Lawrence Smelser
Updated: Sep 6, 2024
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprised the NFL world and the NFC South in 2023.
Many NFL fans and pundits believed the Buccaneers were due for a year of regression after Tom Brady’s retirement.
The team signed 2018 No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield, who became a journeyman quarterback after stints with Cleveland, Carolina and Los Angeles (Rams).
The former Heisman Trophy winner found his footing by leading the Bucs to the division title. It was the franchise’s third in a row.
2023 NFC South Standings
Teams | 2024 Record | 2024 Division Record |
TB Buccaneers | 9-8 | 4-2 |
NO Saints | 9-8 | 4-2 |
ATL Falcons | 7-10 | 3-3 |
CAR Panthers | 2-15 | 1-5 |
The Saints lost out on the division tiebreaker, making it a disappointing playoff-less campaign under new quarterback Derek Carr.
Atlanta played musical chairs at quarterback with rookie Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke.
Neither could consistently perform and often played poorly, resulting in the Falcons giving former Vikings’ quarterback Kirk Cousins a four-year $180 million deal.
Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler, is coming off a torn achilles but is expected to start week 1.
The front office also spent its No. 8 overall pick on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. out of Washington. The move was highly criticized because it had already given Cousins a massive contract.
Bryce Young, the first selection in the 2023 draft, struggled in his debut season with the Panthers, but the organization lacked pieces on both sides of the ball.
It continues the rebuild into the 2024 campaign with first-year head coach Dave Canales.
In our article below, we discuss:
- 2024 NFC South – Win Totals
- 2024 NFC South – Super Bowl
- 2024 NFC South- Division Winner
- 2024 NFC South – Player Awards Betting
- 2024 NFC South – Player Prop Tip
Note: All odds were correct and the best available at the time of writing.
2024 NFC South Win Totals & Key Insights
The Falcons are listed at 9.5 total wins for the season, thanks to having a deep roster and the addition of Cousins.
The win totals listed below are the consensus among most bookmakers at near even odds.
Team | Win Totals |
ATL Falcons | 9.5 |
TB Buccaneers | 7.5 |
NO Saints | 7.5 |
CAR Panthers | 5.5 |
My Key Insights
- The Falcons were 7-10 last year and lost some close games. Now, with an experienced quarterback, they’re expected to contend for the division title and a playoff spot. Firing Arthur Smith for Dave Canales should lead to a couple more wins.
- Tampa Bay was able to retain its core pieces. The popular question is whether Mayfield can continue to elevate his play after earning a playoff win last year in his first season with the Bucs. Retaining Pro Bowl wideout Mike Evans was huge.
- Carr and the Saints’ offense have to play better in 2024. Dennis Allen’s defensive recipe continues to be strong.
- The NFL is a “win-now” league that warrants immediate success. That said, former Heisman trophy winner Bryce Young has a new coach and should have at least two years to prove himself. Acquiring wide receiver Diontae Johnson from Pittsburgh will likely elevate his play.
2024 NFC South – To Win Super Bowl Odds
At 30/1, oddsmakers are giving the Falcons a real shot to win the Super Bowl. It’s a massive rise up the board from the 70/1 line they had going into the 2023 season.
Team | Best Super Bowl Odds |
ATL Falcons | +3000 |
TB Buccaneers | +9000 |
NO Saints | +10000 |
CAR Panthers | +25000 |
- The Bucs are listed at 90/1 (highest odds) and as low as 60/1.
- At 100/1 across most books, there isn’t much belief in Carr improving for the Saints.
- The Panthers are extreme long shots and don’t have a good enough roster to compete for a Lombardi Trophy. If the rebuild goes to plan, maybe they can make the playoffs in a few years.
2024 NFC South – To Win Division Odds
While the Falcons boast the deepest roster in the NFC South, anything is possible, especially after the Bucs won the division after being +750 underdogs in 2023.
NFC South Teams – Division Winner Odds
Team | Odds | 2023 Divisional Record |
ATL Falcons | -130 | 3-3 |
TB Buccaneers | +333 | 4-2 |
NO Saints | +550 | 4-2 |
CAR Panthers | +1300 | 1-5 |
- The Falcons are looking for their first NFC South title since 2016. They eventually made the Super Bowl that season, and we all remember what happened after they were up 28-3 at halftime over the Patriots.
- Tampa Bay is trying to win four consecutive NFC South crowns. New Orleans is the only franchise to achieve this feat.
- The Saints will attempt to win the division after coming so close in 2023.
- Carolina hasn’t won the division since 2015 under the leadership of Ron Rivera and Cam Newton. They faltered in the Super Bowl to the Broncos later that campaign.
