Jets' Offensive Line Key To Justin Fields' Revival?
Justin Fields arrives in the Big Apple looking to lead the New York Jets' regime under Aaron Glenn, while also trying to establish himself as a genuine starter in the league.
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Being in the league for four years, Fields has only shown glimpses of his talents, mostly as a runner, which we know he is a dangerous prospect, but his passing needs more refinement.
But what if Fields' biggest calling card in 2025 is as a runner? Given the Jets' want to run the football under coordinator Tanner Engstrand, maybe Justin could be part of that?
For Bleacher Report, the offensive line's ability to create running lanes might be key in Fields' on-field resurgence becoming a reality.
"In the 2022 season, Justin Fields ran for 1,143 yards and eight touchdowns, finishing seventh leaguewide in yards on the ground and tied for 12th in rushing scores," Bleacher Report writes. "He also took a league-high 55 sacks that year.
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"Now, imagine what Fields could do with an offensive line that features three recent first-rounders, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, along with more opportunities to score rushing touchdowns."
© Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Yes, Fields does have that 1,000-yard season back in 2022, but since then? He hasn't surpassed 657 yards, and last year, had he played all 17 regular-season games, he would have posted just 491 rushing yards.
Will that number be higher in 2025? That is something to aim at.
Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis will all get their fair share of reps at running back, but if we can sprinkle in Fields and his rushing ability, suddenly the Jets' run game could look rather threatening.
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Of course, Fields will still have to prove he can be a consistent passer, but being able to fall back on his rushing talents might be a good way to get by in 2025.
Related: Jets Predicted to Sign Cowboys Ex
Related: Jets' Sauce Gardner Reveals Muscle Move Amid Contract Talks
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
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2025 NFL betting: Three Week 1 bets to make right now
Week 1 of the NFL season is fast approaching — the odds are out, the market is moving and there are a few actionable angles worth betting right away. In the past, I would have been hesitant to place bets on the Week 1 market before the preseason began, but I feel very differently now. In recent years, the NFL has reduced the preseason by one game, and teams have responded by largely sitting key players to avoid unnecessary injury risk. This creates a unique edge: betting Week 1 early is now even more advantageous, as we can target teams with asymmetric approaches to the preseason and aim to beat the closing lines. We're also in a quiet period on the sports calendar, so tying up a portion of your bankroll now is totally reasonable. With that in mind, here are three NFL Week 1 bets I recommend placing immediately (odds from BetMGM). Cincinnati Bengals (-5.5, 44.5) at Cleveland Browns This bet targets asymmetric injury risk. Joe Burrow is entering his fifth year in the NFL. Guess how many career preseason completions he has? Just two. Due to the Bengals slow starts the last few seasons, Burrow has said he wants to play more this preseason to feel some of the game speed. However, his risk of injury remains incredibly low. He rarely scrambles outside the pocket, doesn't take big hits in practice and is unlikely to see meaningful preseason pressure. I expect Burrow to play about five drives throughout the first two preseason weeks and be seated for the final game. On the other side, Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot has stated the starting quarterback likely won't be named until before the team's third and final preseason game. The competition will continue throughout camp between veteran Joe Flacco, journeyman Kenny Pickett, and two rookies the Browns just drafted: Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. The Bengals also likely have an internal emphasis on starting the season strong. Last year, they dropped Week 1 to the lowly New England Patriots, and their 1-4 start played a major role in missing the playoffs. The Bengals have not won their Week 1 game since 2021. I expect the Bengals to be one of the most popular picks in NFL Survivor Contests this season, and I think the moneyline gets home here. They're currently consensus favorites at -5.5, and I'm also comfortable laying the points. I wouldn't be surprised to see this line close at -6 or higher, making -5.5 a very strong early position. Note: If Trey Hendrickson re-signs soon, that could move the number up another half-point to that key number