Who's going to win the Super Bowl? How about the MVP? We have some takes ahead of Thursday's season opener.
The pre-season narrative: Josh Allen secured his first MVP last year, but the Buffalo Bills once again fell short of the ultimate prize. Our staff is avoiding Buffalo and Allen in what feels like a do-or-die season, with action on star quarterbacks like Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson instead.
Check out our 2025 NFL predictions and find out our staff's favourite futures bets for the upcoming season.
BET FINDER: Search & Bet!
NFL 2025 predictions
NFL 2025 predictions via NorthStar Bets writers Jordan Horrobin, Avery Perri and Spencer Closs.
You'll find picks on who they like to win the major individual awards and which teams they're betting on to capture the Super Bowl.
Make sure to check out the key links below for all your NFL needs.
Super Bowl best bets
The favourite: Philadelphia Eagles (+650)
Super Bowl betting markets
Horrobin's pick: Baltimore Ravens (+700)
Analysis: In Jackson's tenure, the Ravens are 68-32 in the regular season and 3-5 in the playoffs. That's a problem, but it's one I think this group can overcome in 2025.
Baltimore boasts a ton of continuity on its roster and in the coaching staff. Only two players who played more than 40.0% of snaps last year departed, per Over The Cap, and both coordinators have multiple years under their belts with the franchise.
Jackson is one of only three active players with multiple MVPs, and Derrick Henry showed last year that he can still bulldoze NFL defences with ease.
The Ravens, who finished top 10 in points and yards on offence and defence last year, should win the AFC North for a third straight year. From a talent standpoint, there's absolutely zero reason to doubt this squad.
Bet on Ravens to win Super Bowl
Perri's pick: San Francisco 49ers (+1,700)
Analysis: I'm all in on a bounce-back year from the 49ers.
Last season was a disaster from the get-go with contract disputes galore, Christian McCaffrey starting on injured reserve, and first-round pick Ricky Pearsall getting shot.
It was the Super Bowl hangover to end all Super Bowl hangovers — and they hadn't even won.
But we shouldn't forget what the Kyle Shanahan offence was capable of in 2023. The squad was top three in total offence and scoring offence, and first in EPA per play.
In fact, San Fran had nearly double the offensive EPA per play (+0.179) of third-place Buffalo (+0.097).
I think Kyle Shanahan can get his squad back to that place. McCaffrey, who is still on the right side of 30, looks great, by all reports. The offensive line is stout, George Kittle is still an all-pro talent, and the receiving room will be deep once Brandon Aiyuk returns from injury.
And I expect the Niners' defence, which was ravaged by injury in 2024, to wreak havoc with Robert Saleh back as coordinator.
Bet on 49ers to win Super Bowl
Closs's pick: Philadelphia Eagles (+650)
Analysis: If we go back to last season, the Eagles started slow for their expectations, going 2-2 through the first four weeks.
They followed that with a 12-1 run to close the season. Philly then went on to roll through the playoffs with an average margin of victory of 17 points.
In the Super Bowl, the Eagles shut out the Kansas City Chiefs in the first half and were up so big that they were celebrating for most of the second half.
It was a truly dominant run that has me believing Philly's +650 price tag to repeat is tremendous value despite its status as favourite.
Bet on Eagles to win Super Bowl
NFL 2025 predictions: MVP
The favourite: Lamar Jackson (+550)
NFL MVP betting markets
Horrobin's pick: Jalen Hurts (+2,000)
Analysis: I like Burrow among the chalkiest options, but Hurts has the right combination of feasibility and value.
After all, we're talking about the quarterback of probably the best team in the NFL. Over his past three seasons, Hurts averaged 14 rushing touchdowns and 3,487 passing yards.
He was the MVP runner-up in 2022 but didn't even land on the ballot in 2024, which had a lot to do with the 2,000-yard season of his teammate, Saquon Barkley. Some regression for Barkley is likely, especially after the wear and tear of an NFL-high 378 touches, and Hurts is capable of picking up the slack
Hurts doesn't have an MVP yet, which can sometimes be an unspoken tiebreaker for some voters. If he's the best player on the best team, he'll have a shot.
