NFL Futures to Bet Entering Week 10: Can Mike Macdonald Win Coach of the Year?

Betting futures is a fun way to follow the NFL season.

From NFL awards markets to Super Bowl odds to NFL division odds, there are plenty of markets to dig into.

Heading into this week, which NFL futures bets are on my radar at FanDuel Sportsbook? Let's dive in.

Note: All NFL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Best NFL Futures Bets Before Week 10

Jacksonville Jaguars to Miss the Playoffs (+124)

The Jacksonville Jaguars sit at 5-3 after an overtime win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9. They're in a great spot to secure a wild card in the AFC. But these +124 odds intrigue me.

Despite their 5-3 record, the Jaguars just aren't very good. Offensively, they rank 22nd overall and 26th through the air, per our schedule-adjusted metrics. Their struggling passing game also just had all of Travis Hunter, Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown suffer injuries within the last week.

Trevor Lawrence couldn't make it work with his full arsenal of weapons as he ranks 27th in EPA added per drop back and 26th in total QBR, so this passing attack could look scary bad going forward. The trade addition of Jakobi Meyers helps, but I'm not sure it moves the needle that much.

Defensively, the Jags were solid earlier in the year but are trending in the wrong direction, checking in 17th overall. They were never going to maintain their early-season interception numbers, and as that has leveled off, the defense has regressed.

The upcoming schedule is tough, too. The Jags potentially caught a break this week at the Houston Texans with C.J. Stroud (concussion) looking unlikely to play, but even still, the Jaguars are a 1.5-point 'dog versus Davis Mills, which says a lot. In Week 11, they take on the Los Angeles Chargers before a road game at the Arizona Cardinals. They also have to face the Indianapolis Colts twice as well as go on the road to the Denver Broncos -- although they get two games versus the Tennessee Titans.

The middle of the AFC just isn't very good this year, which certainly helps the Jags' playoff chances. The Kansas City Chiefs are eighth at 5-4, one spot behind Jacksonville. After KC, no other team has more than three wins. But the Chiefs are the current Super Bowl favorite, so they'll likely pass the Jaguars eventually, and I think Houston and the Baltimore Ravens -- a pair of three-win teams -- could eventually move past the Jags, too.

All in all, the numbers point to the Jags not being very good, and while they've banked five wins and are in position to make the postseason, I like these +124 odds on Jacksonville to miss out.

Mike Macdonald to Win AP Coach of the Year (+550)

In my eyes, there are three extremely strong candidates in this market -- Shane Steichen, Mike Vrabel and Mike Macdonald -- all of whom should be on close-to-equal footing. Instead, Macdonald is lagging behind in the market, and I find his +550 odds appealing.

Steichen (+160) and Vrabel (+175) are at the controls for two of the NFL's biggest surprises as the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots are potentially battling for the AFC's No. 1 seed. That seemed almost impossible prior to the year, and deservedly, these two coaches are among the favorites to win AP Coach of the Year.

Macdonald has just as strong of a case. By our numbers, the Seattle Seahawks are in the top 10 both offensively and defensively. Sam Darnold is a legit MVP candidate (+1500; fifth-shortest odds), and Seattle's defense -- Macdonald's area of expertise -- has been outstanding, permitting more than 20 points just once.

If Macdonald can win a super competitive NFC West, that may tip the scales in his favor.

While this recommendation is mostly about me thinking Macdonald's odds should be closer to Steichen's and Vrabel's, there's a world where both the Pats and Colts slow their rolls a bit the rest of the way. The Daniel Jones resurgence has been amazing, but I don't think it would shock anyone if his rest-of-season play is more pretty good and not "the best QB in the NFL" level he's been playing at prior to Week 9. Similar with Drake Maye. Is he going to perform at an MVP level all year?

I suppose you could say the same thing about Darnold, but we saw Darnold mostly play excellent ball for a lot of 2024, too. Maybe he's just pretty darn good.

At the end of the day, I think Macdonald is a little undervalued in this market.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.