Without a clear-cut favorite in the NFC West, the divisional crown is wide open. The San Francisco 49ers and LA Rams are the division frontrunners according to Fan Duel, with the 49ers at +190 odds and the Rams at +200 odds to win the NFC West.
The Seattle Seahawks aren’t far behind either team at +280 odds. The Arizona Cardinals are the long shot in the NFC West at +600 odds.
| NFC West Division Odds |
- San Francisco 49ers +190
- LA Rams +200
- Seattle Seahawks +280
- Arizona Cardinals +600
Five out of the last nine NFC West champs went on to a Super Bowl berth, but NFC West teams are 1-4 in the Super Bowl since 2012. The Seahawks went 1-1, the 49ers went 0-2, and the Rams are 0-1. The 49ers are +1400 odds to win Super Bowl 56, followed by the LA Rams at +1500, and the Seattle Seahawks at +2000.
The Tampa Bay Bucs and Green Bay Packers are the top two favorites to win the NFC Championship, but three teams in the NFC West follow them on the NFL futures board. The 49ers are +650 odds to win the NFC championship, slightly ahead of the LA Rams at +700. The Seattle Seahawks are +1000 odds to win their first NFC Championship since 2014.
49ers +190
Once again, you have the feeling that the NFC West divisional crown won’t be decided until the last weekend of the regular season. The 49ers are favorites even though they have a lot of question marks surrounding Jimmy Garoppolo. If/when Jimmy G gets injured or falters, rookie Trey Lance will get the call. You have to expect that Kyle Shanahan has a quick hook when it comes to Jimmy G, considering they leveraged their future to draft Lance. But the bigger question looms: will Lance be ready?
The 49ers also lost defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who is now the head coach of the New York Jets. At 36-years old, DeMeco Ryans is now the youngest defensive coordinator in the NFL. Ryans is a former all-pro linebacker and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He was the 49ers linebackers coach for the previous three seasons before Shanahan tapped him to replace Saleh. He insisted the 49ers’ defense will not change much from last season.
Rams +200
The Los Angeles Rams saw their odds jump across the board when they pulled off a huge trade to bring Matthew Stafford to Hollywood. In the offseason, the Rams traded Jared Goff and his hefty contract, but also sent draft picks to the Detroit Lions to upgrade their quarterback.
Early in training camp, the Rams suffered a huge setback when running back Cam Akers injured his Achilles. Backup Darrell Henderson injured his thumb in practice on Monday, but the Rams expect his mild sprain to heal in time for Week 1. The Rams are a popular pick at +200 odds to win the NFC West for the third time since 2017.
Seahawks +280
It’s sort of a sh-t-show in Seattle right now, but it’s really the same situation they’ve faced for the past couple of seasons. The miserly team hasn’t spent a lot of money to retain top free agents and, has rather, replaced veterans with inexpensive, younger players. It’s one thing to let the Legion of Boom dismantle, but they failed to bolster the offensive line to protect Russell Wilson. At one point in the off-season, Wilson expressed his frustrations, which seemed like he and his agent were testing the trade market waters.
Despite all of the drama, Pete Carroll always figures out a way to win. And, with fans returning to games, Seattle’s “12th Man” will become a factor once again. The Seahawks have one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL, which is now named Lumen Field. The rowdy fans and loud stadium always pose communication problems for opposing teams.
Beating the Seahawks at home is one of the toughest tasks in the NFL, especially during division games, which is why they’re +280 odds to win the NFC West.
Cardinals +600
Kyler Murray heads into his third year as the Arizona Cardinals quarterback, but it’s really a make-or-break year for the Cards and Kliff Kingsbury. Murray has a strong crew of wide receivers to air the ball out to, including Hall of Famer DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, AJ Green, and rookie Rondale Moore. The Cards also added James Conner at running back with Chase Edmonds in reserve.
Don’t forget about the addition of JJ Watt. His leadership is exactly what the Cardinals need in the locker room. Meanwhile, Chandler Jones’ days are numbered with the Cards. He requested a trade and the Jets are desperate for an edge rusher after they lost Carl Lawson to an Achilles injury.
