New England is +350 to win the AFC East
The New England Patriots enter the 2021 season with a completely revamped roster after a free agency splurge and promising draft class headlined by starting quarterback Mac Jones.
And while oddsmakers remain a bit hesitant to go all-in on the Patriots before they even step onto the field for a regular-season game, a strong start could quickly impact prices across the board.
Let’s take a look at different odds, future bets and player props for the 2021 edition of the Patriots.
(Odds, props via DraftKings Sportsbook)
AFC East Odds
Buffalo Bills -160
Miami Dolphins +350
New England Patriots +350
New York Jets +2500
AFC Championship Odds
Kansas City Chiefs +250
Buffalo Bills +500
Baltimore Ravens +600
New England Patriots +1800
Denver Broncos +2200
New York Jets +7500
Houston Texans +15000
Super Bowl Odds
Kansas City Chiefs +500
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +600
Buffalo Bills +1000
New England Patriots +3500
Indianapolis Colts +3500
Pittsburgh Steelers +4500
Houston Texans +30000
Mac Jones Odds
The No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft beat out veteran quarterback Cam Newton for the starting job, and saw a drastic increase in his prices to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Jones jumped all the way to 6-to-1 behind only No. 1 overall pick and Jacksonville Jaguars signal-caller Trevor Lawrence.
Jones (+200) trails only Lawrence (-140) with regards to a prop bet on most regular-season passing yards by a rookie, too.
Jones, to the surprise of nobody, is much more of a long shot to win either Offensive Player of the Year (80-1) or Most Valuable Player (100-1). He is also 50-1 to lead the NFL in passing touchdowns and 80-1 to lead the league in passing yards. Any takers?
Damien Harris Odds
It’s sure to be a strong season for Harris, who sits atop the Patriots depth chart with Sony Michel traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
Harris is 25-1 to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns and 35-1 to lead the league in rushing yards. Harris also is 50-1 to win Offensive Player of the Year, which, no matter how good of a season he has, seems unlikely with so many other impactful quarterbacks and running backs across the league.
Receiving Long Shots
Tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, as well as receiver Kendrick Bourne are extreme long shots in a few different categories.
Henry is 100-to-1 to lead the NFL in receiving yards and an identical 100-to-1 to lead the league in receiving touchdowns. Smith is 150-to-1 to lead the league in receiving yards and 100-to-1 to grab the most receiving touchdowns in the NFL. And then there’s Kendrick Bourne who is 250-to-1 to lead the league in receiving yards and 200-to-1 to compile more receiving touchdowns than anyone else.
A long shot bet is fun and all, but it’d be wise to save your money for something else.
Bill Belichick Odds
The Patriots head coach enters yet another season where he is one of the favorites to win Coach of the Year. Belichick is 12-1 to win the award behind only Los Angeles Chargers first-year head coach Brandon Staley (10-1). Belichick was in the neighborhood of 12-1 entering the 2020 season, as well.
Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds
The Patriots used their first-round pick on Jones, but went defense on Day Two. Second-round selection Christian Barmore, who has earned rave reviews from teammates this preseason, is in the middle of the pack to win Defensive Rookie of the Year at 35-1. Third-round defensive end Ronnie Perkins isn’t far behind Barmore as he weighs in 40-1 to claim the honor.
Defensive Player of the Year
The Patriots have a number of players with prices to win Defensive Player of the Year, perhaps depicting the talent they have on that side of the ball.
Matthew Judon +3500
Stephon Gilmore +5000
Dont’a Hightower +5000
J.C. Jackson +5000
Chase Winovich +6500
Kyle Van Noy +8000
Devin McCourty +10000
One best bet if you’re interested in having some skin in the game for the specific award? Judon almost certainly will transcend New England’s front seven, and 35-1 odds presents a lot of value.
Happy betting, Patriots fans.