of 6. We'll update this analysis as more news emerges. Bets: Bengals -5.5, Bengals ML -250 Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots (-3, 42.5) This handicap is primarily a market read, with an understanding of key numbers and common NFL outcomes, and a touch of football insight as well. The total for this Week 1 game opened at 43.5 and is currently being bet down to a consensus 42. Some sharp offshore books are even showing 41.5. Grabbing an Under 42.5 at -110 now is likely to close ahead of the market and should be a positive expected value wager by kickoff. For context, 41 is the third most common total outcome in the NFL over the past three seasons, so there's significant value in locking in a number above that if the line continues to drop. From a football perspective, this will be the first game for both teams under new head coaches. Based on their prior tendencies, we know Pete Carroll favors a run-heavy offense, while Mike Vrabel brings a physical, defensive-minded approach paired with a second-year quarterback in Drake Maye. All signs point to a lower-scoring, grind-it-out type of game. Bet: Under 42.5 Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears (-1.5, 43.5) The first Monday Night Football game of the season features a divisional showdown as the Vikings travel to the Windy City to take on the Bears. Minnesota has been a darling of the futures market, with action coming in across the board — from win totals to division bets to Super Bowl odds. One of the best ways to still find value on the Vikings might simply be playing the Week 1 market. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy had a year to develop behind Sam Darnold, who performed at an MVP-caliber level. Add in an elite offensive mind in former quarterback and reigning NFL Coach of the Year Kevin O'Connell, and a defense that could shape up to be one of the league's best this season, and the pieces are in place. There's also more continuity on Minnesota's sideline, including experience game-planning against Bears head coach Ben Johnson from his time in Detroit. I also like the under in this matchup. Prime-time unders have been a strong early-season trend, and grabbing a good number here is critical. Over the last six seasons, prime-time games (Thursday, Sunday, and Monday Night Football) have hit the under at a 60% rate, according to OddsShark data. And that's based on closing lines, not openers. Snagging an under at 44.5 (still available at some books) is key due to how common final scores land on 44, 43, 41 and 40. There's asymmetric value here, as totals of 45 or 46 are less frequent outcomes. Bets: Vikings ML +100, Under 44.5
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New to sports betting? Here are 13 tips to help you this football season
You're on the first tee at the golf course, and meet your playing partners. The most common question after everyone gets comfortable: 'What do you do?' When you work in sports betting, the answer can be complicated, and usually ignites follow-ups surrounding the inquirer's own experience in betting, often wondering aloud what they have been doing wrong. Like golf, there's no simple guide for how to get better at betting, but when asked for tips on how to get the readership started, it seemed like an opportunity to put advice that I'd give on the golf course on virtual paper here. Ideally, we would have the time an 18-hole walk provides to break it all down, but at least we can cut out the shanks, duffs and 3-putts, and simply chat about betting — getting you set up with 'The Front,' make a move after 'The Turn,' and see if we can't finish strong with a good 'close-out,' all while handing out some tips along the way that might work better than 'keep your eye on the ball.' Here are 13 betting tips to help you get prepared for football season, whether it's your first time wagering or you're a little more advanced. The Front Even if you made your first sports bet 20 years ago (legally in Nevada, of course), it doesn't mean you can't restart your betting life. When you unlock a new skill or process, it can feel like a new beginning. Each summer, in the sleepy part of the calendar, you can take stock with the various sports seasons on the horizon. In that vein, let's look at some of the basics to instill some new-found confidence. Putting the 'dispose' in disposable income Your bankroll is the total money you set aside for sports betting, in the same way you budget for a standard vacation relative to what you can afford. You're going to take that all-inclusive holiday to the tropical beach location, or you'll gather the crew for a bucket-list golf trip, knowing that all you'll be tangibly left with is the memories of the highs and lows of the experience. If you have that same attitude toward sports betting — knowing you'll probably get a little burnt and the money