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Chris Olave #12 of the New Orleans Saints reacts on the field as we look at our NFC South betting preview.
Chris Olave #12 of the New Orleans Saints reacts during their game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on November 27, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images via AFP.

Three out of the four teams in the NFC South made significant improvements during the offseason to bounce back from their lackluster performance in 2026. On the other hand, one team faced a setback as they lost Tom Brady to retirement once again. Keep reading for our 2026 NFC South betting preview, featuring odds from top NFL betting sites.

All teams in the NFC South ended last season with records below .500, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers managing to secure their second consecutive division title with a record of 8-9 in what would be Tom Brady’s last season. The Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons all finished with identical records of 7-10.

Brady’s retirement has left the NFC South with new starting quarterbacks for all four teams heading into the 2026 season. The standout among them is Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, who will lead the Panthers. Can veterans Derek Carr or Baker Mayfield hold off Young in the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year, or will Falcons’ second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder emerge as the top player in the division?

The 2026 Super Bowl odds do not view any of these four teams as major threats, but fans can still find value picks in our NFC South betting preview.

Explore our 2026 NFC South betting preview included in our comprehensive 2026 NFL betting guide, featuring odds from our top sports betting apps. Assess your confidence level with a 1-to-5-star scale.

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NFC South betting preview 2026

Best Falcons pick: Falcons to win NFC South (+230 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Team to win divisionDraftKingsFanDuelBetMGMCaesarsbet365
Saints+120+130+130+105 ❄️+120
Falcons+215+210+210+230 +220
Panthers+400+360+350 ❄️+400+400
Buccaneers+800+750+750+800+700 ❄️

In my 2026 Falcons betting preview, I predicted the Falcons to finish first and the Saints to finish second in the NFC South straight forecast with +425 odds from DraftKings. For those wanting to play it safer and only bet on the division winner, Caesars is offering market-best odds of +230 on the team with the second-best odds to finish first in the NFC South.

Two out of our top five sports betting websites have different odds for the Falcons winning the NFC South. DraftKings gives them a 32.26% chance, while Caesars has them at 31.75%. The 30.30% probability at Caesars translates to a $20 difference on a $100 bet compared to DraftKings.

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The tight finish in the division this year makes it unattractive to wager on the favorites for 2026. I prefer to take a gamble on Atlanta and see if Ridder can lead his talented team to victory.

Best Saints pick: Derek Carr to lead the NFL in interceptions (+2500 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

I am only giving this pick three stars on the confidence scale, as it is a long shot with a 3.85% implied probability according to DraftKings odds. FanDuel has this season-long prop priced at +1600, while bet365 offers the lowest odds at +1400.

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Carr was on track to top the NFL in interceptions before being benched by the Las Vegas Raiders for his subpar performance last season. Moving to the NFC South means he will encounter better weather conditions, particularly playing four of his eight divisional games indoors. However, he will also be facing unfamiliar opposing defenses and coaching staffs. Additionally, he is adjusting to a new receiving group after spending his first nine seasons with the Raiders.

Despite high optimism for New Orleans in the upcoming season, I am choosing to fade the Saints in my 2026 betting preview. This strategy has proven to be the most profitable approach.

Best Panthers pick: Panthers to be last winless team (+1700 via DraftKings, FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐ 

The Panthers will encounter their most difficult tests of the season during the initial six games of 2026. This challenge is heightened by the addition of new head coach Frank Reich, as well as players like Young, who are not only new to the team but also to the NFC South.

Carolina will kick off the season with two divisional games and face tough competition from the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, and Miami Dolphins in away games before their bye week. These opponents are all expected to be playoff contenders.

After their Week 8 bye, the Panthers will have a good opportunity to get their first home win against the Houston Texans. However, the early bye could lead to challenges later on, especially since four of their last seven games will be on the road. While I don’t think the Panthers will be the last winless team in the NFL, I do believe they have a promising outlook in the betting market, with odds inflated due to hype surrounding the team that had the first overall draft pick.

In my Panthers betting preview, I provide some more positive selections for Carolina fans.

Best Buccaneers pick: Jamel Dean Over 1.5 interceptions (-155 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dean had two interceptions last season, marking the third time in four years since being drafted that he finished with that number, tying for the team lead. With the expected underperformance of quarterbacks in his division in 2026, Dean is poised to take full advantage.

Young has joined the ranks. Ridder played in four games in 2026. Carr threw 14 interceptions in 15 games with the Raiders before being shut down early due to poor performance.

The Buccaneers will face two rookie quarterbacks in their upcoming games against the Texans and Colts. Dean will have the chance to capitalize on interceptions from the combined 46 thrown last season by Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields, Jared Goff, and Josh Allen. He will also go up against Jordan Love, the Green Bay Packers QB, who is entering his first season as a starter.

Resisting the urge to invest in Tampa Bay’s season-long props was tough this season, considering they are the most underrated team in the NFC South. However, this pick was a standout in my Buccaneers betting preview.

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