Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is finally here, though odds for games have been out for some time.
The defending champion Seattle Seahawks host the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl rematch to kick things off. We also get our first international game of the year, with this season's Super Bowl favorites, the Los Angeles Rams, facing off against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday in Melbourne, Australia.
Among the top games on Sunday's slate are the Buffalo Bills visiting the Houston Texans and the Minnesota Vikings hosting the Green Bay Packers. The Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants on "Sunday Night Football" to close out the day's action.
The Los Angeles Chargers are the biggest favorites of the week, laying 10 points against the Arizona Cardinals, and Sunday afternoon's Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Cincinnati Bengals matchup has the highest total of the week at 50.5.
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos on "Monday Night Football" (8:15 ET on ESPN/ABC) to close out the week.
Pamela Maldonado, Matt Bowen, Eric Moody and Joe Fortenbaugh looked at the early Week 1 odds and identified which ones are worth jumping on now before potential shifts later in the week.
Note: Odds by DraftKings
and subject to change.
Jacksonville Jaguars -7.5 vs. Cleveland Browns
Eric Moody: The Jaguars went 12-5 against the spread last season and covered 78% of their home games, while Cleveland was just 2-6 ATS on the road. Deshaun Watson is making his first regular-season start since 2024, and the Jaguars' defensive front should be able to pressure him and force the Browns to play from behind.
Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers UNDER 42.5 points
Joe Fortenbaugh: I know this might come as a surprise to many of you, but I'm not exactly bullish on the Tua Tagovailoa-led Falcons offense. The summer reports out of Atlanta were not favorable in terms of Tua's conditioning and willingness to throw the ball down the field. On the flip side, Pittsburgh might boast one of the most underrated defenses in the league, led by one of the most underrated coordinators in Patrick Graham. A 24-17 final would get us to the window.
New Orleans Saints +7 at Detroit Lions
Matt Bowen: I'll take the seven points with an ascending Saints team in Week 1. Quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 1,172 yards in his final four games as a rookie last season, and I really like his fit in Kellen Moore's offense. Shough is a rhythm thrower who can target the middle of the field versus the Lions' defensive scheme. The Saints can cover on the road.
Cardinals at Chargers UNDER 47.5
Pamela Maldonado: Arizona's offense might be better, but better doesn't mean high-scoring. Mike LaFleur has Jeremiyah Love as the centerpiece of a run-first approach designed to take pressure off an uninspiring quarterback room. The Chargers finished in the top 10 against the run last season and allowed the second-fewest red zone touchdowns, which could leave the Cardinals having trouble turning drives into seven points. Love gives Arizona explosiveness, but we're unlikely to see it against this defense.