spent will be a drop in the bucket of your life's income — that's a good place to start, because the reality is, you're probably going to lose your initial bankroll over time. The key to improving your experience will be to make that money last exponentially longer than a trip to Jamaica or Pinehurst. Price out the cost of your standard annual vacation, and make that your sports betting bankroll. Shop 'til you drop 'Shop 'til You Drop' was a thoroughly mediocre, turn-of-the-millenium game show in which contestants wildly flailed around a pretend store. If they were good at knowing the correct retail price of certain goods, they would earn a shopping spree. In sports betting, you need to have a solid idea of what the correct price is for a bet, and shop at numerous 'stores' (sportsbooks) for it. There are two ways to shop for the best price: Time: Make your bet when the best price is available (aka 'market entry') Place: Have as many sportsbook accounts (or 'outs') as possible Take your initial bankroll and spread it out across at least three sportsbooks. Odds and lines move from the time the market opens until the game starts. If you have a good grasp on what the price should be on a bet, you can either beat the market to a good bet before the price moves, or wait to get the price you want. Be Ichiro Legend has it that newly inducted Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki, despite never hitting more than 15 home runs in a season, would take the last portion of batting practice to just crank dingers. Even though he made a point to prove that he could swing for the fences, Ichiro built a Hall of Fame career on knowing he should rack up singles and doubles (and steal over 500 bases), hitting .321 during his prime with the Mariners. As bettors, we could go to the batter's box looking to go yard (in the form of long-shot parlays and Same Game Parlays), but the chances of extending your bankroll and enjoying the sports betting experience go way up when you bet one outcome at a time. Even if you didn't parlay them, you'll never be disappointed by going 6-0 on a standard NFL Sunday; plus, going 5-1 or 4-2 in your six picks no longer wrecks that grand slam parlay. Instead, it's the betting equivalent of Ichiro going 3-for-4 with a stolen base and two runs scored. It will add up to a legendary career. Leave the parlays to the bad bettors. Shoot for hitting 53-55% on single outcome bets to accumulate profit over the long term by betting 1-2% of your bankroll as your unit's value for each bet. Pic or it didn't happen The social-media age has turned personal moments into a communal experience. While it's best to keep your bets to yourself — society doesn't need to see your bet slips on Instagram — it's important to track results for your personal records. There are plenty of sports betting apps that allow you to log your bets, crunching the numbers for you, or you can do it yourself — using the type of spreadsheet we all have access to. Coming into the season with a plan to be honest with yourself about how you do is crucial to managing your bankroll and your long-term expectations. If you're interested enough in sports betting to make the bet and watch the game, you should enjoy the process of record-keeping as well. By dividing your units won/lost into your units bet, you can determine your return on investment for the day, week, month and/or season. You can also uncover the sports that are best and worst for your bankroll — and adjust accordingly. Here's what a simple tracking chart could look like on a 4-3 Sunday. The Turn Ok, we've created our bankroll, found a handful of sportsbooks to shop at, built a framework for our expectations and a way to track our betting to see how it goes. In golf terms, while we didn't go low on the opening nine holes, we set ourselves up to believe we can score a personal best — just as soon as we grab a hot dog. Here are some things to think about as you go on the next step of your betting journey — actually making the bets. Read the room Understanding what the market (oddsmakers and other bettors) thinks of a team or individual player is a crucial starting point for knowing what a good price (odds, point spread, etc.) is on a bet. If everyone loves the Los Angeles Lakers, it's going to be hard to argue that they're undervalued in the betting market and worth a wager. In turn, if no one wants to bet on a backup quarterback, maybe his team has been devalued to the point where it's worth a bet. The most uncomfortable bets are often the best, as it can mean there's value in going against the grain. : You can track the market by creating your own power rating list of every team in the league before the season. Compare that list to a league-wide odds market like championship futures or regular-season win totals to see what the market thinks of a team compared to you. On a game-by-game