Updated 2020 XFL Championship Odds After Draft: Dallas Renegades Favored at +300
By Angelo Montilla in XFL
Updated: March 27, 2020 at 6:34 am EDTPublished:
- The Dallas Renegades improved from +350 to +300 after the XFL Draft
- The NY Guardians slipped to +400 despite adding key players, including WR DeAngelo Yancey
- Looking for an early underdog? Watch Connor Cook and the Houston Roughnecks closely
Now that the inaugural XFL Draft is complete, it’s time to focus on the early favorites to win the title leading up to the 2020 season.
The DC Defenders used the Phase 1 first-overall pick on wide receiver Rashard Davis, while Houston drafted former Michigan State QB Connor Cook second overall.
Yet, books released there latest XFL Championship odds and list the Dallas Renegades as the +300 favorites.
Are the Renegades a good bet at this price or will another team emerge as the frontrunner leading up to the regular season? Let’s take a look at the XFL Championship odds and stats.
2020 XFL Championship Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dallas Renegades | +300 |
| New York Guardians | +400 |
| L.A. Wildcats | +500 |
| Tampa Bay Vipers | +500 |
| Houston Roughnecks | +750 |
| DC Defenders | +800 |
| St. Louis Battle Hawks | +1000 |
| Seattle Dragons | +1000 |
Odds taken on Nov. 20.
When the odds first opened in late August, books had the New York Guardians and Los Angeles Wildcats listed as co-favorites at +300.
Their latest odds released on Thursday show that the Renegades — once listed at +350 — are now the favorites with the Guardians falling to second at +400.
Which team positioned itself to win the championship following last month’s XFL Draft?
Having the fourth-overall pick in the draft, the Renegades selected wide receiver Jeff Badet, who had a brief stint with the Minnesota Vikings before moving to the XFL.
Badet is a nice complementary piece for quarterback Landry Jones — a career backup in the NFL who played behind Ben Roethlisberger with the Steelers for five seasons. The Renegades are also in good hands on the sideline with former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops in charge. Stoops, who led the Sooners to a National Championship in 2000, will bring a winning pedigree to the favored Renegades.
XFL draft is today and Wednesday. Here are the names to know, including former NFL quarterbacks Connor Cook, Matt McGloin, Zach Mettenberger and Landry Jones, via @SeifertESPN.
https://t.co/XSbKjSJ58M— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 15, 2019
Guardians Still Considered
The Guardians may have slipped in the latest odds, but New York should still be considered strong favorites to win the title in 2020. The Guardians used the third-overall pick in the draft to select former Green Bay Packers wide receiver DeAngelo Yancey. New York focused on bulking up at wide receiver in the following rounds, taking Mekale McKay in the second round as well as Tanner Gentry in the third.
McKay was released from the Dallas Cowboys’ training camp roster, while Gentry joins the Guardians after being let go from the Chicago Bears. Gentry played three games in Chicago, catching three passes for 35 yards before being released.
The DC Defenders had the first-overall pick and selected former Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders wide receiver Rashard Davis. After being released from Kansas City’s training camp roster, Davis became a free agent and eventually a coveted player in the XFL Draft.
Despite having the top pick in the draft, the Defenders are listed as a +800 longshot to win the XFL Championship.
🙏🏾 @XFLDefenders let's get to work! pic.twitter.com/JoacmYbn2p
— Rashard Davis (@rasharddavis6) October 15, 2019
The Roughnecks got an absolute steal at No. 2 with Cook — who bounced around the NFL before being released by the Detroit Lions prior to the 2019 season. While at Michigan State, Cook won the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year award and was a First-Team All-Big Ten pivot in 2015.
Cook knows a thing or two about winning championships, too. The 26-year-old won the Rose Bowl in 2014 and Cotton Bowl in 2015.
If there’s an underdog to keep an eye on early in the season, it’s the Roughnecks (+750) with Cook at quarterback.
The @XFLRoughnecks added another QB.
Check out what he can do. 💪 pic.twitter.com/H5G4FvbV4G
— United Football League (@TheUFL) October 15, 2019
Vipers Put Trust In Trestman
The Tampa Bay Vipers will be a team to watch closely as former Chicago Bears head coach Marc Trestman is now the coach in Tampa Bay.
Trestman’s track record in the CFL was a successful one, winning three Grey Cup crowns and two Coach of the Year honors prior to leaving for the job with the Bears in 2013. Trestman returned to the CFL but was fired by the Toronto Argos in 2018, which paved the way for his recent job as coach of the Vipers.
Tampa Bay opened at +450 in the last set of odds released in August, but the line has lengthened to +500 following last month’s XFL Draft.
The XFL season kicks off on Feb. 8, 2020 and while the lines will likely fluctuate before then, the Renegades are the best bet at this point.
Sports Writer
Angelo Montilla is a writer, visual design instructor and graphic designer based on the East Coast. As a journalism graduate, his experience in the media industry spans more than 15 years and includes work with Nation Network, SportsBreak, Featurd, Hockey Writers and the Windsor Star.
