2025 NFL Season Preview: bold predictions, Super Bowl LX picks and our favorite bets

The NFL season is fast approaching -with less than two weeks until season kickoff to Cowboys vs. Eagles on Thursday Night Football.

From Week 1 to the Super Bowl, Dimers has your back with our NFL Best Bets, Player Props, Super Bowl LX Futures, Weekly NFL Predictions and more, all powered by our in-house predictions models. Part of our Dimers Pro subscription, the NFL model returned a positive ROI of at least 12% on all three of Moneyline, Spread and Total markets last season and we're hoping to do it again!

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Now, even though we are built on data here at Dimers, we are humans ourselves. And there's nothing humans love more than calling their shots, dropping their hot takes and snagging some bragging rights for making accurate predictions.

So, we polled some folks around the Dimers office to get their favorite bets, bold predictions and Super Bowl LX picks for the NFL season about to unfold.

Let's dive in!

Our Favorite Bets for the 2025 Season

Dave Garofolo: Mike Evans to record 1,000+ receiving yards. Evans has done this in eleven straight years since being drafted, an NFL record. He hit this on the last play of the season for a $1M bonus last year in epic fashion. He once finished with 1,001 yards on the season and the year he played just 13 games he put up his 5th-highest mark. Chris Godwin is banged up and Emeka Egbuka is a rookie. Big Mike will get it done once again and break his own record.

Ryan Leaver: Bucs -1.5 vs. the Falcons in Week 1 + Bucs to win the NFC South. The Bucs are heavily favored to win the division by our futures model, with a 55.8% chance giving us an edge of 4.3% on the current odds of -106. Their first game of the season sees them take on their toughest divisional rivals in the Falcons where I’m picking them to get a strong start by covering the -1.5 (-110) spread put in front of them.

Bradley Barrett: 49ers over 10.5 wins. This is a high line, but righteously so. This is a 49ers team that had a forgettable 6-11 season due to their unbelievable stack of roster injuries they were never able to get ahead of. McCaffrey looks to be fully healthy again, and despite trading Deebo Samuel away this offseason, second year wideout Ricky Pearsall looks to take on a bigger role and looks great in his limited preseason play. Also, it is worth noting the current standpoint of the NFC West: a new Seahawks roster, an injured Matt Stafford leading the Rams, and a minimally-improved Cardinals team. The 49ers return to their dominant form this year with their superstars healthy and ready to go.

MORE: Read Brad's picks for which rookies will make the biggest impact in 2025.

Tony Reyes: The Bengals will miss the playoffs. The Bengals missed the playoffs last season after a ton of close losses. Joe Burrow put up MVP-type numbers and pressured the front office to pay Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, but the problems with the Bengals aren’t on the offensive side of the ball. They still have many questions on the defensive side of the ball, a new defensive coordinator, and they still haven’t agreed to a long-term deal with star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson. I don’t see anything indicating they’re not the same team as last year that finishes the season on the outside looking in again.

Derrick Inabinnett: Jaguars AFC South winner +300. The AFC South as a division is struggling, but the Jags have possibly the least internal struggle of its four teams. The favored Texans have offensive line issues, starting safeties dealing with lingering legal/injury issues, and starting QB C.J. Stroud coming off a sophomore slump. Jacksonville has a new Head Coach and a unicorn in rookie WR/CB Travis Hunter with a team that the ceiling is a playoff run. Dimers' models have Jacksonville winning the division at 24.1 percent probability, which says the odds should be at +315. Jacksonville is the best-kept secret to win this division.

Pat Sharyon: The Patriots face the NFL’s third-easiest schedule in 2025, setting up Drake Maye for a pivotal sophomore year with upgraded weapons, a steadier line, and rookie TreVeyon Henderson already looking like a second-round steal. Can Mike Vrabel truly bring back the Patriot Way? Who knows. But I can see him guiding this team the Tomlin Way…straight to 9–8.

Super Bowl LX Finalists

DG: Give me the Ravens to beat the 49ers at +4500 on DraftKings. Baltimore may be a little chalky but there’s no significant reason they can’t get to the Super Bowl. They’ve been flirting with it for years, and their past three postseason trips have seen them lose close defensive battles. Baltimore returns the majority of its elite defensive unit with some upgrades and added a veteran offensive weapon in DeAndre Hopkins. The 49ers should bounce back this year as long as they’re healthy (the oldest caveat in the book). Their Super Bowl window is not yet closed and I expect them to win the NFC West (plus money by the way). However, give me a repeat result of the 2013 Super Bowl showdown, with Dimers’ top-ranked Ravens at 15.1% to prevail in Super Bowl LX. 