basis, guessing the point spread of a game or a yardage total for a player prop is a good starting point for what you think the correct number should be. Knowing a team or player's recent record against the number (spread or prop total) helps to gauge how they're performing relative to expectations. Home … sweet home? Don't forget about home-field/-court/-ice advantage, but don't overvalue it either. In the NFL, the uninformed will tell you that home-field is worth three points. That's an antiquated perspective. In recent seasons, sportsbooks have been assigning 1-2 points for home-field advantage (around 1.7 on average) and certain home fields or arenas can be worth a little more or a little less. Weather can also factor in, especially if it's a warm-weather team traveling to play in the cold (think, Miami Dolphins at the Kansas City Chiefs in the postseason last year) or vice-versa. : Here's the approximate average value of playing at home for the major sports. Home-field advantage's worth to the spread (in points): NFL: 1-2 CFB: 3-4 NBA: 2-4 CBB: 2-4 NHL: 3-4% to ML win probability MLB: 2-3% to ML win probability 'Hope is not a strategy' Movie-goers will recall the summer of 2025 as one where Brad Pitt was doing Brad Pitt things in the creatively titled blockbuster, "F1: The Movie." Its tagline was an auto-inclusion in the trailer and is something we can apply to our betting. Most bettors mistake analysis for opinion, but opinion is little more than gut instinct. Gut instinct turns into little more than hope when the game starts, and, as Sonny Hayes says in the APX meeting room in the film, 'hope is not a strategy.' Like the movie's made-up F1 team, it's best to respect the science or math involved in what we're doing instead of fearing it just because we've never thought of a game as a matchup of two entities that carry a numeric valuation. The money line (a bet on a team to simply win the game) is a function of each team's win probability after sportsbooks take their hold (the money they make on offering a safe and legal betting service). For example, two equally valued teams (good, average, or bad) playing on a neutral site, creates a 50/50 bet which is lined at -110/-110. The sportsbook is pricing that 50/50 bet at 52.4% (the implied win probability) on each side. From the perspective of the sportsbook, a $110 bet on either side pays the winner(s) $100 with the house holding $110 — profiting $10 of every $110 bet on each side. Like being Brad Pitt, that's a good way to go about life. When sports betting was invented, it meant that each team would be assigned a valuation for every matchup. Being open to the idea that sports betting is about comparing team values and turning any result into a mathematical probability will give you an advantage over the vast majority of bettors who don't realize this. Find a good odds calculator/translator, so that you can understand what the implied win probability is for something with odds like -300 (75%) or +9500 (1%). Bet what you believe in Close your eyes and pick a sport you like to bet on. Got one? Good. What do you believe are the three most important elements to success for a team in that sport? This will help to narrow your focus. If you picked hockey, maybe you think creating offense at even-strength, a good penalty kill and a hot goaltender are the keys to winning an NHL game. Use the key metrics around those categories to create a rating for the two teams in the game you're thinking about betting on. Compare the differences in each team's key elements. If they're drastically different than the implied win probability for each side, there's likely a valuable bet to be made, regardless of whether that's on the favorite or the underdog. If they're similar, but one team's a sizable underdog, it might be time to take a shot on 'dog. The close-out Ok, so you're getting a handle on what it takes to get better at sports betting, but even the best bettors win just 55% of the time. Like in golf, things won't always go your way, but putting the finishing touches on your overall score comes down to your frame of mind when the going gets tough. How do we get into the right mindset to be one of those bettors? By winning the psychological battle that betting on sports can be. Have a short memory In football, a good cornerback is said to need a short memory. They have to be aggressive, even if they just got burned on the previous play. Bettors must have the same point of view. Bettors love to take what they saw from the most recent game, applying that recency to bet on the next game. Considering how many teams finish their season with a winning percentage of between 36% and 64%, there's a lot of win-loss-win-loss-win-loss stretches among those in the meaty part of the curve. The standings are tight before we factor in point spreads and moneyline odds that level the playing