The AFC East may be the most entertaining division during the 2024 NFL season. We'll break down all of the odds and win totals before shelling out a best bet in this comprehensive betting preview!
Will Buffalo once again be the class of this division? How will Miami respond after an early playoff exit at the hands of the Chiefs? Can Aaron Rodgers restore the Jets to relevance after a gruesome Achilles injury last season? Get the answers below!
Buffalo Bills: AFC East Title (+170) / 10.5 Season Wins
Holy Roster Turnover, Batman! After enduring yet another disappointing loss at the hands of the Chiefs, the Bills now have to replace a ton of key players. Josh Allen will still be under center but the receivers better wear name tags during camp because most of them are brand new.
Buffalo finally got tired of Stefon Diggs's attitude, so they sent him packing to Houston. Gabe Davis also left for greener pastures during the off-season. That means that Dalton Kincaid and Khalil Shakir will have to tote most of the target share until Allen can develop some chemistry with newcomers Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman.
My main concern for the Bills is their secondary, as they lost two key contributors in Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. Second-round draft pick Cole Bishop will help plug some holes, but this unit is a question mark in my book. To make matters worse, Buffalo ranked just 29th in yards per rush allowed a season ago.
Miami Dolphins: AFC East Title (+180) / 9.5 Season Wins
The Fish found a way to give away the division title last season, even though they looked like the team to beat for most of the year. Tua Tagovailoa threw for over 4,600 yards, but the freezing cold temps were too much for him in the playoffs against Kansas City. While the Bills are having to break in some new faces, the Dolphins kept their core guys intact for 2024.
Tagovailoa will be throwing to one of the best WR corps in the league with guys like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Odell Beckham Jr. leading the charge. Miami also brought in Jonnu Smith from Atlanta, and he'll provide a nice safety valve for Tagovailoa under pressure. The RB room looks pretty sweet as well, with Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane coming back. Also, don't be shocked if rookie Jaylen Wright gets some key touches.
The Dolphin defense was serviceable last year, as they ranked 7th in yards per rush allowed and 15th in yards per pass allowed. They do lose a top-tier corner in Xavien Howard, but stealing Jordan Poyer away from Buffalo helps ease that pain. With a stable roster and a fairly manageable schedule, I have no problem taking Miami Over 9.5 wins as my best bet for the AFC East!
New England Patriots: AFC East Title (+2800) / 4.5 Season Wins
This once-storied franchise hasn't been the same since Tom Brady headed to Tampa Bay a few years ago, and now future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick is out as well. Jerod Mayo was a good linebackers coach, but giving this guy the head job is quite the leap of faith. Oddsmakers aren't expecting much fireworks in Foxboro this season, as evidenced by their win total of just 4.5.
The Mac Jones experiment is finally over for the Pats, and they drafted former UNC standout Drake Maye with the 3rd overall pick in this year's draft. Maye has a big-time arm, but most experts expect him to sit and learn a while behind veteran signal caller Jacoby Brissett. There's just not a lot to be excited about with this offense. The duo of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson is kind of interesting, but will this O-line be able to create any holes for them?
As bad as New England's offense was in 2023, their defense was pretty stout. The Patriots ranked 3rd in yards per play allowed, which is even more impressive when you consider how much they were on the field each game. A solid defense and a below-average offense means that I'll be targeting the Under quite often in Pats games.
New York Jets: AFC East Title (+190) / 9.5 Season Wins
Almost everyone in the country felt sorry for the Jets after Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles in last year's season-opener against the Bills. Even with that huge loss, the Jets put up a decent fight the rest of the year behind a stellar defense. Hopefully Rodgers can stay healthy so that we can all see what this team is truly capable of in 2024.
If Rodgers stays on the field, this offense could be very dangerous this season. The front office brought in Mike Williams from the Chargers to make sure that opposing secondaries won't keep double-teaming All World WR Garrett Wilson. Breece Hall is a bona fide stud at RB, but I love that they landed a big bruising back like Braelon Allen in the 4th round of the draft.
The Jets defense should once again be one of the best in football. Guys like Quinnen Williams and CJ Mosley do a great job of stopping both the run and the pass. Sauce Gardner heads up a secondary that ranked 2nd in yards per pass a season ago.
