Rohit Ponnaiya breaks down his favorite NFL team futures parlay ahead of Week 1 of the 2025-26 NFL season. Find out why he’s bullish on the Texans, Bucs, and Lions!
Photo By – Imagn Images. Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) drops back to pass.
The 2025 NFL season is around the corner, which means it’s time to pull the trigger on futures bets you like, especially in the win totals and division winner markets.
Here are four of my favorite NFL picks in the futures markets, all put together in a nice four-team parlay that pays out at 10 to 1. Â
NFL team futures parlay
-
Texans to win AFC South -
Buccaneers Over 9.5 wins -
Lions to make the playoffs 
Saints Under 5.5 wins- 💲 +1043 parlay💲
Best NFL futures parlay
Texans to win AFC South
Buccaneers Over 9.5 wins
Lions to make the playoffs
Saints Under 5.5 wins
AFC South Winner: Houston Texans
The Houston Texans have taken the AFC South in each of the last two years. They finished with 10 wins last season despite going 4-5 down the stretch as franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud regressed.
That was largely due to injuries on the line and at WR, along with defenses employing a high volume of two-high safety shells to take away the deep ball.
With a healthy Nico Collins and free agent signing Christian Kirk joined by second and third round picks at WR, Houston’s receiver corps is poised to bounce back. More importantly, new OC Nick Caley will focus more on running the ball and quick-hitting passes, which should make Houston’s offense tougher to defend.
The primary reason to expect the Texans to win the AFC South, though, is their defense, which should once again be one of the best in the league under DeMeco Ryans. With the top defense and best QB in the AFC South, Houston will have the inside track in a mediocre division.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Over 9.5 wins
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will benefit from a cushy schedule that sees them face the Saints and Panthers twice. Led by Baker Mayfield, the Bucs could have one of the best offenses in the league, especially once LT Tristan Wirfs and WR Chris Godwin come off the IL.
Tampa Bay’s defense should also make major strides after being held back by injuries last year. Signing linebacker Haason Reddick will make an already dangerous Bucs pass rush even more potent. That will hide the deficiencies in their secondary while their young defensive backs gain experience.
I’m not sold on the Bucs being a Super Bowl contender, but they should eclipse 9.5 wins for the second-straight year.Â
Detroit Lions to make playoffs
Sure, the Detroit Lions play in the highly competitive NFC North and have one of the toughest schedules in the league. And yes, Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow retired while offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn departed for head coaching jobs.
Still, being installed at -170 to make the playoffs after dominating last year looks like an overreaction. Keep in mind that their explosive offense returns mostly intact, and their defense should be better after dealing with multiple key injuries in 2024.
They lost superstar edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a season-ending injury in Week 6, but he’ll be 100% for the start of the year. Likewise, DT Alim McNeil’s recovery from a torn ACL is going very well.
The Lions will take a step back from a 15-win campaign in 2024 but should still make the postseason.
New Orleans Saints Under 5.5 wins
There was a massive gap between the good and bad teams last year, with a whopping 10 clubs finishing with fewer than 5.5 wins. Every preseason power ranking has the New Orleans Saints rated as either the worst or second-worst team in the NFL this year, which makes it likely they’ll go below that number.
New Orleans will likely have a Bottom-5 defense after the surprise retirement of Tyrann Mathieu. The wheels could really fall off that stop unit if 36-year-old anchors Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis see a drop-off in their play.
Things will be even uglier on the other side of the ball. The Saints will start Spencer Rattler at QB with the possibility that second-round rookie Tyler Shough will take over at some point. They won’t be able to move the ball with either pivot and will be tanking for the first pick overall by October. Â
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.