NFL Futures And Win Totals Featured At WV Sportsbooks Following Draft

Written By Chris Imperiale on May 4, 2021 – Last Updated on May 17, 2021

Although the 2021 NFL season is still four months away, it is never too soon to place a bet on your favorite team. West Virginia sportsbooks have already released updated odds for the upcoming NFL year, offering win totals and a range of future bets.

Residents of the Mountain State, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, have numerous local teams on their radar.

After a disappointing finish to last season, they are determined to make a comeback and have taken a step towards that goal by selecting running back Najee Harris in the first round of the draft.

The NFL is introducing a significant alteration this season by extending the regular-season games for each team to 17, a departure from the longstanding 16-game format established in 1978.

Naturally, this had an impact on how the online sports betting apps in WV establish their odds for the current season. Bettors should keep in mind this alteration, particularly when assessing win totals for this year.

After the draft last weekend, let’s delve into the NFL futures odds that are now available in WV for a closer examination.

2021 NFL win totals at WV sportsbooks

Pittsburgh Steelers win total

One of the most popular pre-season wagers in the NFL is betting on the total number of wins for teams. Although the introduction of 17 games this season may add some confusion, the essence of examining the odds remains unchanged.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook WV, Pittsburgh’s total wins for the season is set at 8.5. The sportsbook appears to have a pessimistic outlook on the team’s performance, predicting that they will only achieve a 9-8 record overall if they exceed expectations.

It is highly unlikely that this will meet the standards for playoff qualification.

According to the current odds on DraftKings, the chances of the over bet are higher. The over 8.5 is listed at -125, while the under is listed at +103.

According to the online sportsbook, the Steelers’ performance in the final stretch of the last season suggests what lies ahead. Despite their impressive 12-4 record in 2020, they suffered defeat in four out of their last five matches.

Despite the Steelers’ impressive 11-0 record at one stage, their season was ultimately deemed a failure due to their defeat against archrivals, the Cleveland Browns, in the Wild Card round.

In December and beyond, Pittsburgh’s struggles with offense and a running game were insurmountable. To address these deficiencies, the front office made the decision to draft four offensive players.

On Thursday night, Alabama running back Harris was selected as the top choice with the 24th overall pick. His mission is to restore the Steelers’ traditional prowess in the ground attack.

Harris made a notable impact on this year’s National Championship team, as well as previous ones. He achieved an impressive feat of nearly 1,500 rushing yards, accompanied by a remarkable tally of 30 touchdowns in the previous season.

In the upcoming draft, Pittsburgh decided to select three players consecutively. Among them was Pat Freiermuth, a talented tight end from Penn State, along with two more offensive linemen.

The Steelers may have one more title run left in them if this group is able to contribute right away.

Cleveland Browns win total

Regrettably for fans of Pittsburgh, this year DraftKings placed the Browns ahead of them in the rankings, granting them a projected win total of 10.

Once upon a time, achieving 10 wins implied a 10-6 record, but in the current season, it would equate to a 10-7 standing. This task shouldn’t pose much difficulty for the Browns franchise, considering their breakthrough in 2020 when they finally reached the playoffs after a prolonged absence.

The team achieved an impressive 11-5 record during the regular season and came close to securing a second playoff win in a tight match against Kansas City during the Divisional Round.

In free agency, the team managed to retain most of its players and made significant improvements to its defense through the draft. The first-round pick went to Greg Newsome II, a cornerback from Northwestern, while the second round saw the addition of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah from Notre Dame. These acquisitions have strengthened the team’s defensive capabilities.

With a well-aligned offense and playmakers scattered across the field, the Browns have the potential to contend this season if quarterback Baker Mayfield keeps progressing.

The total at DraftKings is set at 10, with odds of -110 available for both the over and under.

One reason why this overall number is not higher is due to the division’s competitiveness. The online sportsbook sets Baltimore as the team with the highest total at 10.5 wins.

The Cincinnati Bengals have shed their reputation as pushovers. For the upcoming season, DraftKings has set their win total at 6.5.

To bolster Lamar Jackson’s support, the Ravens acquired Rashod Bateman as their first-round pick, thereby fortifying their offense. Additionally, they secured the services of Sammy Watkins through free agency, effectively introducing two fresh offensive assets.

The Browns made a comparable decision, but they arguably secured the top wide receiver in this year’s draft class by selecting LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase as their fifth overall pick.

Although the receiver chose not to participate in the previous year, his performance in 2019 was exceptional. Currently, he has been reunited with his quarterback from that specific season, Joe Burrow.

Rookie of the Year odds

Gamblers have the opportunity to bet on both the offensive and defensive Rookie of the Year Awards.

Unsurprisingly, the offensive favorite to win this title is none other than Trevor Lawrence, the top pick. Despite joining the Jaguars, you can find him at favorable odds of +300 on DraftKings.

Following the top quarterbacks, several others are up next. The odds displayed on the sportsbook are as follows:

Justin Fields +600
Trey Lance +600
Zach Wilson +700
Najee Harris +1000
Ja’Marr Chase +1100
Kyle Pitts +1100
Mac Jones +1200

Fields, despite being the fourth QB chosen, finds himself in an optimal position as he embarks on his professional journey. His team surpasses the caliber of those who selected quarterbacks in the top five spots, and his path to securing the starting position merely involves outperforming Andy Dalton.

When it comes to defense, Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys stands above the rest in terms of odds. DraftKings has set the linebacker’s odds at +400 to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

It is worth noting that the top two defenders chosen do not have the highest likelihood of success. Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II may face challenges as cornerbacks, as their chances of making significant plays consistently are limited.

At present, the defensive award odds for the remaining favorites are listed on the online sportsbook as follows: