NFL futures, 2 Las Vegas Raiders bets: For sacks, turn to Maxx
We continue on in our team-by-team previews with the Las Vegas Raiders, who replaced their quarterback as they prepare to navigate what could be a rough 2023 season.
Raiders high-level odds
- Wins: Over 7.5 (+160) | Under 7.5 (-190)
- To Win Division: +1200
- To Win Conference: +4000
- To Win Super Bowl: +6500
The Raiders finished 6-11 last season after making the playoffs in 2021, and some faces of the franchise were let go this offseason as Las Vegas turns to a new page. Gone is quarterback Derek Carr and tight end Darren Waller, two pillars of this Raiders offense for the past half-decade.
In their stead, Las Vegas is turning to Jimmy Garoppolo at QB, and Austin Hooper and rookie Michael Mayer will be competing for snaps out of the tight end position.
Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs remain in place on this offense, but Garoppolo is an incredibly uninspiring choice at quarterback. Garoppolo, and I'd argue any 49ers quarterback from the past few seasons, is benefitting from an elite supporting cast. While this offense is certainly solid, Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Renfrow round out an above-average WR group, it still seems most likely that Garoppolo limits this offense moreso than lifts it.
Beyond Maxx Crosby and hopefully rookie EDGE Tyree Wilson, this defense is a serious liability. The secondary allowed the fourth-most yards per pass attempt and typically allowed big plays. It doesn't seem they've addressed that much heading into 2023.
Two futures bets to make on the Las Vegas Raiders
Under 6.5 wins (-104 FD)
Found under 'Team Futures'
We've mostly been focused on the DraftKings market simply for ease of navigation and considering they have offer more bets, but we had to move over to FanDuel for this one. DraftKings has the Raiders win total set at 7.5, heavily weighted towards the under at -190. They curiously do not allow you to bet over or under 6.5 wins, so here we are.
The Raiders won only six games last year, and I'd say they've gotten worse. Josh McDaniels has never struck me as a viable head coach in the NFL, and that figures to come to a head this year with Garoppolo at the helm. I don't buy Jimmy G in the slightest, and it would not surprise me to see Davante Adams trade rumors start to heat up.
The defense is going to hamstring this team from keeping pace in the loaded AFC, and I'd expect another top-10 pick coming for Las Vegas, which may be just what they need considering they do not have a quarterback of the future on the roster.
Maxx Crosby 12+ regular-season sacks (+240 DK)
Found under 'Team Specials'
Maxx Crosby is one of the bright spots on this Raiders team, and most definitely their defense's most important player. The 25-year old defensive end has seen sack totals of 10, 7, 8 and 12.5 in his first four seasons in the league, and I like the price here on him going over the 12.0 mark once again.
The hope with a bet like this is that the presence of rookie EDGE Tyree Wilson helps free up some attention away from Crosby. Now, that could work in reverse, which is why I had previously written about some value in Wilson to edge out fellow rookie Will Anderson in sacks this year.
Ultimately, I trust Crosby's growth as a sack artist to shine through as the pivotal piece of this defense. He has never missed a game up to this point.
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