The NFL season is set to begin on Thursday. Yes, we’ve finally made it to September. It’s literally football season.
I’ve added a couple of early best bets that you’ll want to consider before the lines move by Sunday. Let’s get after it with our top NFL Week 1 picks.
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Best Early NFL Week 1 Picks & Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks will begin their season with a home game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Seattle has won each of its last six September home games as an underdog. In addition, Seattle brought in Sam Darnold at quarterback and Cooper Kupp at wide receiver. Those are two veterans who can make a real impact for Seattle this season.
Beyond that, the offensive line looks to be improved, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba has the potential to be a top wide receiver in the NFL this season. He broke out last year and is likely to outperform last season’s numbers.
On the other hand, the 49ers are pretty weak at wide receiver. Jauan Jennings is hurt, leaving the 49ers with Ricky Pearsall, Russell Gage Jr., Marquez Valdez-Scantling and Robbie Choosen. Brock Purdy will likely look to utilize George Kittle as much as possible, along with Christian McCaffrey.
That said, Seattle has improved its defense, and Mike Macdonald has already tricked the 49ers with his defensive schemes in the past. Therefore, I love the thought of backing the home underdog in this one.
Pick: Seahawks Moneyline (+115)
Carolina Panthers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Carolina Panthers have lost nine consecutive games in the state of Florida. In addition, Carolina left tackle Ikem Ekwonu could miss Week 1 due to appendectomy surgery. Ultimately, Jacksonville has some lethal pass-rushers who can get to the quarterback. If Carolina doesn’t have its key starters on the offensive line, that won’t be ideal.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville drafted Travis Hunter with their first-round selection. Hunter is expected to play both sides of the ball. While it’ll eventually take a toll on him, it’s unlikely to be a major factor early on in the season. They have multiple running backs whom they trust and a legitimate passing game, with Brian Thomas Jr. heading into his second season with the club.
Carolina clearly lacks depth. Just look at the preseason scorers. This is the year where Trevor Lawrence and Bryce Young are expected to take a step forward. Both were given elite rookie wide receivers, but Lawrence certainly has a better matchup on paper.
With the Jaguars at home, it’s hard to look away from Jacksonville, knowing the changes they’ve made heading into the season. Let’s take the Jaguars -2.5 to close out Sunday’s early picks. Make sure you get that -2.5 number. It’s crucial.
Pick: Jaguars -2.5 (-125)
