With so many betting options for the NFL season, we asked PressBox’s Stan “The Fan” Charles, Glenn Clark, Spencer Schultz and Joe Serpico and FantasyPros’ Ken Zalis to share some of their favorite futures bets for this season.
All numbers are from FanDuel Sportsbook in early August.
Stan “The Fan” Charles
Remember, my prop bets are for entertainment only. Do not — I repeat, do not — bet your house on any of them. That said, here are four possible wagers.
Baker Mayfield To Lead NFL In Touchdown Passes (+1000)
Last season, Joe Burrow led the NFL in touchdown passes with 43. He did manage to play in 16 of 17 games. He has played in just 10 games twice in his five-year career. Baker Mayfield was tied for second in touchdown passes with 41. He has played in all 17 games in each of his two seasons with the Buccaneers.
Mike Green (+1400), Malaki Starks (+1900) To Win Defensive Rookie Of The Year
The Ravens have two very dynamic and potentially breakout rookie defenders. This is a purely fun Ravens play at a level where it can’t hurt you. The upside is very high if either delivers enough to win the award.
Las Vegas Raiders Over 5.5 Wins (-210)
I semi-chickened out on this wager by only looking at a two-win gain with new coach Pete Carroll and a real quarterback in Geno Smith. The Raiders were just 4-13 last season. I think they’ll win seven or eight games this year, but I’ll default to looking for more certainty in Year 1 of the Carroll regime.
Baltimore Ravens Over 11.5 Wins (-130)
I actually think the Ravens are a 13- or 14-win team, but with new kicker Tyler Loop taking the place of Justin Tucker, I’ll err on the side of a bit of conservatism. I think from top to bottom this may very well be the best roster the Ravens have ever had.
Glenn Clark
In Every Regular-Season Game, The Baltimore Ravens …
Score 1+ Touchdown (-185)
Score 1+ Passing Touchdown (+750)
Score 1+ Rushing Touchdown (+1700)
OK, let’s dive into this. Do I really think the Ravens will score a passing AND a rushing touchdown in every game? Not really. But in the last two seasons, they’ve done that in 24 games! They’ve scored at least one offensive touchdown in all 34 games, including one that Lamar Jackson didn’t start at the end of the 2023 season.
There is always risk about injury or perhaps the Ravens clinching early enough that Jackson doesn’t start a game at the end of the year, but the first bet is absolutely worth making. Last year, the Ravens scored at least one passing touchdown in every game and at least one rushing touchdown in 11 of their first 12 games. These are tickets worth holding. If Jackson and Derrick Henry stay healthy, this offense will continue to be very difficult to defend. There is real opportunity on these tickets.
Lamar Jackson Over 3,475.5 Passing Yards (-114), Over 750.5 Rushing Yards (-114)
Jackson had the fewest rushing attempts per game (7.41) of his career last year and still ran for 915 yards. Even when he played in just 12 games in 2021 and 2022 due to injury, he still finished with 767 and 764 rushing yards, respectively. He has thrown for 3,831 and 4,056 yards, respectively, in the last two years as well. If he stays healthy, there’s no reason to think he doesn’t soar past 3,450.
Chicago Bears To Make The Playoffs (+176)
I have been far too bullish about the Bears going into the last couple of years to bail now. With Ben Johnson in charge, Caleb Williams is too talented to not take a step forward. They don’t have a brilliant roster, but it is good enough in an underwhelming NFC to believe they can finally break through.
Spencer Schultz
Jameson Williams Over 875.5 Yards (-114)
This is the biggest lock of the season. I’d love laddering Williams up to 1,300 yards. He eclipsed 1,000 yards last year and is now several years removed from ACL surgery. Williams is arguably the most explosive big-play threat in the NFL and should see an increase in volume after solidifying himself in the Lions’ offense last year. With Ben Johnson leaving, I think the Lions emphasize manufactured touches to Williams multiple times per game. He is still an otherworldly downfield threat, too. Even if Williams misses three or four games, he should still eclipse this mark.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Over 975.5 Receiving Yards (-114)
No DK Metcalf? No Tyler Lockett? Sure, Cooper Kupp will get touches, but there’s still a massive vacated target share. JSN easily eclipsed 1,000 yards last year.
Rashod Bateman Over 550.5 Receiving Yards (-114)
I mean, what are we doing here? Bateman signed an extension, has multiple healthy seasons under his belt and is coming off a nine-touchdown, 756-yard campaign. This number is asinine. There are others I’d love to include in these three picks — like Brian Thomas Jr. and Drake Maye overs on everything — but this Bateman line is downright disrespectful. Bateman will eclipse this mark by November.
Joe Serpico
Cam Ward To Win Offensive Rookie Of The Year (+300)
It’s not often the No. 1 overall pick is not the favorite to win the award. That honor goes to Ashton Jeanty (+250), but I will put my money on the quarterback to win it. He’s the starter in Tennessee and has little competition to take his job away.
Calvin Ridley Over 1,000 Receiving Yards (+135)
If I’m going to back Ward to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, he is going to need to air it out to do so. Ridley racked up 1,017 receiving yards last season with Will Levis and Mason Rudolph as the signal-callers. The Titans added Tyler Lockett, Van Jefferson and three rookies to the roster, but Ridley is still the alpha in the receiver room.
New Orleans Saints Under 4.5 Wins (+110)
There is not much debate about what team is going to be the worst in the NFL this season. We knew this time would come, as the Saints have been pushing off salary cap issues for almost a decade. Derek Carr’s decision to retire further complicated matters, as the franchise is now in the hands of Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. This has the makings of a long rebuild. They could realistically win just two games this year.
Ken Zalis
Who doesn’t love a good parlay?
Lions, Broncos To Make The Playoffs (+183)
The Broncos won 10 games last year, and the Lions are now a perennial playoff team. I love my chances here.
Ravens, Texans, Chiefs To Make The Playoffs (+177)
Three of last year’s division winners to reach the playoffs, sign me up!
Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield To Throw 30-Plus Touchdowns (+408)
All three had 40-plus last year. Even with some regression, this seems too good not to bet.
Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson Throw For 35-Plus Touchdowns (+544)
Both had more than 40 last year. It’s hammer time for me.
Joe Burrow Over 40 Touchdowns, Lamar Jackson Over 4,000 Passing Yards (+1380)
Smelling a trend, aren’t you?
Zay Flowers, Courtland Sutton, Jaxon Smith-Njigba Over 750 Receiving Yards (+130)
All are No. 1 receivers on their teams. All had more than 1,000 yards receiving last season.
Photo Credits: Kenya Allen/PressBox, Colin Murphy/PressBox
Issue 294: August / September 2025
Originally published Aug. 13, 2025