National Football League

2023 NFL odds, predictions: The Seahawks' chances in the NFC West

Updated Aug. 26, 2023 5:04 p.m. ET

The NFC West appears to be the San Francisco 49ers' to lose — and the Seattle Seahawks' to take.

Currently, according to the oddsmakers, the Niners are expected to be a force in the NFC once again. FanDuel Sportsbook gives them the second-shortest odds to win the conference at +400, trailing only the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles at +330.

S.F. has the same odds to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC entering the playoffs (Philly is at +350), and overall, the Niners have the second-shortest odds to make the playoffs at -430, trailing the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs at -500.

With that, San Francisco is favored to win its division at -165 — it would be their second division crown in a row — but next in line are the Seahawks, sitting at +200 to capture the NFC West.

Seattle last won the division in 2020 and has nine division crowns since 2004. And in terms of this upcoming season, FOX Sports NFL analyst Peter Schrager told Colin Cowherd not to sleep on Seattle, despite the recent dominance of the Niners.

"The Seattle Seahawks are gonna be really good this year, and I know they were a playoff team last year. But when everyone just hands the division title to the San Francisco 49ers, I would say hold off. Seattle added a lot, gets a lot back from injury, including [linebacker] Jordyn Brooks and [safety] Jamal Adams, and had two first-round picks that were universally top-10 guys, and they're one of the best-coached teams in the league.

"I think Seattle might be my team that I'm like, ‘Ok, I know they’re not double the win total team, but why are we not talking about Seattle as the NFC champion?' team."

In addition to former first-team All-Pro selection Adams returning from a torn quad tendon and Brooks returning from a torn ACL, Seattle landed 2022 consensus All-American Devon Witherspoon with the fifth pick and third-team All-American Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the 20th pick.

"For a second straight year, the Seattle Seahawks appear to have hit the draft jackpot," FOX Sports NFC West writer Eric Williams wrote. "The Seahawks brought in another handful of young, talented players who should help them in their quest to overtake the NFC West division champion San Francisco 49ers."