Preseason has officially started and week 1 of the NFL quickly approaches. Not only does this mark the beautiful start of a new football journey, but it also comes packed with several intriguing matchups that we can’t wait to see. Below is the list of matchups for week 1, along with some NFL prop bets we’re hoping to see.
New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks ⭐
The first game of the 2026 season is one of our favorites. A super bowl rematch is always exciting, but this one stands out above the rest due to some of the offseason roster changes both teams have undergone. With AJ Brown joining the Patriots roster, and the Seahawks losing Kenneth Walker to free agency, the matchup seems even more balanced than the Super Bowl. Are the Seahawks still the better team? Probably. But this doesn’t diminish the impact this opening game will have for both teams in their respective division races.
Keep an eye out for some great player props for this game, as sportsbooks are likely to focus in on key new players such as AJ Brown, as well as the performance of Sam Darnold, who performed beyond expectations last season.
San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams
I really wanted to give this one a star to make it one of our favorite matchups, but the already-diminishing 49ers roster makes it difficult. While the 49ers continue to suffer from some mystery injury curse, the Rams are building an absolute dream team (nightmare team if you’re in the NFC West). The addition of Myles Garrett already felt like a massive advantage going into the season, but now exists the threat of the (likely) return of Aaron Donald as well. If Matt Stafford can continue to perform at an MVP level, it’s hard to imagine any team will easily beat the Rams.
Scoring margin props will be interesting for this matchup. Can the 49ers keep it close, or will the Rams start off with a massive statement about their plans for this season?
Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers
It’s hard not to be excited about the potential the Chicago Bears come into the season with. Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson should be in full stride in their respective roles now, and the offensive roster has sneaky talent everywhere. The Panthers have also made improvements in recent seasons, and even won their division last season (but let’s not ignore that it was the NFC South). I appreciate the improvements the Panthers have made, but I don’t think it’s enough to keep up with the talent the Bears currently hold.
I’ll be watching for player props involving Caleb Williams for this game. He is expected to put up huge numbers this year, and he should now be fully comfortable running that offense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals
I was close to giving this game a star. If I had six to give out, this matchup would have one. But my excitement for both of these teams starts and ends with the early season. The Bucs tend to start hot and then fizzle out (refer to 2025 when the Bucs beat both the Texans and Seahawks in the first 5 weeks, to then end their final 5 weeks with losses to the Panthers and Dolphins). The Bengals have a similar vibe, but it’s more credited to injury than a lack of impressive play. If Burrow can stay upright, then the Bengals should have a good season. But the Bengals’ refusal to improve anything but their wide receiver room is confusing — but what do I know?
Passing and receiving props should be a big hit for this game. Expect a high-scoring affair with tons of exciting moments.
New Orleans Saints @ Detroit Lions
The New Orleans Saints were one of the pleasant surprises last season, especially near the end. The Lions, however, were quite the opposite. Both teams have question marks ahead of them this season, but they equally have an opportunity to turn around their recent reputation and become true playoff teams. Fingers crossed that injuries don’t plague these teams. Many have the Lions listed as the clear favorite in this matchup, but I’m not so quick to dismiss the Saints.
Scoring props will be a big magnet for this game. Names like Travis Etienne, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amona-Ra St. Brown, and Chris Olave could make this an exciting affair.
Buffalo Bills @ Houston Texans ⭐
Any game involving Josh Allen versus a great defense will have a gold star, but this is especially true with all the staffing changes the Bills made in the offseason. It leaves a lot of question marks, but Josh Allen and the addition of DJ Moore give this offense a new sense of life. On the flip side, the Texans defense has been arguably the best in the league. They also come in fully healthy with an improved running back room that features David Montgomery. So long as nobody tricks CJ Stroud into thinking this is a playoff game, it should be a very close matchup.
I like both player props and scoring margin for this game. There are a lot of great names on the field, and a high-powered Allen offense against a brick wall of a defense is a great way to start the season.
Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts ⭐
This is another matchup I can’t wait to watch. All eyes on the quarterbacks to see how they bounce back from injury-plagued seasons. When healthy, Lamar Jackson is an absolute force on the field. However, his recent injuries may limit his running ability, which is a huge factor in his style of play. Daniel Jones is also expected to be ready for week 1, and he had the Colts red hot during the first half of 2025.
Rushing props are the name of the game here. Lamar, Derrick Henry, and Jonathan Taylor should put on a show for us.