field even further. Dig deeper into why the teams won or lost their most recent game. Focus on key plays and outlier results that might have skewed the final score. But also have a long memory As it does in regular society, history does have a tendency to repeat itself. The bigger the sample size of a team's strengths and weaknesses, the better. The 2025 Indiana Pacers surprised those who follow the NBA closely by making the NBA Finals and pushing the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games, but the Pacers had been in the 2024 Conference finals and had experienced making the final of the inaugural in-season tournament in 2023. While Indiana's regular-season record was 50-32 (good for just fourth in the conference), there were at least a handful of data points to show the Pacers were capable of raising their level in bigger games. Things like matchup issues between teams don't just go away because one team had success in games or series with other teams. Plus, whether it's a tough stretch in the regular season, or an easier playoff path, long-term context should be applied to the handicap of any matchup. While it's good to have a baseline rating for a team, don't treat players and teams like they're in a video game where their skills will always be consistent. Understand that we're all day-to-day, and that all humans have a range within which they're capable of performing. There's more than one way to pet a cat Defining value is much harder than many let on. In the NFL, because a high-profile result lingers on repeat for days after, there can be a very clear change in valuation of a team by the betting market in the short term. In basketball, the market might have the point spread correct, but there's a crucial mismatch in personnel. In hockey, the starting goaltender can drastically change a team's value in one game. In baseball, momentum is only as good as the next day's starting pitcher. There are many ways to argue that a bet is worth making. Some have statistical backing, others feature a more qualitative case. However, to get to a bet, make sure you're able to make the case that there's something being missed by the market at large. If you know Lamar Jackson is good at home at night, the betting market likely does as well, but if you know the Browns' offensive line is run-blocking at the best rate in the NFL, you might have a leg up on the market that's worried about Cleveland's quarterback situation. Value is defined by the difference in the number (point spread, moneyline price, etc.) you're willing to bet and the number being offered in the market. Value is not exclusive to underdogs. A favorite can be valuable if you deem it should be an even bigger favorite. Don't be the judge, be the jury A judge determines what arguments a jury is allowed to hear. If you limit your knowledge consumption to what you want to hear, you're doing yourself a disservice. A good juror should be hungry for information and salient arguments from both sides. Particularly for big games, there is no shortage of opinions on why each team makes for a valuable bet. It's your duty as a consumer of content to be the jury, picking which argument makes more sense to you. Your bet should align with your beliefs about the event, and once you click 'submit,' take ownership of that decision. You're not required to bet on every game, nor every game you watch. Being selective in your wagering is one of the biggest advantages that we have over the sportsbook. Oddsmakers are expected to provide a line, but bettors aren't forced to make a bet. Consume arguments for each side of a bet. If both cases are just as compelling, exercise your right to pass on betting a game. Have fun At the end of the day, responsible sports betting is about increasing your acumen of how betting works, and then applying your knowledge level of the sport. Things like creating a betting bankroll budget, assigning an appropriate unit value to your bets, understanding why you've invested in the wager and taking personal ownership of your decisions are all elements to being a good bettor. However, the key to responsible betting is to treat it as a fun hobby that's augmenting the experience of watching a game. There will be lip-outs — unimaginably wacky losses you'll never forget, while the shocking wins somehow don't resonate the same way. However, it's all part of the experience and the sports betting industry is a large community that will share it with you in a way that will augment your involvement in sports betting, as long as you don't take it too seriously. Find pleasure in the process of finding valuable wagers and learning more about sports betting, while treating the results of events and bets as the recreational hobby it is supposed to be. You can find valuable bets and analysis from Yahoo Sports betting contributor, Matt Russell, at THE WINDOW.