Perri's pick: Burrow (+700)
Analysis: Burrow didn't get a single first-place MVP vote after putting up video-game-like numbers last year. If you don't think that's ridiculous, check out his rankings in these major categories:
- First in passing yards (4,918)
- First in passing touchdowns (43)
- Third in quarterback rating (74.7)
- Fourth in completion percentage (70.6%)
All of that translated to just nine wins and a missed playoff berth, which is why Burrow didn't get the consideration he deserved. But that was because of Cincinnati's horrid defence, and I expect some improvements on that side of the ball with new DC Al Golden in charge.
The Bengals went all in on retaining their offence, inking Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to massive contract extensions amid speculation they'd have to break the band up.
There's a good chance Cincy will be among the highest-scoring teams in football, and I think Burrow will finally get his flowers so long as everyone stays healthy.
Daniels for MVP?
Closs's pick: Jayden Daniels (+900)
Analysis: Other QBs that can move like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson both completed less than 60% of their passes as rookies.
What was Daniels' pass completion percentage last year? Just 69.0%, which was sixth among quarterbacks who played five or more games.
He passed for 3,568 yards, 25 touchdowns and just nine turnovers. All while adding 891 yards and six scores on the ground.
When Lamar Jackson won his MVP in his sophomore season, he passed for 3,127 yards, 36 TDs and threw six INTs while rushing for 1206 yards.
I'm not sure Daniels can get to 1200 rushing yards, but he could get to 4000+ passing yards, 1000+ rushing yards and 30+ passing TDs, which would be enough to get some serious consideration for MVP.
Offensive Rookie of the Year picks
The favourite: Ashton Jeanty (+250)
NFL OROY betting markets
Horrobin's pick: Tetairoa McMillan (+1,200)
Analysis: If you're willing to buy in at all on Bryce Young after his late-season surge, in which he was playing at a 3,800-yard, 26-touchdown pace over the final seven weeks, then McMillan should interest you.
The Big 12's leading receiver last year has the size (6-foot-5, 212 pounds) and the hands to be a matchup problem from Day 1 in the league.
McMillan will be the first exciting X receiver in Young's tenure in Carolina. If the Panthers are anywhere near as bad on defence as they were in 2024 — ranking dead last in points and yards allowed — the offence can stay in a pass-first mindset that should help the 22-year-old shine.
Bet on McMillan to win Rookie of the Year
Perri's pick: Omarion Hampton (+1,000)
Analysis: It's no secret Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman love smashmouth football. So I'm sure they're salivating at the prospect of using Hampton as a battering ram this season.
The 6-foot-tall, 220-pound tailback rushed for 2,505 yards after contact and broke 155 tackles over three years with the North Carolina Tar Heels. He's hard to take down and is liable to score a home run on any possession with 4.4 speed.
The worry here is that Hampton will be stuck in a timeshare with Najee Harris, which could limit his production.
But the former Pittsburgh Steeler looked slow more often than not last year, and had the sixth-highest RB "stuff rate" (52.1%), per Fantasy Points Data.
I can see the tread coming off of Harris' tires quickly, and Hampton taking the reins as RB1.
Bet on Hampton to win Rookie of the Year
Cam Ward futures pick
Closs' pick: Cam Ward (+350)
Analysis: Ward was electric in his senior year at Miami (FL), passing for 4,313 yards and 39 TDs while throwing seven picks.
He's really the only quarterback in contention for this award, and it's been dominated by the position lately.
Four of the past six winners have been QBs with two wide receivers mixed in.
Ward showed some promise in the preseason and has an alpha receiver in Calvin Ridley to rely on.
In 2024, Ridley managed another 1000-yard season despite having a less talented QB than Ward throwing to him.
It isn't the best situation in the NFL for a rookie QB. But Ward still has a solid chance to be productive out of the gate.
Bet on Ward to win Rookie of the Year
NFL 2025 predictions made at 2 p.m. ET on 09/01/2025.
