pass for more than 3,450.5 yards (-135) at a better line with a lower total is much more beneficial. You are essentially protecting yourself.
If he became injured and had to miss time or ended up throwing for 3,550 yards, you’d lose the bet at UnderDog when you could’ve won it by odds shopping and using ESPN BET.
BestOdds has its own shopping tool: The Odds Hub. Users can view the best available lines and see potential payouts for different wagers.
Odds shopping will help with your long-term ROI, save you money and potentially preserve your bankroll.
Step-By-Step To Bet On Divisional Winners
1. Log into your sportsbook account.
2. Select the NFL tab.
3. Click on the Division’s tab from the drop-down menu.
4. Pick the odds and team or player you will bet on.
5. Make your stake official at the bet slip window—usually on the right side of the screen.
Betting Odds For NFC Divisions
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