Cleveland Browns @ Jacksonville Jaguars
It would be difficult to find a franchise less exciting than the Cleveland Browns. I tried to think of one for this part of the post, but I couldn’t. However, this lack of excitement almost goes full circle and comes back around toward being exciting again. We have yet to see who will be under center, but we can expect it to be a disaster right out of the gate. The Jaguars get to open with what should be an easy win, but that almost adds extra pressure for a team that is trying to get back to the front of their division.
Prop bets for this game will likely focus more on the Jaguars and their offense, but it could be entertaining to check out passing props for the Browns shortly before kickoff.
Atlanta Falcons @ Pittsburgh Steelers
If you had to pick a week 1 matchup that embodied the NFL’s definition of mid teams, this is the dream right here. The Falcons come equipped with talent at almost every position minus quarterback. Meanwhile, the Steelers accidentally thought it was 2010 and decided to roll with the Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy combination this season. There are worse matchups than this during the opening week, but I don’t think there is much to learn from this game in regard to expectations for both teams this season.
I expect the best props will be around team performance. Bijan always carries excitement with him, but expect the Falcons to try and get the bulk of their payroll involved as well in Drake London and Kyle Pitts
New York Jets @ Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward is ready to go out and prove why he was the first overall pick a year ago. The Jets is a great place to start. However, let’s not forget the talent the Jets now have on the offensive side of their roster. Garrett Wilson, Breece Hall, Kenyon Sadiq, and Omar Cooper Jr make this offense much more intriguing this year.
There may not be many exciting props for this game, but I think there is the potential for an unexpected shootout resulting in a one-score game.
Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Chargers
The Arizona Cardinals’ journey for the first overall pick in 2027 starts here. Will they be trying to win? Maybe. Will the Chargers allow that? Also maybe — they somehow manage to miss expectations every season. Jokes aside, I think the Chargers new offensive scheme led by Mike McDaniel is going to be fun to watch this year. I expect this to be a double digit victory for the Chargers.
I am eating up player props for this game – especially on the rushing side. Omarion Hampton and Jeremiyah Love should make this fun to watch.
Miami Dolphins @ Las Vegas Raiders
If anyone can compete with the Cardinals for the first overall pick next year, it’s the Miami Dolphins. While the Raiders still sit in a tough position in a difficult division, they at least have more reasons to be optimistic going forward. The addition of a new young quarterback combined with the rising experience of Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty give some light at the end of the tunnel, but I still expect the learning curve to be fairly sharp for them this season.
Rushing props are the biggest magnet for this game. Devon Achane and Ashton Jeanty are two of the best in the business if they can find momentum behind otherwise under-performing offenses.
Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings
This matchup almost got one of my gold stars, but it’s hard to ignore the quarterback position for the Vikings. The Packers are also still recovering from some major injuries last season. I fully expect a tough game between these two division rivals, but I think the Packers have just enough to start out a step ahead of the Vikings.
All eyes on receiving props for this game. Justin Jefferson had a down year last season (just over 1,000 yards), but if anyone can overcome poor quarterback play, it’s him.
Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles ⭐
This should be a fun matchup. The return of Jayden Daniels against an Eagles team that has made some structural changes. The departure of AJ Brown may actually be helpful for the Eagles offense, but if Jayden Daniels comes out firing like he did in his rookie season, I think this matchup could be super exciting. It will be a great start for both teams who will actively be competing to win the NFC East this year. I’m leaning toward the experience the Eagles have on their roster, but don’t be surprised to see an upset here in week 1.
I am taking any and all prop bets for this game — passing, rushing, team props — you name it.
Dallas Cowboys @ New York Giants
The New York Giants have a lot of hype coming into this season. Loaded with a young, talented roster that is now led by John Harbaugh, many fans are actually expecting them to be competitive in this division. The Cowboys come equipped with a powerful offense once again – but will injuries (and Jerry Jones) hold them back once again?
Passing props all day for this game. I hope we get a shootout between Jaxson Dart and Dak Prescott that feeds families to start the lineup of Sunday night football games.
Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs ⭐
The fifth and final gold star easily goes to this matchup. The Broncos are coming off one of their most exciting seasons in franchise history that unfortunately ended with an underwhelming headline after losing Box Nix for the AFC championship game. Meanwhile, the Chiefs seem to expect Mahomes to be ready for this week 1 matchup on Monday night football. Can the Chiefs make a statement and begin to reclaim their division, or will the Broncos continue to pave the way led by a new playcaller and improved wide receiver room?
I like team props for this matchup. Total sacks, special teams scoring, and team point totals should all be a big hit for the finale of week 1.
