The NFC West this upcoming season looks like it’s the San Francisco 49ers to lose once again. After claiming the last two division crowns, the Niners are the big favorites entering 2024. The Los Angeles Rams suffered a Super Bowl hangover early last season but rallied to make the playoffs and are the second choice. The Seattle Seahawks will look to get back up top under first-time head coach Mike Macdonald. Bringing up the rear will probably be the Arizona Cardinals, who are coming off consecutive four-win seasons.
NFC West Standings [2023]
| NFC | WEST | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 49ers | 12 | 5 | 0 |
 | Rams | 10 | 7 | 0 |
 | Seahawks | 9 | 8 | 0 |
 | Cardinals | 4 | 13 | 0 |
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (-200)
San Fran came up just short on beating the Kansas City Chiefs in last year’s Super Bowl and will be looking for more this season. They did lose star defensive lineman in Chase Young, but made a series of offseason moves to bolster the roster. The Niners added veteran defensive linemen Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins, Jordan Elliott and Yetur Gross-Matos along with linebacker De’Vondre Campbell to replace Erik Hendricks.
San Francisco also signed two veteran cornerbacks and drafted Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the 31st overall pick. The offense will be dangerous once again with quarterback Brock Purdy, stud running back Christian McCaffrey and hybrid wide receiver Deebo Samuel. The 49ers finished second in the league in 2023 with 28.6 points per game.
Odds to Win NFC West (as of 8/20/24):
San Francisco 49ers -200
Los Angeles Rams +325
Seattle Seahawks +700
Arizona Cardinals +1100
LOS ANGELES RAMS (+325)
The Rams offer the best betting value and are probably the only team in the division that can give the 49ers a run for the title. On defense, the Rams lost future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald to retirement, but did well in the offseason at improving that side of the ball. L.A. signed cornerbacks Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams and safety Kamren Curl. They drafted Florida State Edge rusher Jared Verse with the 19th pick and defensive lineman Braden Fiske with the 39th pick.
Offensively, the Rams finished ninth in scoring (23.7 PPG) for head coach Sean McVay in 2023. Matthew Stafford is back for another go and the Rams added veteran guards Jonah Jackson and Kevin Dotson to help protect him. They also brought in former Seahawks tight end Colby Parkinson to give Stafford a veteran target in the middle of the field.
Week 1 NFL Lines, Free Picks and Futures
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (+700)
It’s a new era in Seattle with longtime head coach Pete Carroll gone. Macdonald will be a head coach for the first time and is a former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator. He will look to improve a defense that finished 24th in points allowed (23.6 PPG). Seattle re-signed defensive tackle Leonard Williams and added linebackers Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker, while drafting Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy II with the 16th pick.
The offense also needs work. Seattle finished 17th in scoring (21.4 PPG) and saw veteran quarterback Geno Smith take a big step backwards from his encouraging 2022 campaign. Seattle signed tackle George Fant, a pair of veteran guards and brought back tight end Noah Fant. They also added veteran tight end Pharaoh Brown and wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr.
Season Win Totals (as of 8/20/24):
San Francisco 49ers 11.5 u150
Los Angeles Rams 8.5 o155
Seattle Seahawks 7.5 o150
Arizona Cardinals 6.5 o170
ARIZONA CARDINALS (+1100)
And then we have the Arizona Cardinals. It’s been a rough couple of seasons in the desert and Arizona is trying to become relevant. Star quarterback Kyler Murray will be back on the field to start the season after missing the first nine games a year ago after returning from ACL surgery. Can he stay healthy is the key. Arizona finished 24th in scoring last season (19.4 PPG). He will have a stud receiver after the Cardinals drafted Ohio State wide Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick.
The defense was a mess last season under first-time head coach Jonathan Gannon. Arizona finished 31st in points allowed (26.8 PPG), but made some significant additions in the offseason. The Cardinals signed defensive tackles Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols, linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. and new No. 1 cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting. Arizona drafted Missouri edge rusher Darius Robinson with the 27th pick and Rutgers cornerback Max Melton with the 43rd overall pick.
Jay’s Season Win Total Best Bet: I think the Rams can have a surprise season and compete with San Francisco for the division crown. They had an awful start in 2023 and still finished with 10 wins and a one-point loss at Detroit in the playoffs. Getting to nine wins this season seems like a lock.
Rams OVER 8.5 -155
Jay’s Pick to Win Division: San Francisco is just too loaded for anyone to take the division away from them. They have the second-best odds to win the Super Bowl for a reason. They are as solid as any team on both sides of the ball. They won’t go 17-0 and will get tough contests inside their division, but a third-straight title seems likely.
49ers -200
To see more odds and props for the NFC East, click here.
More Previews!
AFC East Preview
AFC South Preview
AFC North Preview
AFC West Preview
NFC East Preview
