Fifteen weeks remain until the start of the NFL’s regular season, but the betting lines for the opening week of games are already available. We identify four games to bet on now based on the NFL’s Week 1 lines and odds.
It’s only May, but it’s never too early to make a smart bet. A number of games and surprising lines jump off the page when looking at the opening lines for the NFL’s Week 1 slate.
Here are our early NFL Week 1 lines, odds, and picks (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, Pointsbet, FanDuel Sportsbook; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
NFL Week 1 Lines and Odds
Odds via BetMGM
- Buffalo Bills vs. Los Angeles Rams (-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (-4.5) vs. New York Jets
- New Orleans Saints (-4) vs. Atlanta Falcons
- New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins (-3)
- Cleveland Browns (-3.5) vs. Carolina Panthers
- Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals (-6.5)
- San Francisco 49ers (-6.5) vs. Chicago Bears
- Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5) vs. Detroit Lions
- Indianapolis Colts (-7.5) vs. Houston Texans
- Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Washington Commanders (-3.5)
- Kansas City Chiefs (-3) vs. Arizona Cardinals
- Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers (-4)
- Green Bay Packers (-1.5) vs. Minnesota Vikings
- New York Giants vs. Tennessee Titans (-6.5)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5) vs. Dallas Cowboys
- Denver Broncos (-4.5) vs. Seattle Seahawks
Early NFL Week 1 2022 betting at @BetMGM
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Betting percentages pic.twitter.com/fmE3VeHCUf— John Ewing
(@johnewing) May 24, 2022
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NFL Week 1 Picks
Ravens (-4.5) vs. Jets
A much improved New York Jets squad has been a main talking point this offseason, but the Baltimore Ravens should be bolstered too.
The Ravens finished a surprising 8-9 and last in the AFC North in 2021, but that disappointing campaign was mostly due to significant injuries.
Starting corner Marcus Peters and running back Gus Edwards missed the entire year, All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley played just one game, and star quarterback Lamar Jackson missed the last four contests. Those are just four of the notable players who missed major time, but they should all be healthy to kick off the 2022 season.
The Ravens have also made several depth additions, including signing veteran corner Kyle Fuller and drafting stud safety Kyle Hamilton. Top receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown was traded to Arizona, but 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman is primed to vault atop the depth chart.
Baltimore is a realistic candidate to jump from worst to first in its division. Though the Jets have also improved their talent—particularly after drafting corner Sauce Gardner, wideout Garrett Wilson, and running back Breece Hall—they're not in the same weight class as Baltimore. The Jets have won just six games over the last two seasons.
The line should be much more like the -7.5 spread the Indianapolis Colts are getting over the Houston Texans in Week 1, the largest of the week right now. It's already moved to -5.5 at FanDuel.
Pick: Ravens -4.5 (-110 via DraftKings) ★★★★★
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Saints (-4) vs. Falcons
Speaking of a discrepancy in talent, the New Orleans Saints own a similar advantage over the division-rival Atlanta Falcons.
The Saints have won four of the last five head-to-head meetings with Atlanta, with a significant margin of victory in each contest. However, both clubs have changed a lot since the Saints' 30-20 triumph in Week 18. It will be Jameis Winston, not Trevor Siemian, under center for the Saints, and Marcus Mariota is expected to start his first game since 2019 for the Falcons.
New Orleans is also undergoing a coaching transition after Sean Payton's retirement, but successor Dennis Allen will forge ahead with many of the same principles. The Saints will field offseason additions Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye at safety, with Chris Olave joining Michael Thomas at receiver, and Trevor Penning will be the new starting left tackle.
Meanwhile, the Falcons' roster features the least amount of proven skill-position talent. Rookie Drake London takes over as the No. 1 receiver due to the suspension of Calvin Ridley. Much will be asked of tight end Kyle Pitts during his sophomore season and 31-year-old weapon Cordarrelle Patterson after he set career highs in his ninth campaign.
It could be a bloodbath in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Pick: Saints -4 (-110 via DraftKings) ★★★★
Browns (-3.5) vs. Panthers
Bettors should definitely consider wagering on the Cleveland Browns-Carolina Panthers game before potential developments.
The Browns opened as 4.5-point favorites before the spread fell to 3.5. They're favored despite being the road team, and the uncertainty surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson has yet to face NFL discipline over allegations of sexual misconduct from 22 women. But the 2020 passing leader is expected to be suspended to begin the season. Veteran backup Jacoby Brissett will likely be the Browns' starter in Week 1 as Baker Mayfield seeks a way out of town.
Brissett has produced a 14-23 career record as a starter. He went 2-3 as a spot starter with the Miami Dolphins in 2021 while losing the first three games. The passer also kicked off 2019 under center after the surprise retirement of Andrew Luck, and he lost the season opener.
The Browns boast a stronger overall roster than the Panthers, but Carolina should benefit from the return of superstar rusher Christian McCaffrey.
Carolina only needs to cover the 3.5 spread.
Pick: Panthers +3.5 (-105 via Pointsbet) ★★★
Broncos (-4) vs. Seahawks
The Denver Broncos are rightfully favored over the Seattle Seahawks, but there's a case for the Hawks covering the spread.
The Broncos are the superior team after trading for star quarterback Russell Wilson, and the Seahawks are expected to be picking high in the draft. But games aren't played on paper.
No team knows more about Wilson than his former club. And the 10 years Wilson spent under the tutelage of Seattle head coach Pete Carroll carry weight.
Take the 2021 meeting between Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for instance. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 6-point favorites to win the Week 4 affair due to Brady and the Bucs' superior roster. Yet, Bill Belichick and the Patriots were able to keep Brady to 22-of-43 passing for 269 yards and no touchdowns. The Bucs squeaked out a two-point victory on a late field goal.
A similar script could play out now during a Week 1 Monday night chess match.
Wilson is 91-77-6 against the spread over his 174 career starts, despite an overall record of 113-60-1. A high volume of Seahawks games during the Wilson era ended with a razor-thin margin.
Pick: Seahawks +4.5 (-110 via FanDuel) ★★★
Where to Bet on NFL Week 1 Lines
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NFL Week 1 picks made on 5/25/2022 at 3:54 p.m. ET.
The post NFL Week 1 Lines, Odds and Picks: 4 Games to Bet Now appeared first on Picks.
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