3 Darkhorse Picks to Win Super Bowl LIX

It's playoff time.

The regular season is in the rearview mirror, and the postseason gets under way this weekend.

There's a clear top tier in terms of Super Bowl odds, with five teams boasting title odds between +300 and +700. This post isn't about those teams -- it's about everyone else.

Underdog runs deep into the postseason aren't as common in the NFL as they are in other sports, but there are some darkhorses who are capable of making some noise in this year's playoffs. Let's take a look at three such teams.

Darkhorse Bets to Win Super Bowl LIX

Green Bay Packers

Packers Super Bowl Odds: +2200

Any 7 seed has a brutally tough path to the Super Bowl, but the Green Bay Packers have shown they can do some damage from this spot.

Just a year ago, the Packers were the NFC's 7 seed, and they had some success, upsetting the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round and putting a scare into the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round before losing by three points.

They're a dangerous 7 seed this year, too.

Green Bay's first hurdle is a steep one: a road game at the Philadelphia Eagles. But the Packers are just 4.5-point underdogs for that one, and despite being the 7 seed, Green Bay has the seventh-shortest odds to win Super Bowl LIX, so oddsmakers like this team.

Jordan Love (elbow) exited early in Week 18, but he's expected to be fine for this week. If Love can replicate his postseason play from a year ago -- 108.6 passer rating across two games -- the Packers can make a run.

Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Super Bowl Odds: +2500

The fifth-seeded Los Angeles Chargers are one of two road teams -- Minnesota Vikings being the other -- favored on Wild Card Weekend.

The Bolts are 2.5-point favorites at the Houston Texans, and that alone puts LA on the darkhorse radar. Houston limped toward the finish line, going 10-7 for the year after a 5-1 start. All things considered, it's a pretty friendly Wild Card matchup for the Chargers.

If LA wins this week, things will get substantially tougher from then on, with the Bolts likely needing to beat two of the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens just to get to the Super Bowl. And those games would be on the road. The Chargers lost twice to KC this season, but the two defeats were by a combined nine points. They also dropped a seven-point decision to the Ravens.

Defense -- specifically pass D -- is the Chargers' calling card. Per numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics, the Chargers own the fourth-best pass defense as well as the eighth-best overall defense. That gives them a fighting chance against the AFC's elite.

Washington Commanders

Commanders Super Bowl Odds: +4000

What a turnaround it's been for the Washington Commanders. After picking second in last season's NFL Draft, the Commanders won 12 games and are the 6 seed in the NFC.

Of course, the player they took with that No. 2 pick is a huge reason why as Jayden Daniels put together a superb rookie campaign, tossing 25 touchdowns with a 69.0% completion percentage while running for 891 yards and 6 more scores.

If you value recent form, you'll like the Commanders. Washington enters the postseason on a five-game win streak. They've also shown the ability to come through in the clutch and win close games, going a 7-1 in contests decided by six or fewer points.

If you're looking for a reason to fade them, the Commanders went 1-4 against teams that made the postseason, with the one victory coming against the Philadelphia Eagles in a game where Jalen Hurts had to exit in the first half.

In the Wild Card Round, Washington travels to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. These two teams played each other in Week 1, with Tampa winning 37-20. Washington is a 3.0-point road underdog this week, and Daniels' game-breaking ability makes the Commanders a scary foe for anyone.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.