AFC North Odds: Baltimore Ravens (+150)
The Baltimore Ravens endured a stunning number of injuries last season before finishing a disappointing 8-9 – last in the division.
QB Lamar Jackson missed five games, just two offensive linemen started more than 12 contests and only three players on the entire roster started all 17 games.
The running back room in particular was decimated as Baltimore’s top two backs, J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, both missed the entire year after preseason ACL injuries.
The running game is incredibly important to the Ravens’ offensive game plan and they will likely lead the league in rushing attempts once again. That’s why it makes sense that sportsbooks are expecting a big bounce-back season from the Ravens with Dobbins, Edwards and Jackson all expected to be healthy around Week 1.
The defense will be solid again with corners Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey healthy along with four picks in the first four rounds of the draft on that side of the ball.
For a talented roster with a top QB, defense and coach, +150 is a good number.
AFC North Odds: Cincinnati Bengals (+175)
It was an incredible season for the Bengals, who not only won the division but ended up in a tightly contested Super Bowl they eventually lost 23-20.
The emergence of QB Joe Burrow was the biggest reason for Cincy’s mostly unexpected success last season, and there’s no reason to believe he’ll slow down that development any time soon.
The Bengals have surrounded Burrow with one of the best skill groups in football with superstar sophomore receiver Ja’Marr Chase, receiver Tee Higgins and running back Joe Mixon all high-end talents at their positions.
The Bengals added first-, second- and third-round picks to an already improving defense and the rocket ship is pointing up for the roster as a whole.
+175 is a great number in AFC North odds for the team that came a few points from a Super Bowl victory a few months ago.
AFC North Odds: Cleveland Browns (+325)
When you look at the rosters in the AFC North top to bottom, it’s not hard to make a case that the Browns have the best of the bunch.They have an elite offensive line, the best one-two punch at running back in the league, a new, proven No. 1 receiver in Amari Cooper, arguably the best defensive end in the league in Myles Garrett and plenty of talent and playmakers at all three levels of the defense.
The elephant in the room, of course, is the quarterback position. If playing, Deshaun Watson might be the best QB in the division. But, will he be playing?
Watson is facing 22 civil lawsuits, many alleging sexual misconduct and assault, and it seems just a matter of time before the league suspends him. There are some rumors a suspension could range between two and eight games, while others suggest it could be for the entire 2022 season.
If we knew it was going to be just two games, the Browns would probably be a little closer to the Bengals and Ravens in AFC North odds, if not ahead of them. An eight-game suspension would almost certainly take them out of the running altogether.
That uncertainty makes the Browns impossible to bet on right now.AFC North Odds: Pittsburgh Steelers (+1100)
The Steelers have a solid roster with a good group of skill players and a quality defense. The problems in Steel Town are two-fold and significant: offensive line and quarterback.
Mitchell Trubisky is the assumed starter after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, but the Steelers also spent a first-round pick on Pitt QB Kenny Pickett. Pickett is an older prospect who supposedly came into the league “NFL-ready,” but reports don’t expect him to beat out Trubisky to start the season.
It’s hard to see the Steelers being a full-on disaster with quality coaching and a top-notch defense, but we also don’t think they stand much of a chance in AFC North odds with easily the worst quarterback situation.
https://www.oddsshark.com/nfl/afc-north-odds