2024 NFC South – Player Awards Odds
In our other division previews, we highlight NFL MVP odds.
With the NFC South lacking contenders in that category, there is no shortage of talented running backs in the division who could potentially lead the league in rushing yards.
2024 – To Lead NFL in Total Rushing Yards
Player | Team | Best Odds |
Bijan Robinson | ATL Falcons | +1300 |
Rachaad White | TB Buccaneers | +5000 |
Alvin Kamara | NO Saints | +6000 |
Chuba Hubbard | CAR Panthers | +15000 |
Bijan Robinson is the third-favorite to lead the NFL rushing yards behind Christian McCaffrey (+650) and Jonathan Taylor (+800).
Robinson didn’t surpass 1,000 yards on the ground in 2023 due to head coach Arthur Smith rotating his backs, which was highly condemned.
New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson should allow last year’s No. 8 overall pick to run wild in 2024.
Rachaad White finished with 990 yards last season (14th in the league). It’ll be hard for him to lead the league in rushing since he’s heavily utilized in the passing game.
Interesting NFC South Bets to Consider
Drake London regular-season total: Over 1,000.5 receiving yards (-115 at BetMGM)
Entering his third season, 2022 No. 8 overall pick Drake London is finally ready to explode onto the scene and break the 1,000-yard mark. As the famous saying goes: “The third time is the charm.”
He’ll need one extra yard to eclipse the total (1,000.5) set at BetMGM. Other sportsbooks, including BetRivers (-118 for the over) and FanDuel (-112 for the over), list London’s receiving yards total at 1,050.5.
Bookmakers such as DraftKings and Caesars featuring him at 1,000.5 have the over at -125, giving the -115 for over 1,000.5 at BetMGM excellent value.
That shouldn’t be a problem with Cousins under center, especially since London came 96 yards short of 1,001 in 2023 and missed a game.
His 905 receiving yards were extremely impressive due to Arthur Smith’s run-first offense and lack of trust in his two quarterbacks. Atlanta ranked 25th in the league in passing attempts per game (31.2) in 2023.
Cousins averaged 40 passing attempts per game in 2023 (excluding the contest where he was injured) and was on pace to lead the league in attempts. In 2022, he averaged 35 passing attempts per game.
This will surely help London’s case to hit the mark.
Cousins has bolstered yardages for his WR1s over the past five years, and although London isn’t as talented as Justin Jefferson, we’ll showcase the stats below.
WR yardages in the past five seasons with Cousins
- 2022: Justin Jefferson (1,809 yards)
- 2021: Justin Jefferson (1,616 yards)
- 2020: Justin Jefferson (1,400 yards)
- 2019: Stefon Diggs (1,130 yards) Note: 3 games w/o Cousins
- 2018: Adam Thielen (1,373 yards) and Stefon Diggs (1,021 yards)
Cousins is a huge step up from Ridder and Heinicke, even coming off an achilles injury, and should help London eclipse 1,000.5 yards.
London, a USC product, has improved each season and recorded 866 yards as a rookie catching passed from Marcus Mariota, who has spent most of his career as a backup, and Ridder.
Using fantasy football models from the best sources around the web to project yardages is also important when betting futures for player props. Here are some of the projections:
2024 receiving yards projections for London
- Pro Football Network: 1,459.5 yards
- Numberfire: 1,240.59 yards
- FantasyPros: 1,145.6 yards
- DraftSharks: 1,102.5 yards
- ESPN: 1,022 yards
Every model has the 23-year-old advancing past 1,000.5 yards. If he can stay healthy, there’s an excellent chance he will hit the over for this prop.
Always Shop Around for the Best Odds
It’s essential to do your homework by researching key stats, comparing expert picks, and delving into positional matchups, head-to-head history and other categories.
However, odds shopping is one of the greatest benefits of preserving the bankroll.
What is just as important, if not more, is selecting the best odds available across different bookmakers.
It’s extremely irresponsible to just bet on the first line you encounter. Comparing odds and finding the best value is undoubtedly the right move.
Our website features an odds shopping tool that showcases the best lines for each sportsbook. It also lets you choose a bet type and view the potential payout.
Shopping for the best odds will make a noticeable difference in your total ROI over time.
Remember to wager responsibly, stick to bankroll management, and never bet more than you can afford.
Step-By-Step To Bet On Divisional Winners
1. Go to your favorite sportsbook and log in.
2. Select the NFL tab.
3. Click on the Division’s tab appearing on the drop-down menu.
4. Pick the odds and team to bet on.
5. Officialize your bet from the bet slip window—usually on the right side of the screen.
Betting Odds For NFC Divisions
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