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2025 NFL preseason: Why there is value betting on NFL preseason games
It's been almost six months since we watched Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, but now that NFL preseason is back, a familiar question surfaces: Is it actually worth betting on? For many public bettors, preseason betting feels like throwing darts. Starters barely play, motivation is inconsistent and the games don't count. You'll hear from various outlets that only degenerates wager on the NFL preseason. But here's the truth: The preseason may be the best time to bet the NFL all season … if you know where to look. Why? Because sportsbooks can't fully price in variables like insider info, coaching intent and quarterback rotations. Most people are guessing, but the sharp bettors are not. Here are a few tips to approach the preseason with a better perspective, should you choose to dive in: Information is king In the regular season, information is tightly controlled and oddsmakers react quickly to every bit of news. In preseason? The information gaps are massive. Coaches openly discuss playing time. Beat writers speculate on rotations. Players hint at usage on social media. If you know the starters are getting three full drives while the opponent is resting everyone, that's actionable — and often exploitable — intel. And unlike in the regular season, this info often slips through the cracks of the betting market. It's likely sharp bettors see valuable information before bookmakers. Oddsmakers try to keep track of it all, but there is less at stake in the preseason with lower limits if something is missed before a bettor gets a good number. Coaching matters, but not how you think Every August, John Harbaugh's 76% preseason win rate makes the rounds, and every year, bettors hammer Baltimore. But the sportsbooks are well aware of that trend. The real value lies in why coaches do what they do. Some want clean games and no injuries. Others want to test depth charts, settle QB battles or prove something. Mike Tomlin, for example, often plays starters longer than expected to 'set a tone.' Meanwhile, Sean McVay doesn't play starters at all. Understanding coaching motivation, not just track records, gives you a sneak peak into potential value spots as lines open. Quarterback rotations: The hidden key Preseason lines can look weird. Seeing the Chiefs as 4-point underdogs to a bottom-feeder team might make you want to grab Kansas City, but this is not the Patrick Mahomes-led team, and the betting market is pricing in information you likely missed. QB depth matters more in August than it does in January. A team with two fringe roster guys fighting for a spot can be far more dangerous than a team who has its depth chart solidified and is simply getting the rust off. Finding small edges within the landscape of QB battles can lead to value in preseason betting. Last year, for example, the Cowboys leaned heavily on Trey Lance. Not because they wanted to win games, but to evaluate him and drum up trade interest. This could have opened value in games where Lance would be facing teams working through multiple low-level players fighting for roster spots — or could've led to a fade of Lance, depending on your belief in his ability. Here's how he performed: vs. Rams (Lost 13-12): 25-41, 188 Yards | 6 Carries, 44 Yards vs. Raiders (Won 27-12): 15-23, 151 Yards, 1 TD | 7 Carries, 34 Yards, 1 TD vs. Chargers (Lost 26-19): 33-49, 323 Yards, 1 TD, 5 Interceptions | 11 Carries, 90 Yards, 1 TD That's 113 pass attempts in three games. The takeaway: It wasn't about winning; it was about evaluation. Though the Cowboys ended the preseason with a 1-2 record, betting markets reacted to Lance's status as the Cowboys saw an influx of wagers, closing as bigger favorites than they opened in two of the three matchups. Low totals, high leverage: Teasers in preseason A teaser in sports betting is a type of parlay where you can adjust the point spread or total in your favor (usually at least six points) in multiple wagers, but both wagers must win for you to cash. They offer fixed pay structures, which typically aren't worth a bet — but the preseason is not typical. In the regular season, teasing a 7-point favorite down to -1 or lowering a total from 47 to 41 is commonplace. But in the preseason, teasers become more valuable. Why? Because points are scarce. When totals are sitting in the low 30s, like the 32.5 total in this year's Hall of Fame Game, each point is worth more. A 6-point teaser that moves an underdog from +1 to +7 is much more impactful when a game is expected to be a 13-10 type of matchup. The less room for variance, the better. If you're playing teasers, aim for low-total games and look to grab key numbers, especially in matchups where scoring is expected to be ugly — which, in preseason, is most of them. Bet the info, not the teams Betting NFL preseason isn't about which team will be better this season. It's about who's playing, for how long and why it matters. If you're looking for soft numbers and mis-priced info, this is your window. So yes, preseason betting is 100% worth it. Just don't treat it like September football. Treat it like an info war, and make sure you're the one winning it.
