Talking about a couple of Falcons futures worth considering

As a full supporter of sports gambling, I was searching through some futures in various sports yesterday, and I found a couple of Falcons bets that might be worth laying money on. But before I get into them, I must start by saying it is wise to stay away from gambling on teams that you may be biased towards. So if you’re an Atlanta fan, you might want to pass — or at least be wary. However, these may be too juicy to pass up.

Julio Jones to lead the NFL in receiving +700 (Caesars Sportsbook)

Julio Jones is undoubtedly the best wide receiver in football and has been for quite some time. Over the last six seasons, he’s averaged 1,565 yards and never had less than 1,394, leading the league in receiving twice. In an offense that should be as explosive as ever, Jones could be in for one of his best seasons yet, given the improvements on the Falcons offensive line, as he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down entering his 30s.

Only Michael Thomas, who led the league in receiving last year, has better odds. And even though people rag on him for his shorter routes, he’s still put together quite a resumé and was targeted a ridiculous 185 times last year. Yet, at +350, his price tag is far too high, especially when you consider the Saints went out and added Emmanuel Sanders this offseason. So for the first time in Thomas’ career, he will have a true #2 receiver taking targets from him. This won’t be an easy bet for Jones to win, but given his consistent production, +700 looks pretty damn good to me.

DeAndre Hopkins, who is now in Arizona, has the third-best odds at +900. He’s an intriguing name to watch because I love Kyler Murray, and his potential in year two, but it’s impossible to call him an upgrade over Deshaun Watson. Then the odds drop substantially, with Amari Cooper and Davante Adams coming in at +1800, followed by Odell Beckam Jr. and Kenny Golladay at +2000. 

Atlanta Falcons to win the NFC South +850 (Odds Shark)

Currently, the Falcons are heavy underdogs in the NFC South, with the Saints (-105) and Bucs (+130) as heavy favorites. While I like the odds for Julio Jones to lead the league in receiving — mostly because of his unbelievable consistency — the Falcons are the exact opposite, which makes them a tough bet in any capacity. The Saints are almost a lock to win at least ten games, and even though the Bucs are overvalued here, you can never count out Tom Brady. I genuinely believe the Falcons will be a much better team in 2020 and have a chance to make the playoffs, but they have a challenging schedule and two of the early Super Bowl favorites in their division. They are probably valued about right, so I’d stay away. But if you have confidence in the Falcons making a giant leap as they did in 2016, you are getting fantastic odds.