The 2026 National Football League (NFL) Week 1 schedule rolls on Thursday night with the first-ever regular season game in Australia. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria. Kickoff is slated for 8:35 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed/streamed on Netflix. Let’s build our bankroll with our best pro football picks & predictions for Week 1.
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Best NFL Thursday Night Picks & Predictions: 49ers vs. Rams
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit
San Francisco 49ers (+176) at Los Angeles Rams (-210) | O/U 48.5 (-105/-115)
The 49ers and Rams travel Down Under for this Week 1 battle, and we have a ton of storylines.
First off, this is the debut for defensive end Myles Garrett, after he was acquired from the Cleveland Browns for defensive end Jared Verse and a host of draft picks. The 2-time defensive player of the year and 7-time Pro Bowler recorded 23 sacks in 2025, an NFL record. He has six consecutive seasons with at least 12 sacks, too, while he already ranks 20th all-time on the NFL sacks list with 125.5.
Wide receiver Puka Nacua is also expected to play. He has not only been battling an off-the-field distraction, and it appears he’ll avoid disciplinary action from the NFL, for now, but he also has shaken off a groin injury to be available for Thursday’s game.
In addition, 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel is back after a subpar showing with the Washington Commanders. He is comfortable in the San Francisco offense, and he looks to get back on track. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is also in the fold, making his team debut. The 6-time Pro Bowl receiver is 33 years old, having just celebrated his birthday on Aug. 21, but he still has plenty left in the tank. Additionally, rookie WR De’Zhaun Stribling is likely to work plenty in the slot for the Niners in his team debut.
Oh, and there is 49ers tight end George Kittle returning from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during the playoffs last season. It’s a miraculous comeback, and we’ll have to watch him closely. Defensive end Joey Bosa is making his way back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 3, and that’s a rather quick turnaround time, too. In addition, running back Christian McCaffrey looks to hit the ground running after being limited due to a general tightness during the preseason.
The Rams are considered the favorites to win the Super Bowl, so they’re looking to get off to a big start. Los Angeles has won four of the past five meetings in this series since Jan. 7, 2024, while the Rams have covered five of the past six meetings, and the Over is 6-1 in the past seven in the series.
However, while this game won’t necessarily be a defensive slog like we saw in Seattle on Wednesday night, as the Seahawks topped the New England Patriots 13-10, it won’t be a high-scoring affair, either. We’re going to go low on the total for our best bet.
In addition, let’s take the 49ers catching the points as the underdog, going against the series trends. With CMC, a healthy Kittle and a defense that is just as solid as the Rams, and perhaps a bit overshadowed and feeling disrespected in the NFC West, the Niners are worth playing with three and a hook.
Picks: 49ers +3.5 (-102) & Under 48.5 Points (-105)
Joe Williams is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Joe, check out his archive and follow him @winwithjoe