How Ravens, Bengals Odds Shifted After Deshaun Watson Suspension
The Steelers remain a steep contender in the AFC North
The NFL handed out an updated suspension to Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on Thursday, and what is Cleveland’s loss is a gain for the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Watson’s suspension was extended from six games to 11 games, and the 26-year-old, who has been accused of multiple sexual misconduct allegations, was also fined $5 million by the NFL. The Browns quarterback will return on Week 13 against is former team, the Houston Texans.
Cleveland expected to miss their starting signal-caller and had its Super Bowl odds drop as a result. But the extended suspension paints a different picture in the AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the likely exception, since their odds to win the division have seen little movement — +1000 on DraftKings Sportsbook and +950 on FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Ravens and the Bengals will be the front-runners in the AFC North now that the Browns will look to Jacoby Brissett — or another option — at quarterback.
For the Ravens, their odds moved from +165 to win the division to +135 on DraftKings Sportsbook and to +145 on FanDuel Sportsbook. And for the Bengals, they also saw a slight bump in their odds to win the AFC North. Cincinnati went from +210 to +170 on DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Browns, predictably, took a drop in their division odds — +300 to +380 on DraftKings Sportsbook and +370 on FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Browns will hope the talent of their roster, outside of Watson, can carry them as the Ravens and the Bengals seek redemption in their injury-riddled season and Super Bowl loss, respectively, from a year ago.