RL: I’m picking this as the year the Bills break through and make the big dance, beating the Lions who are set to put up similar regular season numbers to last, but with an extra level to go after learning in last year’s playoffs. FanDuel has this at +2700, which each team currently rating as the second best chance to win their respective divisions according to our futures model.

BB: It will be the 49ers-Bills, matchup that comes at +4500 odds The Buffalo Bills will continue to be Super Bowl contenders every season Josh Allen is under center. Obviously the Chiefs and Ravens are their usual road bumps that they usually have to face, but I think this is the year they finally get over the hump and get to the big game. For the NFC, I don’t really see that many teams as obvious contenders other than the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles, but I think the 49ers go back to the form they were at a couple seasons ago and make the Super Bowl again.

TR: Super Bowl 1 REMATCH. Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers at +5000. This does feel like a boring Super Bowl pick, but betting against the Chiefs at this point feels foolish. The Chiefs' skill players were significantly injured last season, and Mahomes and Reid still carried them to the Super Bowl. Until the Bills or Ravens beat the Chiefs in the AFC, I’m sticking with them to win it. For the Packers, I don’t think Jordan Love was 100% healthy in 2024. The roster is too talented, and they are too well-coached and well run to not be in the mix. Adding a first-round WR for the first time in 20 years with Matthew Golden gives me a lot of confidence in the offense reaching an elite level this season. Dimers gives the Chiefs a 16.4% probability to win the AFC 7.5% for the Packers to win the NFC.

MORE: Read how Tony turned $5 into $2K using our MLB data.

DI: I'll take the Baltimore Ravens to win the Super Bowl at +700. Offensively this Baltimore team can be the best offense in the league. Lamar Jackson is a top 3 quarterback , Derrick Henry is a top 3 running back, and by adding receiver Deandre Hopkins this team finally has a receiver room with more than one playmaker. Defensively, the secondary has been upgraded to address issues from last season of getting beat in coverage. Baltimore has had it rough in the playoffs in the past three seasons, all one-score losses. This is the season where they punch a ticket to win a Super Bowl.

PS: Bird Bowl: Ravens over Eagles at +3000. Lamar Jackson finally shakes off his playoff demons and silences the doubters—myself included. Jalen Hurts pushes the Dirty Birds back to the doorstep, but the bid for consecutive Lombardis comes up short.

2025 NFL Player Award Predictions

DG: I prefer longer odds on my awards, but I will take Joe Burrow to win NFL MVP at +650. It’s his turn. Joe Burrow put up 4,918 passing yards and 43:9 TD:INT ratio last season and narrowly took the Bengals to the playoffs with an abysmal defense. This team would have struggled to win 4 games without him. Unfortunately, he was playing for Comeback Player of the Year and it was Josh Allen’s turn. Not this time. Joe Burrow will win the MVP and put Ja’Marr Chase in the OPOY conversation all year long.

RL: My top award is Jalen Hurts to win the MVP (+1700). The Eagles should win a lot of games this year and having just won his first Super Bowl, the narrative will turn to Hurts being underappreciated for what he’s done so far. His partnership with Barkley plus some nice numbers for his receivers will lead to him winning the MVP.

BB: Let the top pick shine, Cam Ward wins Offensive Rookie of the Year (+350). The #1 overall pick of the 2025 draft is currently behind Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (+275) odds, with a huge drop off after those two. I think that Jeanty is facing very high expectations after his record-breaking season at Boise State last year, and overall I think that regardless of his skill and ability, a 5”8’ rookie running back with the Raiders offensive line is not going to have an incredible season. Ward has the ability to completely transform the Titans franchise that has looked lost the past few years, and I think a decent rookie campaign with an improved record will get him the award.

TR: Shying away from the favorites in this market with Nico Collins for Offensive Player of the Year at +2000. He is really developing into one of the elite receivers in the league, as evidenced by last season, when he missed 5 games and the Texans went 2-3 without him. C.J. Stroud really depends on Collins' route running and ability to separate to keep the defense honest. I could easily see Nico Collins ending the season with 100+ receptions, 12+ touchdown,s and 1500 yards. This price seems off, so I would jump on it at the best number you can.

