NFL Futures to Bet Entering Week 9: Should the Ravens Be Favored to Win the AFC North?

Betting futures is a fun way to follow the NFL season.

From NFL awards markets to Super Bowl odds to NFL division odds, there are plenty of markets to dig into.

Heading into this week, which NFL futures bets are on my radar at FanDuel Sportsbook? Let's dive in.

Note: All NFL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Best NFL Futures Bets Before Week 9

Ravens to Win the AFC North (-110)

Not very often is a 2-5 team listed as the division favorite. But things are weird this year in the AFC North, and I think this is a good time to get in on the Baltimore Ravens.

This is basically a two-team race between Baltimore (-110) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (+170). Pittsburgh has a two-game lead over the Ravens, but Baltimore has two things working for it -- they have two games left versus the Steelers, and Lamar Jackson is expected back this week.

Clearly, FanDuel Sportsbook is bullish on Baltimore's chances despite the poor start to the season. Let's not forget: the Ravens entered the campaign as one of the Super Bowl favorites before a slew of injuries on both sides of the ball -- none bigger than the one to Lamar -- caused a tailspin.

But the books haven't bailed on the Ravens, with Baltimore at the fifth-shortest odds to win the AFC (+1100). While the defense is still working through some issues, the offense should immediately jump back to elite status with Jackson under center.

Four of the Ravens' next five games -- at Miami Dolphins, at Cleveland Browns, vs. New York Jets and vs. Cincinnati Bengals -- are bouts where Baltimore will likely be a sizable favorite, and the lone exception is a road date at the Minnesota Vikings that is a winnable affair. After that stretch comes the first of two crucial meetings against Pittsburgh.

The Steelers, meanwhile, face the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills in three of their next five.

With Lamar returning and the defense getting healthier, the Ravens are likely the best team in the division. While they've spotted the Steelers a two-game cushion, that advantage might be gone by the time the two teams meet for the first time this year given their upcoming schedules -- making now a good time to back Baltimore.

Abdul Carter to Win Defensive Rookie of the Year (+110)

If you go by the sacks column, Abdul Carter has underwhelmed this season. Despite that, he's been atop this market all year long, and the window to get Carter at plus-odds may not be open much longer.

Carter got a half-sack in Week 1 and hasn't picked up another sack since. It's been mostly bad luck.

The New York Giants' star rookie ranks 16th among all edge players in pass-rush win rate (19%), per ESPN. PFF gives him a 76.4 pass-rush grade, tops among rookie edges. He's been credited with 11 pressures and has been unlucky not to turn that into more sacks. For reference, fellow Giants edge Kayvon Thibodeaux has 2.5 sacks on 10 pressures.

Sacks are a headline-grabbing stat, so it says a lot that Carter is still the favorite in this market despite having just a half-sack to his name. When he starts turning pressures into sacks at a more normal rate, he may run away with this award.

Plus, his main competition right now is the Philadelphia Eagles' Jihaad Campbell (+320), who played only 21 defensive snaps in Week 8 as the Eagles work in Nakobe Dean more and more with Dean returning from injury. Oh, and Brandon Graham is coming back, which won't make it any easier for Campbell to get more playing time.

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Which bets stand out to you this week? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest NFL betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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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.