Recommended bets: 
- Derby to win League One 
- Charlton to be promoted 
- Shrewsbury to be relegated

Last season's League One title race was extraordinary with Plymouth, Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday registering mammoth points tallies of 101, 98 and 96, but it could be a more open race in 2023-24 with a lower total needed to finish top of the pile.

There are a lot of big clubs in the third tier, including Derby, Bolton, Portsmouth, Reading and Charlton, who will all expect to feature prominently in the promotion race.

At the other end of the scale there are several teams on much lower budgets, including newly-promoted quartet Leyton Orient, Stevenage, Northampton and Carlisle.

Recently-relegated Wigan face a handicap right from the start after being handed a pair of four-point deductions, meaning they are set to start the season on minus eight.

Rams revival looks likely

Derby finished a point adrift of the League One play-offs last season but they will expect to improve in 2023-24 and should feature prominently in the promotion race.

County suffered an early summer blow when key forward David McGoldrick turned down the offer of an extended contract in favour of a move to Notts County, but their recruitment drive is already moving forward with goalkeeper Josh Vickers, left back Callum Elder, central defender Curtis Nelson and winger Joe Ward joining the Rams' ranks.

Three of the four new signings played in the Championship last season and Derby's ambition bodes well for the new season.

Barnsley were the losing play-off finalists last season — suffering a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Sheffield Wednesday — and their chances of bouncing back have been dented by the departure of their former manager, Michael Duff, to second-tier Swansea.

The Tykes may slip back but Bolton should keep pushing forward in their fourth season under Ian Evatt.

The Trotters were fifth last season and have already snapped up two goalkeepers, Nathan Baxter and Josh Coleman, and right back Josh Dacres-Cogley.

There is always scope for surprises and Charlton could take a big step forward.

The Addicks climbed from 16th to 10th in the final two months of last season and they can continue to progress.

Shrewsbury could struggle

The relegation battle looks tough to predict but Shrewsbury could be among the struggling clubs.

The Shrews performed excellently with a small squad last season to finish in 12th place, but there was a dramatic drop off towards the end of the campaign with eight defeats sustained in the final 10 fixtures.

Popular manager Steve Cotterill departed the club this summer and his loss could contribute a deterioration in results which could leave the Shrews towards the bottom end of the table.

Prediction

League One should be a bit less competitive after the promotions of outstanding trio Plymouth, Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday and the most likely club to take advantage are Paul Warne's Derby.

The Rams finished seventh last term having completely revamped their squad.

They are looking more settled going into the 2023-24 season and will be tough to stop.

Top-six contenders should include Charlton, who look capable of winning promotion.

The Addicks have some immensely talented youngsters and could be ready to return to the second tier for the first time since 2020.

The battle against the drop may involve Wigan, who start with an eight-point deduction, and Shrewsbury, who look vulnerable due to their wafer-thin squad.

Back Derby to win League One at 9/2 with LiveScore Bet.

Back Charlton to be promoted at 5/1 with LiveScore Bet.

Back Shrewsbury to be relegated with LiveScore Bet.