Some of the 32 teams in the NFL have the name of their Week 1 starter at quarterback etched in (almost) stone. For example, in Dallas, Dak Prescott has recovered from his broken ankle, which ended his 2020 campaign in Week 4, and he will start for the Cowboys, unless something unthinkable happened — such as the unlikely preseason injury to then-starter Tony Romo that ended Romo’s career in Dallas and opened up the opportunity for Prescott in the first place. However, in places like New England, where Cam Newton returns despite an underwhelming 2020, facing competition from incoming rookie Mac Jones and backup Jarrett Stidham, the situation is worth your sports betting attention.
Take a look at several similar situations brewing in the NFL Odds.
NFL News: Starting Quarterback Odds for Week 1
New England Patriots
Cam Newton -286 / Mac Jones +300 / Jarrett Stidham +800
Cam Newton got off to a decent start in New England in 2020. He is not Tom Brady, but his ability to extend plays with his legs led to some fine plays for the Patriots. Then he came down with a case of COVID-19 and never looked the same. He’s still the favorite to start Week 1 for the Pats, because the other two options have a steep learning curve (Jones) and have not played well in stints in the past (Stidham). Jones should eventually take over the starting job, as he is the prototypical passer for a Belichick system — he likes to stay in the pocket and is not particularly mobile. He needs the sort of stout offensive line that a typical Belichick team has. The smart money for Week 1, tough, is on Newton, despite the lack of value.
New Orleans Saints
Jameis Winston -200 / Taysom Hill +145
Jameis Winston came on in relief of Drew Brees when Brees went down to injury, but then Sean Payton used Taysom Hill as the starter for four games. Winston is the more natural signal-caller, having won a Heisman Trophy at Florida State. Also, Winston got a one-year contract in the off-season. However, the team also gave Hill a hefty renewal contract. Winston became the first quarterback ever to throw 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season with the Buccaneers in 2019, and he has always had a tendency to throw lots of interceptions. Winston is the favorite here, but Hill got the bigger extension — with more years on it. I’m going with the value and taking Hill.
Chicago Bears
Andy Dalton -200 / Justin Fields +200 / Nick Foles +800
It hasn’t been that long since Nick Foles walked away with the MVP trophy at the end of Super Bowl LII, as he had led the Philadelphia Eagles to their first world championship during the Super Bowl era. Since then, though, he has gone to Jacksonville and then to Chicago, failing to catch on as the starting quarterback for either squad. He’s still on the Bears’ roster, but the team added Andy Dalton from Dallas, where he played well backing up Dak Prescott last year, and traded up to draft Justin Fields out of Ohio State. The Bears tend to be a more conservative franchise in terms of rushing rookies, so Dalton is the smart pick to start the opener, even though Fields will be right behind him.
Denver Broncos
Drew Lock +145 / Teddy Bridgewater +145 / FIELD +220 / Brett Rypien +1600
Why is the field a factor here? The rumors that have swirled around Aaron Rodgers, who has asked to be traded away by the Green Bay Packers, have Denver as one of the favorites in terms of potential trade destination. Drew Lock returns for his third season with the Broncos, and the team brought in Teddy Bridgewater to compete for him. Bridgewater has not run this offense but has more experience and has taken a team to the playoffs. Rypien is also an option, but it would take a couple of injuries to elevate him to the starting role. I see Bridgewater snagging the starting role, but I wouldn’t sink a ton of money into this until Aaron Rodgers indicates where he will play this fall.
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