The National Football League has an element of parity built into its scheduling, designed to give teams that had a disappointing season a somewhat easier schedule in the next campaign. This appears in four games on the schedule now: three against opponents in their own conference and one in the other conference, matched up with their position in their final divisional standings. This is one reason why sleeper teams emerge to contend; another has to do with improvements that team ownership makes on the roster and with players getting an additional year of experience.
As you think about your NFL betting on futures wagers for the fall, take a look at our thoughts on three sleepers for 2021.
NFL News: Three Sleeper Teams for 2021
Miami Dolphins
It’s hard to brand a 10-6 team a “sleeper,” but the three wild card teams from the AFC all had 11-5 records, leaving the Dolphins on the outside looking in. The team did part ways with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who started the season calling plays and then moved into more of a mentoring role with Tua Tagovailoa, but multiple times down the stretch, Fitzpatrick came into games that Tua had started and led the Dolphins to a win. The Dolphins did have a solid draft, with four picks in the first two rounds. They added Jaylen Waddle to the roster, and they brought in Jevon Holland and Jaelan Phillips to a defense that was already stout. The offensive line improved with the draft of Liam Eichenberg, who should slot in as a starter right away, protecting Tua’s blind side.
The question remains as to how well Tua can play as the franchise quarterback. There were times when he showed signs that he was ready to lead an NFL offense, breaking the 300-yard mark in two games. There were other games where he looked extremely tentative, throwing short dump-offs that made the Dolphin offense extremely predictable. With additional weapons on offense and an even better defense, Tua definitely has the opportunity here. With New England and the Jets still rebuilding, there is plenty to like about Miami’s chances at least to get a wild card this time around.
New York Giants
The G-men were one of three teams that had a chance to win the NFC East in Week 17, and it was former Philadelphia head coach Doug Pederson’s bizarre decision to bring in backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld in the fourth quarter of an extremely winnable game against Washington that solidified the Football Team’s division title. If the Eagles had won that game, the Giants would have won the division (although with a 6-10 record). Quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a significant leg injury that slowed him as a running threat down the stretch, but he has had time to recover.
The Giants went out and added some offensive weapons, including tight end Kyle Rudolph and wide receiver Kenny Golladay. The team already had Evan Engram, Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard, and Saquon Barkley returns with a clean bill of health. In the draft, the Giants added Kadarius Toney to give the team even more speed. They added Adoree’ Jackson on defense via free agency, and they drafted speedy pass rusher Azeez Ojulari in the second round. This could easily be a season where the Giants and Washington battle for the NFC East title, as the Cowboys look to get their new, young defense through a learning curve.
Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert had one of the best rookie campaigns for any starting quarterback in league history, and now that Brandon Staley takes over as head coach, the team should get a system that is more conducive to victory. The Chargers added Rashawn Slater with the 13th draft choice to solidify their offensive line; the team also added Matt Feier and Corey Linsley to the unit via free agency. They drafted cornerback Asante Samuel Jr in the second round, making their secondary even more dangerous. The Kansas City Chiefs are the favorites to win the division, but I would not be surprised to see the Chargers approach 12 or 13 wins.
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