AFC West Odds 2026

For the first time in nine years, the defending AFC West champion is not the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Denver Broncos dethroned the dynasty led by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes last season, thanks to the solid play of second-year quarterback Bo Nix and one of the league’s most dominant defenses.

The AFC West also sent the Los Angeles Chargers to the playoffs as a wild card for the second straight year, so there should be three teams in the mix for the division crown in 2026.

Below, I’ll assess the latest AFC West winner odds and make my division champion prediction.

AFC West Winner Odds 2026

These AFC West betting odds are current as of Thursday, July 30, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Be careful, as these NFL odds may shift as we get closer to the 2026 NFL season.

• Kansas City Chiefs (+160)
• Los Angeles Chargers (+190)
• Denver Broncos (+225)
• Las Vegas Raiders (+2000)

Keep track of pro football futures this offseason with our NFL futures odds comparison tool:

AFC West Standings 2025

Before we dig into my AFC West predictions, here’s how the division played out last season:

1. Denver Broncos 14-3
2. Los Angeles Chargers 11-6
3. Kansas City Chiefs 6-11
4. Las Vegas Raiders 3-14

AFC West Winner Best Bet

Kansas City Chiefs (+160)

There are plenty of questions surrounding the Chiefs heading into training camp, but it’s hard not to trust this team to get back on track.

After tearing his ACL in December, Patrick Mahomes has been cleared for 11-on-11 team drills, and it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that he could suit up for Week 1. He also should get more help from the running game this season after Kansas City signed Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency.

The Chiefs may have some shortcomings on defense after trading cornerback Trent McDuffie and losing several other members of the secondary in free agency. However, the return of L’Jarius Sneed should help, and I trust defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to get first-round corner Mansoor Delane up to speed quickly. Plus, that unit is still anchored by mainstays Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, Nick Bolton, and Drue Tranquill.

Kansas City also boasts the easiest schedule of the three legitimate AFC West contenders, which could make the difference in a tightly contested division, so I’m backing Andy Reid’s squad as my NFL pick of the day.

AFC West Winner Sleeper Pick

Denver Broncos (+225)

The Raiders (+2000) aren’t a viable sleeper pick due to the lack of depth on their roster, and the Chargers could take a step back defensively without former DC Jesse Minter, so I’ll back the Broncos to retain their division crown at +225 odds.

There’s a lot of continuity in Denver with Sean Payton and Vance Joseph returning as play-callers, and the offseason roster turnover wasn’t too significant. Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers’ presence will be missed, but the blockbuster trade for Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle should counteract it by giving the offense a jolt.

Denver’s defense did most of the heavy lifting last season, ranking second in yards allowed (278.2 per game) and third in points allowed (18.3 per game), while the offense was more middle of the pack. Bo Nix’s play will need to improve if the Broncos are going to repeat as division champions and become true Super Bowl contenders.

If Denver can navigate a brutal six-game stretch to start the season (@ KC, vs JAX, vs LAR, @ SF, @ LAC, vs SEA), it could be worth a look as a live AFC West winner since its schedule gets somewhat easier after that.

AFC West Winner By Year