We have finally arrived! The NFL season is on the horizon and Week 1 has quite a few interesting matchups on the slate, all discussed in this Week 1 NFL betting preview. We will kick things off with the Lions and Chiefs on Thursday Night Football before getting into a full day of football action on Sunday.
If you plan on throwing a few bucks down on NFL opening weekend, there are a few things to know. We’ll take a look at the full Week 1 schedule, the best team bets, best prop bets, and the best long shots that you should consider adding to your bet slip in this Week 1 NFL betting preview.
Week 1 NFL Betting Preview – Schedule and Odds
Before we can get into the betting action for Week 1, it helps to know what the schedule looks like. Here is the entire slate of games happening Week 1, beginning with Thursday night and ending with Monday Night Football.
| Matchup | Money line | Spread |
| Lions vs. Chiefs | Lions (+230), Chiefs (-280) | Chiefs -6.5 |
| Cardinals vs. Commanders | Cardinals (+250), Commanders (-310) | Commanders -7 |
| Panthers vs. Falcons | Panthers (+160), Falcons (-180) | Falcons -3.5 |
| Bengals vs. Browns | Bengals (-140), Browns (+120) | Bengals -2.5 |
| Texans vs. Ravens | Texans (+375), Ravens (-500) | Ravens -10 |
| Jaguars vs. Colts | Jaguars (-220), Colts (+180) | Jaguars -4.5 |
| 49ers vs. Steelers | 49ers (-140), Steelers (+120) | 49ers -2.5 |
| Buccaneers vs. Vikings | Buccaneers (+215), Vikings (-260) | Vikings -6 |
| Titans vs. Saints | Titans (+155), Saints (-175) | Saints -3 |
| Packers vs. Bears | Packers (+100), Bears (-120) | Bears -1 |
| Rams vs. Seahawks | Rams (+205), Seahawks (-245) | Seahawks -5 |
| Raiders vs. Broncos | Raiders (+170), Broncos (-200) | Broncos -4 |
| Dolphins vs. Chargers | Dolphins (+145), Chargers (-165) | Chargers -3 |
| Eagles vs. Patriots | Eagles (-180), Patriots (+160) | Eagles -3.5 |
| Cowboys vs. Giants | Cowboys (-165), Giants (+145) | Cowboys -3.5 |
| Bills vs. Jets | Bills (-145), Jets (+125) | Bills -2.5 |
Week 1 NFL Best Bets – Best Spread Bets for Week 1 NFL
We don’t really know much about anyone quite yet. Sure, we’ve seen preseason games and heard camp rumblings, but it’s hard to get a good feel for what each team will really be like. But looking at the Week 1 slate, our team feels very good about three bets, in particular.
Bills (-2.5) at Jets
A world of hype has been following the Jets this year, but don’t forget about the Bills. They are returning nearly 80% of a 13-4 team from a year ago and still have Josh Allen. The quarterback is one of the best in the league despite his low ranking on the NFL Top 100 list.
It is doubtful that, after limited action in the preseason, Aaron Rodgers will be at 100% efficiency. Look for the Bills to cover in a big Week 1 win.
Jaguars (-4) at Colts
These are two teams trending in the wrong direction. The Jaguars have high hopes entering Year 3 of the Trevor Lawrence Experience, ready to take the division and more.
The Colts will have a rookie quarterback and will be without disgruntled running back Jonathan Taylor. That spells disaster for the Colts, even at home to start the year.
Eagles (-4.5) at Patriots
Let’s make it 3-for-3 on road favorites. The Eagles are largely the same team from a year ago and arguably got better on defense. The Patriots have a ton of question marks on offense, though the defense could be among the best in the league.
The Eagles are way too tough for this Patriots group and should cover easily.
Week 1 NFL Best Bets – Best NFL Week 1 Prop Bets
With the team picks locked in, it’s time to break things down even further and get into the player props. After all, props can make any contest fun and narrow rooting interests down to a specific player. Here is a trio of player props that you should be keeping in mind when Week 1 kicks off.
Christian Watson O 45.5 Receiving Yards (-135)
There have been a lot of changes in Green Bay, starting with the departure of Rodgers. Of those who remain, Watson has the biggest potential in the current receiving corps. He displayed major big-play ability last year and could quickly become a favorite of new starting quarterback Jordan Love. The Bears defense is suspect and the need to make a good first impression should lead Love to Watson often.
Jordan Addison Anytime Touchdown (+190)
All of the attention paid to the Vikings receiving corps rightfully goes to Justin Jefferson. When you have more than 1,800 yards in a season, that tends to be the case. But Addison, the Vikings’ first-round pick, should be dangerous this year. Look for him to get on the board against a decent but declining Bucs defense.
Josh Allen U 267.5 Passing Yards (-130)
Allen is one of the best quarterbacks in the league no matter how you slice it. But Week 1 will put him up against a Jets defense that gave him fits a year ago and looks to be even better. Though the Bills are predicted to win, it won’t be easy, and JA17 will struggle at times. The 2023 AFC East is going to be one of the toughest divisions in football and this will be a good test for the Bills.
Week 1 NFL Betting Preview – Best Longshot NFL Bets
The picks above aren’t really all that far off base. What about the ones that you need to be a little crazy to make? Here are the spicier picks worth tailing in our Week 1 NFL betting preview.
Isiah Pacheco to Score 2+ TDs (+550)
We all know the Chiefs offense is dynamic and much of it runs through Travis Kelce. That said, Pacheco showed off dynamic ability last year and should be better in Year 2. With all the attention going to the receivers, Pacheco could have a monster night.
Mark Andrews 1st TD Scorer (+700)
Lamar Jackson is back in Baltimore and hopes are high. Because of the struggles of Tyler Huntley last year, it becomes too easy to forget the importance of Andrews in this offense. He was a favorite target of Jackson before and should be right out of the gate against a bad opponent.
DeAndre Hopkins 1st TD Scorer (+1000)
The Titans’ passing attack got a boost with DHop being brought into the fold. Though the obvious choice for the Titans to score is Derrick Henry, don’t be surprised if the future Hall of Fame receiver kicks off this season with a bang.