In the NFL, the wide receiver is often disregarded as a forgotten factor to a team’s success or demise on the Bodog handicapping line. Simply put, a good quarterback doesn’t become as such, unless he is connecting with a good wide receiver on important passes. Now, for every good quarterback there are tons that are terrible and waste the talented wide receivers. With the NFL draft having come and gone, several young teams in desperate need of a good receivers got their wish. Today we will be looking at which statistics are the most important for wide receivers odds.

The Detroit Lions are one of many teams that use the passing option more then the run. As a result, a player such as star wide receiver Calvin “Megatron” Johnson will become as such because he receives more passes, then someone on the Baltimore Ravens, which is more of a run team. When looking at wide receivers in fantasy football, and on the betting line, we are interested in a couple of factors, receiving yards and yards per game. Simply put, would you rather have the overpaid veteran who averages two catches a game and accumulates 20 yards per game, or the newly drafted wide receiver that averages 98 yards per game due to significantly deeper passes?

Statistically speaking, the top three passing threats a year ago, were the aforementioned Calvin Johnson, who had 1681 total yards and 108.1 yards per game, Wes Welker who had 1569 total yards and 98.1 yards per game, and Victor Cruz 1536 total yards and 96 yards per game. Calvin Johnson is considered the best of the three NFL stars, as he is young and is working with a very young team. Meanwhile, Welker is experiencing a great season, thanks in large part to being Tom Brady’s main passing target. Lastly, Victor Cruz is seen by many as an anomaly, because he got his opportunity after several major injuries plagued the Giants.

In just over a week, the Bodog lines on the NFL first year player draft will close, as bettors hope that their picks are right for the first round. Over the past month, the draft has taken on a life of its own, as the free agency frenzy quickly evaporated in the middle of March. On paper, many teams improved, while others stood pat. Here is a look at teams with the best odds at benefiting from free agency moves.

Denver Broncos – Regardless of who goes first in the NFL draft next week, this offseason will forever be known as Denver’s offseason. The Broncos made the biggest splash of free agency, by first acquiring Peyton Manning, after the Indianapolis Colts elected to release him and rebuild their franchise. Then the Broncos quickly ended any controversy, by shipping fan favorite and last year’s playoff guiding quarterback Tim Tebow to the New York Jets. For all intents and purposes if any team is to upgrade thanks to an offseason acquisition, it will be the Broncos. Tebow wasn’t a very good quarterback, but he completed passes at the correct time. On the other hand, Manning is destined to enter the hall of fame in the next couple of years, as one of the greatest quarterbacks in football. In other words, the Broncos should make the playoffs annually for as long as Manning is healthy.

Washington Redskins – The Redskins seemed to ignore the sanctions brought against them by the NFL, as they still went out and made a huge splash. Essentially, the first two picks in this year’s draft are expected to be quarterbacks, and the Redskins weren’t going to go another season as mediocre. As a result, they traded a king’s ransom to the St. Louis Rams in order to obtain the second overall pick in this year’s draft. Meaning to say, that if RG3 is picked first, then the Redskins can grab Andrew Luck, or vice versa.

It’s been two months since the NFL season came to a close and already diehard fans and handicappers are searching for odds on the upcoming season. As we edge closer to the NFL draft, there are plenty of factors for people to consider when handicapping the offseason routines for all 32 teams to make up the greatest football league in the world. Today, we will be analyzing some of those baseball betting factors, that also apply to football. Here is a guide to assist you in your research.

The first and perhaps biggest factor to consider when handicapping your favorite teams is roster movement. When a team finishes dead last in one season, they will experience more of an overturn then the Super Bowl Champion. For example, the Indianapolis Colts for the 2012 season will look completely different then the 2011 Colts, and even the 2010 Colts. Indianapolis made headway this offseason, as they released franchise quarterback Peyton Manning, so that the team could start fresh with the quarterback they select at the NFL draft later this month. While a few veterans from the Manning era remain, a plethora have left for new teams.

Another issue to be aware of is coaching changes around the league. Whether it is to the Head Coach or the assistant coaches, even the slightest alteration in philosophy can change a team’s fortunes. No team exemplified this factor better then the Cincinnati Bengals a season ago. After finishing 2010 with an abysmal four and 12 record, the Bengals overturned their roster and brought in a new offensive coordinator in Jay Gruden. With Gruden taking control of a youthful offense, the inexperienced Bengals were able to shock the NFL by winning the final wild card spot and making it to the playoffs.

The March Madness betting tournament is often one in which hardcore handicappers avoid because it is hard to be successful. Instead, the hardcore handicappers will make their profits on the upcoming NFL season, while spending right now preparing their latest systems. For many handicappers, the months between the Super Bowl and the NFL draft are a time, to go back to the drawing board, and see what did and didn’t turn them a profit last season. Today, we will look at what to handicap during the offseason.

Say what you will about overpaying for free agents, but you can never have the wrong intention by looking to upgrade your team. Essentially, in all four major sports leagues, the two worst times of years according to the media are the trade deadline and free agency. During both times, a team will either overpay through the amount of players they ship from team to team, or overpay monetarily for the players they acquire. Nevertheless, as handicappers, we are most interested in what teams have improved and which have made rather questionable decisions.

For all intents and purposes, looking at where star players have signed and who the analysts are calling the sports betting winners and losers, will be important to who we pick to win the Super Bowl. One team that everyone in the public sphere will be backing, is the Denver Broncos, after the club won the Peyton Manning sweepstakes today. By acquiring Manning, the Broncos go from a laughing stock, with a college quarterback, to a team that could legitimately make a run at the Super Bowl, with a future hall of famer. The addition of Manning also means that other upgrades on the Broncos are easier to come by, as other free agents may select the Broncos as their new home.