After a difficult campaign which only saw relegation averted in the final weeks of the season followed by a summer of player departures to date, Forest are still a surprisingly short price to top the Championship next May.
Some bookmakers have the Reds priced at as little as 16/1 to win the league and 9/2 to gain promotion.
In the five-way race to be top Midlands club in 2012/13 Steve Cotterill's side are 8/1, behind Leicester, Wolves and Birmingham but ahead of Derby.