Raiders Betting Preview 2023: Futures Picks & Predictions for Las Vegas
Our Las Vegas Raiders betting preview focuses on a number of prop picks, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Read on for our Raiders futures picks and predictions based on the latest NFL futures odds from the best NFL betting sites.
It's been a tumultuous offseason for the Las Vegas Raiders. The franchise handled the release of longtime quarterback Derek Carr rather clumsily, and the team's signing of oft-injured passer Jimmy Garoppolo was met with concern.
Vegas also traded away one of its best players in tight end Darren Waller. There are issues elsewhere on the roster, particularly along the offensive line and in the secondary.
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Raiders betting preview 2023
Raiders to win Under 7.5 games (-189 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Is the move from Carr to Garoppolo worth two wins? The betting market doesn't seem to believe so. Books are split on whether to hang the Raiders' win total number at 6.5 or 7.5. One thing that's certain is the Under on 7.5 is being heavily juiced.
We're in lockstep with that line of thinking while believing the Raiders will be hard-pressed to reach eight wins in 2023-24, particularly if Garoppolo misses any time. The Raiders play in the tough AFC West, so we're not comfortable betting on Vegas to reach eight wins.
Division exacta: Chiefs 1st, Chargers 2nd, Broncos 3rd, Raiders 4th (+450 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
The Raiders aren't thought of as contenders for the Super Bowl, or even within their division. The club is -130 to finish last in the AFC West.
Rather than place a wager on Las Vegas at these short odds, consider a division exacta with +450 odds. The Kansas City Chiefs have won the division every year since 2016, and the Raiders are expected to take a step back from their third-place finish.
Tyree Wilson to win Defensive Rookie of the Year (+900 via DraftKings, FanDuel)
Due to the Raiders' poor track record in the NFL draft, Las Vegas fans are the least optimistic about their squad's ability to identify the right prospect. But the team may have found one in 2023.
The Raiders took Texas Tech pass-rusher Tyree Wilson with the seventh overall pick. Wilson is a freakish athlete and was in the conversation to be the first defensive player off the board.
Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones will mentor him, and Wilson should get opportunities to play right away. His odds to win Defensive Rookie of the Year are as short as +650 elsewhere.
Maxx Crosby 12+ regular-season sacks (+240 via DraftKings)
Crosby has ascended to be one of the NFL's premier edge-rushers. He's reached the past two Pro Bowls, and the defender secured a career-high 12.5 sacks in 2023.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Crosby has been working on improving his grip strength so he can finish plays and record some of the sacks that quite literally slipped through his grasp in 2023.
"That’s a big part of it, like there’s a few sacks this year where you just see me getting a piece of the jersey and pulling them in - that’s just the little details and training," Crosby told Ted Nguyen of The Athletic.
Raiders worst regular-season record (+1400 via BetMGM)
We made the case for why the Raiders are worth a wager in our worst regular-season record picks. Injuries have derailed Garoppolo's last three campaigns, and he's played a full regular-season slate just once in six years.
If the injury bug bites Jimmy G again, the Raiders aren't deep or talented enough at the quarterback position to overcome his absence.
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