NFL Predictions Week 1: Odds, Picks and Projections for Opening Schedule

Week 1 can raise a bettor's blood pressure levels. For the most part, you don't know what to expect opening week, especially this year without preseason games.

Nonetheless, teams with continuity should have an edge in opening matchups, carrying over the same systems. The familiarity between evenly-matched division rivals can go either way, but one game seems like a safe bet.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will make his NFL debut against the Los Angeles Chargers. You should pay close attention to the line in this matchup as another good spot to place your wager.

We'll pick each contest against the spread using DraftKings odds and choose the top three bets.

Week 1 Odds and Picks

Picks are made against the spread.

Thursday, Sept. 10

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs (-9): Texans

Sunday, Sept. 13

New York Jets at Buffalo Bills (-6.5): Bills

Las Vegas Raiders (-3.5) at Carolina Panthers: Raiders

Seattle Seahawks (-1.5) at Atlanta Falcons: Falcons

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-3): Bears

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-2.5): Packers

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-6.5): Dolphins

Philadelphia Eagles (-6) at Washington Football Team: Eagles

Indianapolis Colts (-8) at Jacksonville Jaguars: Colts

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-8): Ravens

Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5) at Cincinnati Bengals: Chargers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints (-3.5): Saints

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers (-7): Cardinals

Dallas Cowboys (-3) at Los Angeles Rams: Cowboys

Monday, Sept. 9

Pittsburgh Steelers (-5.5) at New York Giants: Steelers

Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos (Even): Titans

Top Three Bets

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (-2.5)

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

The Green Bay Packers open the season on the road against a Minnesota Vikings squad with a new secondary. Although quarterback Aaron Rodgers doesn't have an elite wide receiver group, he can test a trio of young cornerbacks.

The Vikings lost Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander in free agency. Mike Hughes, Holton Hill and rookies Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler will likely play a significant number of snaps at cornerback. None of them have started in more than five contests.

Packers wide receiver Davante Adams should find some holes in the Vikings' pass defense. Defensive tackle Linval Joseph's departure from Minnesota to Los Angeles (Chargers), may leave a void on the interior, which bodes well for running backs Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams and A.J. Dillon.

Both defenses have a strong pass-rushing duo. The Packers will send Preston Smith and Za'Darius Smith after Kirk Cousins. They combined for 25.5 sacks last season. The Vikings acquired Yannick Ngakoue from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He'll join two-time Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter on the end.

This feels like a close game with two defenses that can limit scoring opportunities, though the Packers win outright behind a 100-plus-yard game from Adams.

Prediction: Packers 20, Vikings 17

Indianapolis Colts (-7.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars:

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The Jaguars have gutted their roster over the last past 12 months, parting ways with Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Leonard Fournette, Ronnie Harrison and Ngakoue. The front office seems focused on the 2021 draft more than the 2020 season.

This year, the Jaguars will lose plenty of games by a wide margin starting Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts—take the road team in a big win.

The Colts have a new quarterback under center in Philip Rivers, who threw 20 interceptions last season, but that's OK because he's not going to throw 35-plus passes with this offense. 

Indianapolis will shorten the game while Rivers becomes acclimated to the system. Expect the Colts to run the ball through the heart of the Jaguars defense.

In 2019, the Colts rushing offense ranked seventh while the Jaguars listed 28th against the run. Indianapolis added rookie running back Jonathan Taylor to bolster its ground attack, and Jacksonville lost Campbell and Ngakoue on a front line that struggled to close interior running lanes. We can all see what's coming up in this matchup.

Prediction: Colts 31, Jaguars 14

Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5) at Cincinnati Bengals

Aaron Doster/Associated Press

Don't fall for all of the positive buzz around Burrow. Of course, coaches and players will praise him to build his confidence before Week 1. He may have been impressive at camp, but we should temper our expectations for him in his first NFL game.

Even though the Los Angeles Chargers lost safety Derwin James for the season because of a torn meniscus, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will field a respectable unit that can frustrate Burrow.

Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram will rush off the edge while Chris Harris Jr. joins Casey Hayward at cornerback. The Chargers didn't have James for 11 games last season. Yet, their pass defense allowed the fifth-fewest yards and ranked eighth in touchdowns allowed.

Burrow has a solid wide receiver group, featuring A.J. Green and Tyler Boyd at the forefront of the unit. On the other hand, the offensive line raises some concerns with a group of unproven starters aside from center Trey Hopkins. Most notably, left tackle Jonah Williams will make his pro debut after sitting out the 2019 campaign while recovering from shoulder surgery.

Burrow will show some flashes, but Tyrod Taylor outplays him and feeds wideout Keenan Allen double-digit targets in a dominant performance.

Prediction: Chargers 27, Bengals 13

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Odds obtained from DraftKings.