2016 NFL Worst Record Futures
By Loot, NFL Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
When you look at the long list of different NFL bets and futures wagers you can make, the focus is on who will win, who will cover, or who will have the most of something, whether it be yards or what have you. Betting on who will have the worst record in the NFL in 2016 forces us into a different perspective, as our focus shifts to who will be the worst.
This is an easy category to tie, as dead-heat rules apply if you win along with another team or group of teams. Basically, your profits get divided by the number of other teams with the same amount of losses. Last season, the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans tied for the worst record in the league, both at 3-13. In 2014, Tennessee and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were both tied for the worst record at 2-14. The Houston Texans were the lone "winner" of this category in 2013 at 2-14.
This season, the Cleveland Browns are favored to have the worst record in the league, followed by another of 2015's worst teams in the San Francisco 49ers. There are a lot of different approaches for this wager. The teams at the top of the list are certainly solid choices. We have also seen by looking at the list of teams with the worst record season-to-season that there is a lot of turnover in this category, justifying a choice further down the list is not hard to do.
A lot of teams just have too many questions to answer that you know not all them will be answered positively. Other teams are overly-reliant on one player and if that player suffers a major injury, it will throw their season into a quandary. And don't forget to look at the teams' individual schedules. We know they will be playing division teams twice apiece, but let's scrutinize the non-division schedule too.
Here are our picks for which team will have to worst record in the NFL this season, followed by a full list of odds for all NFL teams. Take a look!
Our Picks for NFL Teams with the Worst Record in 2016
Cleveland Browns (+350): When RG3 was rolling in his rookie season, the Redskins offense was among the more-formidable in the conference. One can't rule out that he could pump a little life into this crew, but it seems unlikely. The O-line looks worse, which could make the run-game even worse. And their best weapon on offense is TE Gary Barnidge. Throw in a bunch of defensive issues and Cleveland might be hard-pressed to win more than a couple games this season.
San Francisco 49ers (+550): Not long ago, they were a steady power in the NFC, only to hit a wall the past few years. It looks likethey are still in the middle of a spinout and it likely won't stop this season. Chip Kelly could get the league's lowest-scoring offense from last season rolling a bit, but they were pitiful last season. Colin Kaepernick has lost all his mojo. They weren't that good offensively even when things were going their way, but now that they stink, points are hard to come by—and so are wins.
Tennessee Titans (+950): Yeah, we get it. The run game looks heightened with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry. Franchise quarterback Marcus Mariota is in his second season and should grow. They added some key pieces. They're still a team that was 3-13 last season and 2-14 the year before that. So excuse us if we're a little skeptical that a team in that shape is going to seamlessly add personnel and get everything to work. We're not saying Tennessee won't improve, but would it be so shocking if they stunk it up again this season?
Jacksonville Jaguars (+2500): We're kind of using the Tennessee theory here again. Every season, there are teams on a long road of misery that projected to do better. A lot of them don't. There's only so much room at the top. We get the optimism surrounding the Jags—we really do. The offense has a little spark now, but the run-game and offensive line still lag behind their growing aerial attack. And a defense that looks like it has a lot of potential still has a ton of new faces. And teams that have gone five seasons without topping 5 wins don't always see things run so smoothly.
Oakland Raiders (+6600): Admittedly, this one is out of left-field. The Raiders got to 7 wins last season and by all signs, are a franchise on the upswing. Again, not all teams that show positive signs end up following through on it. There's been more than enough overall dysfunction with this franchise to warrant some skepticism. We won't be surprised if things go according to plan for the Raiders. It should. But at 66-to-1, you're at least getting a team that hasn't cracked the .500 mark since 2002.
MAKE YOUR BET ON WHICH TEAM WILL HAVE THE WORST RECORD IN THE NFL IN 2016 AT THE WEB'S BEST SPORTSBOOK: 5DIMES
Odds to Have the Worst Record in the NFL in 2016
Cleveland Browns +350
San Francisco 49ers +550
Tennessee Titans +950
New Orleans Saints +1500
Philadelphia Eagles +1500
Atlanta Falcons +1600
Chicago Bears +1600
Detroit Lions +1600
Los Angeles Rams +1600
San Diego Chargers +1600
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1600
Miami Dolphins +2000
Washington Redskins +2000
Buffalo Bills +2500
Jacksonville Jaguars +2500
New York Jets +2500
Baltimore Ravens +3300
New York Giants +4000
Houston Texans +6000
Indianapolis Colts +6600
Oakland Raiders +6600
Dallas Cowboys +8000
Denver Broncos +10000
Kansas City Chiefs +10000
Cincinnati Bengals +12500
Minnesota Vikings +12500
Arizona Cardinals +15000
Carolina Panthers +25000
New England Patriots +25000
Pittsburgh Steelers +25000
Seattle Seahawks +30000
Green Bay Packers +35000
