NFL Futures: 2022 NFC North Betting Preview, Computer Picks and Analysis

The Green Bay Packers have dominated the NFC North throughout Aaron Rodgers' career, but will the loss of Davante Adams give the Minnesota Vikings — or even the Detroit Lions — a chance to steal this division? From an NFL betting perspective, this thing more open than it has been in past years, and that will only make for a more exciting season. 

Make sure you continue reading for our NFC North betting preview, picks and analysis, as we'll tell you who we're backing in this division. And if you're a new customer, you might want to grab this DraftKings offer to bet $5 on the NFL and get $200 FREE ➡️ here ⬅️. Free bets are perfect for betting on futures, as you can cash in big without having to risk anything. 

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NFC North Betting Preview, Computer Picks and Analysis

Green Bay Packers

NFL Week 1 2022: Packers vs. Vikings

The Packers are no longer going to have the luxury of Adams busting opposing coverages, which is definitely going to be an adjustment for Rodgers early on. Instead, Green Bay will be counting on Allen Lazard to make a sizable leap. The Packers also have two talented rookies in Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. The latter has been making some serious noise with his play in training camp and preseason. Green Bay also happens to have a great running back duo in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. Both players can be weapons in the passing game, which is why it's hard to be too concerned about this offense as a whole. As long as Rodgers is still playing at an elite level, the Packers will be fine. 

On the other side of the ball, Green Bay should be one of the better teams in the league. Last year, the Packers were the third-ranked defense in the league during the regular season, according to Pro Football Focus. The team then went out and added some serious talent in the offseason, using first-round picks on defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt and linebacker Quay Walker. The Packers also signed cornerback Rasul Douglas to add a little more depth in the secondary. This is just a scary unit from top to bottom, with Preston Smith, Rashan Gary and De'Vondre Campbell all coming off incredible years. 

Verdict: If somebody can step things up and become a go-to wideout for Rodgers, the sky is the limit for the Packers. Our model gives them a 65.5% chance to win this division, but it also has the Packers ranked third amongst Super Bowl contenders. Perhaps Rodgers will win another one before he rides off into the sunset. 

Minnesota Vikings

NFL Week 1 2022: Packers vs. Vikings

The Vikings attempted to address their secondary in the 2022 NFL Draft, using the 32nd pick on safety Lewis Cine and the 42nd pick on cornerback Andrew Booth. Both players should immediately start for a team that desperately needed a boost in coverage. Cine should also help against the run, as he's good at getting himself to the football in a hurry. Minnesota also brought in linebacker Za'Darius Smith, who had been a great player for the rival Packers for years. This should be a much better group this year than it was a season ago. 

Minnesota's offense should also be in for a huge improvement. New head coach Kevin O'Connell comes from the Sean McVay coaching tree, so the Vikings should be able to pound the rock with Dalvin Cook and then make life easier on Kirk Cousins by doing a great job of blending play-action passes. It certainly helps that Justin Jefferson has emerged as one of the top wideouts in football. He'll consistently get himself open and make big plays when Minnesota goes to the air. And word out of training camp is that Adam Thielen is the healthiest he has been in years. If he can give the Vikings something, this just might be a playoff team. 

Verdict: While our model gives Minnesota a 53.5% chance of making the playoffs, the Vikings are only given a 26.5% shot of winning this division. If you're going to bet on Minnesota to do anything, make sure it's to make the postseason. 

Detroit Lions

NFL Week 1 2022: Eagles vs. Lions

The Lions are going to be a popular futures bet because of Hard Knocks, but are they actually ready to make a splash in this division? Not really. Detroit is going to have an explosive offense this year, as the team has a good offensive line and some weapons all over the field. D'Andre Swift has the potential to be a top running back in football, as he's great as both a rusher and a receiver. And while Jared Goff might not be a special quarterback, his group of receiving options is something else. Once first-round pick Jameson Williams is fully healthy, Goff will be able to throw to him, Amon-Ra St. Brown and D.J Chark at the wideout position alone. And T.J. Hockenson is also an emerging star at tight end. 

The issue for Detroit is that the team just doesn't have nearly enough talent on the defensive side of the ball. Aidan Hutchinson was the second pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, so he's expected to be a superstar for the Lions down the road. And Jeff Okudah, last year's first-round pick, should be a star at corner for a long time. But the Lions are lacking starter-level players in between. And until they add more, they'll struggle to make a run at the postseason. 

Verdict: Only six teams are expected to lose more games than the Lions this year, according to DimersBOT. Detroit's offense should be rather good this season, which is going to be nice to see. But the defense is going to struggle to get stops, and that'll ultimately doom the Lions. 

Chicago Bears

NFL Week 1 2022: 49ers vs. Bears

The roster the Bears have put around second-year quarterback Justin Fields is absolutely atrocious. Chicago has a leaky offensive line, which is going to hurt Fields and running back David Montgomery. And when Fields isn't running for his life, his receiving options are extremely weak. Darnell Mooney is the best wideout on the Bears right now, but he'd probably be more of a No. 3 option on a good team. It's just hard to see how Chicago is going to consistently put up points. Fields is talented but is going to pick up bad habits and struggle with confidence because of the group around him. 

Defensively, things aren't much better for the Bears. Chicago traded star Khalil Mack away as the organization continues its rebuild, and linebacker Roquan Smith has asked for a trade. If he gets his wish, the Bears are going to have a lot of issues getting stops. New head coach Matt Eberflus is a bright defensive coach, but it'll take a miracle for him to make something out if this roster. The team might be able to generate a decent amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and Jaylon Johnson looks like a shut-down corner. But outside of that, things look pretty bleak. 

Verdict: The Bears are in for some tough weeks this season. They're not worth betting in the futures market unless you want to back them to go Under their season win total. The best thing that can happen for Chicago is Fields finds a way to impress despite the miserable situation he's in. 

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