DI: The unicorn Travis Hunter for Offensive Rookie of The Year at +1000. Travis (if healthy) is probably going to break a record of most snaps played on offense and defense in the Super Bowl era. By all indications out of Jaguars camp– Travis is starting at receiver opposite of Brian Thomas Jr. and in a battle to start at corner. I don’t think he’s going to have a 1,200-yard season, but in a Liam Coen system (Sean Mcvay’s offense) he’s getting north of 600-700 yards as the second starting receiver. Voters are going to pencil in Travis on both sides of the ball if he’s electric this year - don’t miss out on taking this bet that might be won on history more than stats.

PS: “By god, that’s Aldon Smith’s music!” Mykel Williams for Defensive Rookie of the Year at 1400. The 21 year-old SEC edge rusher reminds many of the talented-yet-troubled phenom from the Niners’ Harbaugh glory days, and for good reason. Unlike Smith, however, Mykel Williams is solid against the run. A truly versatile edge rusher that’ll benefit from lining up alongside Nick Bosa his rookie year.

Our Boldest Predictions for the 2025 Season

DG: This is my favorite part. Both L.A. teams miss the playoffs. The Rams and Chargers are both coming off postseason appearances but I think they both regress. For the Rams, QB Matt Stafford is currently rehabbing in some futuristic healing chamber trailer at training camp with the Rams saying they “hope he’s upright” by Week 1. Not what you want to hear when this division looks as tough as it’s been in years. For the Chargers, look, I’m a Justin Herbert stan. I love Harbaugh’s unhinged intensity, but this team is young, plays in a division where the bad teams are getting better and lost their Pro-Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater for the season. And if it sounds crazy, there’s a reason they’re just +110 to miss. Give me both to miss the postseason at +383.

RL: Sticking with my above prediction(s) on the Bucs, I’m taking Baker Mayfeld to lead the league in passing yards at odds of +900. With 4,500 yards in 2024, he finished behind only Joe Burrow and Jared Goff last season and should be right up amongst the leaders again.

BB: New Vikings QB JJ McCarthy will throw 30+ touchdowns. A very under-radar-player this year is JJ McCarthy, who will start for the electric Vikings offense this season after being sidelined his entire rookie season. I think McCarthy has the skill and the weapons to have a great season, and after Sam Darnold threw for a career-best over 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns last year, I think JJ McCarthy can have very similar production in the same system and very similar offensive personnel and is worth a bet at +275 odds.

TR: No bet, but the Steelers will win a playoff game for the first time in a decade with Aaron Rodgers. Let me preface this by saying I am not an Aaron Rodgers fan. However, I think that sentiment is part of the reason the majority are underrating the Steelers and Rodgers. His behavior has created an unlikability that clouds the analysis of him on the field. He’s far from the MVP quarterback we saw a few years ago, but he is still the best quarterback the Steelers have had since Ben Roethlisberger. They still have a great defense, and Mike Tomlin is running that side of the ball, so I would not be surprised to see Steelers win a postseason game this year.

DI: It's time - the Chiefs miss the playoffs (+290). Hear me out– this season will be the toughest one for Kansas City in the Mahomes era:

• Starting receiver Rahsee Rice will be suspended for probably 30% of season
• Travis Kelce is aging and regressing
• Safety Deon Bush tore his achilles
• Starting right tackle (who’s the most penalized tackle in league) Jaawan Taylor is battling to make the team
• No solidified answer at running back after Isiah Pacheco regressed in 2024
• Presumed starting left tackle is coming off a torn patellar injury in rookie Josh Simmons
• Interior offensive line outside of center still has questions more than answers.

All of these issues combined with the fact that the AFC West as a whole has improved in the offseason, the Chiefs making the playoffs is far from a guarantee.

PS: Give me the Broncos to win the AFC West (+300). The life of a showgirl finally catches up to Travis Kelce and the Chiefs, while Sean Payton and rookie Bo Nix push Denver to another level in 2025. (This one is really for our man Anthony George who didn't get his predictions in but said it "would be Broncos for everything.)

MORE: Five NFL Week 1 bets to lock in now

That's a wrap!

Let us know if you're tailing any of our Dimers Staff picks by shouting us out on Twitter/X or jumping in the Dimers Pro Discord to share your favorite NFL futures predictions with the community.

And happy NFL betting this season!

Dimers' 2025 NFL Season Betting Resources

• NFL Predictions: Our data-backed previews for every game, every day
• NFL Best Bets: Our Top Picks for every individual matchup
• Best NFL Props: Player edges and projections from our predictive analytics model
• NFL Futures Odds: Who will win Super Bowl LX?
• NFL Betting News: The latest promos, storylines and more around the league

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