Patriots vs. Broncos: Top Fantasy Bets, Predictions for 2016 AFC Championship

Bettors might not want to wager on whether the 17th meeting between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will be the last.

They will, however, want to take a peek at all the various odds surrounding the 2016 AFC Championship Game Sunday when the New England Patriots visit the Denver Broncos.

Whether it's a spread, moneyline or something else, this one's quite unique in that the visitor seems to be the favorite. Call it a strong chance for bettors to take a few risks and head into the Super Bowl with some spare coin.

Below, let's take a look at the top available bets and break them down.

Game Details

When: Sunday, January 24, at 3:05 p.m. ET

Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver

Television: CBS

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Over/Under: 44

Spread: New England (-3)

Moneyline: Patriots (-180), Broncos (+160)

Spread and Moneyline Analysis

New England enters this road contest the favorite, which isn't much of a shocker.

There's a narrative suggesting Brady hasn't aged a bit while Manning fell off the proverbial cliff this year. No use arguing it—Brady tossed 36 touchdowns to seven interceptions while those around him dealt with injuries. Manning looked miserable before missing a large chunk of time with an injury.

But this goes beyond quarterbacks. New England has Rob Gronkowski playing at full strength. Julian Edelman, he of 61 catches for 692 yards and seven touchdowns this year despite only appearing in nine games, is also back in the fold.

It makes for a tough task for the Denver defense. Though the Broncos won a Week 12 encounter with the Patriots, Brady tossed three scores despite Edelman watching from the sideline.

Not that Manning has a shred of doubt in his defense.

"Our defense has been outstanding all season. They have led us to this point, let's make that clear," Manning said, according to ESPN.com. "Each game, key defensive players stepped it up, but you have to be a good team to win these playoff games and you have to win as a team."

One could argue the Broncos have yet to play a full-strength Patriots team this year, but somebody else could argue the exact opposite. When these two hooked up in Week 12, it was Brock Osweiler under center, who still managed to throw for 270 yards with a score and a pick while C.J. Anderson went off for 113 yards and two scores on the ground.

Still, those who want to chance the underdog will mainly focus on Manning, who didn't look wildly rejuvenated after his time off, throwing for 222 yards against the struggling Pittsburgh Steelers pass defense last weekend. 

As such, it's not hard to see why Odds Shark notes that 67 percent of the spread votes continue to go to the Patriots, along with 58 percent taking the over, which is to be expected when these two get together.

Prediction

Fun fact: Brady is 2-6 in games played in Denver.

It's not some end-all, be-all stat, of course. But it's clear from so many folks picking the Patriots that many look at quarterback and call it a day.

This is a team game. Denver is at home boasting a defense that allowed just 18.5 points per game in the regular season and a running game that already went off against this New England defense. Manning is back in the fold, too, adding another wrinkle.

There's serious money in taking the Broncos here. New England might have the advantage at the most important position (and really, what's to say Manning doesn't rise to the occasion?), but Denver at home with the better supporting cast means Manning can help pull off this win late.

Prediction: Broncos 27, Patriots 24

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and accurate as of January 22. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus. All betting information courtesy of Odds Shark.