Will this be Peyton Manning's last year in the NFL? If so, he's got one more chance to go out in style. Manning's Denver Broncos are the –180 favorites at press time to win the AFC West for the fifth year in a row; the Kansas City Chiefs are next at +350, followed by the San Diego Chargers at +500 and the Oakland Raiders at +1200.
Manning might not make it through the whole season intact, though. His offensive line took a major hit when left tackle Ryan Clady tore his ACL and was lost for the season. That leaves second-rounder Ty Sambrailo to protect Manning's blind side this year. It might not be a deal-breaker with new head coach Gary Kubiak and his zone-blocking schemes, but chalk eaters have every right to be concerned.
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The Chiefs could be the beneficiaries of Denver's demise in their third year under coach Andy Reid, especially after signing wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (85 catches in 2014), but they also have big questions on the offensive line. Former No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher has been a disappointment at both left and right tackle and needs to step it up in his third season as a pro.
San Diego might be a better value play than Kansas City, following the addition of former Broncos guard Orlando Franklin to play alongside left tackle King Dunlap. As for the Raiders, this is their first year under head coach Jack Del Rio, and they might not even be in Oakland in 2016, so expectations are understandably muted.
*Odds as of June 19, 2015