NFC North Odds, Predictions, Betting Picks 2023

• The Detroit Lions are the oddsmakers’ favorites to win the NFC North

• The Green Bay Packers have a brand new look with Jordan Love under center

• Look for the Chicago Bears to continue to progress under their current regimes

After one of the most interesting off-seasons in NFL history, we now look forward to the start of games in 2023. For the future bettors out there looking to get some early wagers in before the season, there is no better time than now to start identifying contenders. The NFC North will be one of the most contested divisions in the NFL.

The Green Bay Packers have a new identity without Aaron Rodgers under center. Jordan Love will take over at quarterback for the franchise. Love is capable, but there is still a lot of uncertainty around the franchise. The favorite in the division is the Lions, for the first time in years. Detroit is the most complete team in the NFC North, but this division is still open.

Can the Bears make noise? How about the Vikings with their star receiver Justin Jefferson? We break it all down in our division preview. Here are the odds and predictions for every NFC North team. 

NFC North Division Winner Odds

Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, correct as of 11/22/2023

The Detroit Lions at +145 are the oddsmakers’ favorites to win the NFC North. This comes as a bit of a surprise to a lot of football fans, given the fact that Minnesota finished first in the division last season. The margin over victory in the NFC North came by four games in 2022, so oddsmakers are assuming the Lions will continue to develop under Dan Campbell. Campbell is a difference-maker, and we fully expect him to have Detroit prepared for battle this season. 

In 2022 the Lions showed incredible heart and resilience as they turned out to be much better than most thought, and the future couldn’t look brighter. Look for them to push for the division title, and worst case, be fighting for a Wild Card playoff berth. The team has a lot of talent on offense behind Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown. They didn’t draft well, but the talent is present on both sides of the ball to have success in 2023. 

NFC North Division Winner Predictions and Picks

Our pick: Minnesota Vikings (+600)

The Minnesota Vikings may not be picked first to win the division, but they’re our winner at WSN. Minnesota returns a large chunk of their 2023 roster, including Justin Jefferson. Jefferson is a difference-maker, and we expect him to help lead Minnesota to a second straight division title. Even though we believe Minnesota will prevail, a few things must go in their favor. 

Kirk Cousins must improve in primetime games and big moments. This was an obvious flaw for the team last season. Additionally, Dalvin Cook needs to stay healthy. If these two things occur, the Vikings will make a run for the AFC North title.

Longshot: Green Bay Packers (+145)

The Green Bay Packers come in just behind the Vikings, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. This team has been one of the most talked about clubs in the off-season because of the Aaron Rodgers trade. Rodgers has been a staple of the Packers organization throughout his entire career, but there is a new signal caller under center. Given the unknowns about Jordan Love and his young receiving core, it is really hard to see a scenario where they come out on top of the division. However, the Packers are still a staple in the NFC North, and worth a sprinkle at +550. 

The defense is better than it has been in past years, and this could be just the help Love keep the Packers in games. We fully expect them to be above .500 and potentially sneak into the playoffs. 

No Chance: Chicago Bears (+2500)

The Chicago Bears have been busy this offseason, trading back in the draft to get D.J. Moore.

They also released David Montgomery and focused on defense with their draft picks.  While this team is young, its’ wide receiver group hasn’t looked stronger in over a decade. Nevertheless, the question still lies in Justin Fields’ ability to throw the ball. While he had many highlights last year on his feet, his downfield throwing was subpar at best. The Bears needed long runs from the quarterback, but this isn’t sustainable in the NFL.

How Each Team Can Win the Division?

Kirk Cousins and the Vikings must do more than just force the ball to Justin Jefferson to win the NFC North. Last season, the Vikings acquired TJ Hockenson, who turned out to be an incredible acquisition from Detroit.

The arrival of KJ Osborn was also very helpful, but he will be the WR3 behind Jordan Addison, a rookie out of USC. Dalvin Cook trade rumors continue to swirl, but it seems like he’s going to remain a Viking for now. If Kirk Cousins can spread the ball around between these players, the Vikings will eat defenses alive. However, the main issue with the Vikings is their 28th-ranked defense from 2022. This unit was an issue, but Minnesota signed some young players with speed. If these athletes develop, the Vikings should win the division. 

Jared Goff and the Lions have nothing to hang their head about from the 2022 season. They turned young receivers and defensive backs into valuable playmakers. While they ended last season with the 29th-best defense in football, they have a lot to build on heading into 2023. 

On the other side of the ball, the Lions sent D’Andre Swift to Philly and signed David Montgomery from the Bears, which was a statistical downgrade. They lost a valuable pass catcher to go out and draft Jahmyr Gibbs out of Alabama. He should eventually take the starting job over after racking up over 1,300 total yards and 10 total touchdowns in his senior year as a member of the Tide. 

Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers have a lot to figure out over the course of the next nine months. In their typical style, they stayed away from wide receivers in the offseason. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs gained some valuable experience to get the jitters out in 2022, but they still need to build chemistry with Love under center. On the defensive side, this is the best unit we’ve seen in Green Bay in years. Although, the team’s success will come down to the play of their quarterback. 

The Chicago Bears have been a laughingstock in the NFL recently. Yet, with Fields, this could change in the coming seasons. However, he must progress into a pocket passer. Snagging Moore was a big deal, as now the Bears have a strong receiver group. Even though there are a ton of positives, the defense is still bottom five in the league, and as long as that is the case, Chicago will not win. 

History of NFC North Winners

A New Era in the NFC North

The Packers have arguably been the face of this division since the beginning of time. Yet, this could be coming to an end in 2023. The Packers have seen so many legends come and go over the years, and at this point in time, it looks like a fresh start with no rebuild. At the time of the Brett Favre-Aaron Rodgers change, there were receivers like Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson who were very experienced. These players helped mold Aaron Rodgers into a Hall Of Fame Quarterback. 

Now, Love, a former first-rounder is the center of attention. He begins his NFL career with young and inexperienced receivers, so seeing how it pays off for the Packers should be interesting.

While legends have come and gone in every organization, the Vikings and Lions have yet to make it work on the grand stage. This looks like the end of one era for the Packers, and now the trajectory of the division in future seasons is unknown.