NFL Wild Card Predictions: Best Bets & Super Bowl Picks (2026)
For NFL Wild Card Weekend and an early look at Super Bowl futures, we turned to BettingPros experts who have consistently beaten the market this season. Below, you'll find their top picks, sharp angles, and long-term predictions designed to help you navigate the chaos of playoff football with confidence.
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NFL Wild Card Round: Favorite Bets & Super Bowl Picks
What is your favorite Game Pick or Prop Bet for the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs?
Houston Texans -3 (-102)
“I love, love, love the Texans -3 in Pittsburgh. Simply put, I don’t think the Steelers are a very good team. I particularly don’t think they can move the ball against what I think is the best defense in the sport. Mike Tomlin has gone nearly a decade since winning a playoff game, and I don’t think that slump ends this week. Houston has the better QB (at this stage of their careers), better WR room, better coach in my opinion, and better defense top to bottom. I think they win, and they win going away.”
– Ryan Wormeli (FantasyPros)
Los Angeles Rams -10 (-114)
“I am not going to overthink myself into the Carolina Panthers. They bookended their season with losses in the first and last two weeks, miraculously backing their way into a division title. The LA Rams stumbled to the finish line, and Matthew Stafford likely misses out on the MVP, but I still like them to cover -10 (-114). They’ve been to the top of the mountain, and Sean McVay will have them ready. Carolina might be a fun pick, but I expect them to get trounced by double digits.”
– Tyler Conium (FantasyPros)
Saquon Barkley OVER 79.5 Rushing Yards (-114)
“Saquon Barkley over 79.5 rushing yards is my favorite bet of the Wild Card round. Barkley should continue to see a heavy workload, and the 49ers' run defense has been in shambles. It's a perfect marriage of usage and matchup for Barkley. Per Fantasy Points Data, since Week 13, the 49ers have allowed the fourth-highest explosive run rate, the 12th-highest rushing success rate, and the highest missed tackle rate. Barkley has eclipsed this rushing mark in two of his last four games.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Buffalo Bills Moneyline (-112)
“Buffalo can win an arms race. Jacksonville’s defense is not strong enough to hold back the Bills. I expect Cook and Allen to keep Buffalo in the game.”
– David Buckley (OTAAT Fantasy)
Philadelphia Eagles -4.5 (-110)
“My Hard Rock Best Bet of Wildcard Weekend: Eagles -4.5 versus the 49ers. Jalen Hurts is 5-0 SU in the playoffs at home (4-1 ATS). Average margin of victory: 21 points; lowest margin of victory: six points. OT Lane Johnson is back to provide a much-needed boost to the Eagles’ offense. Philly’s defense is a top-notch unit and well-rested after taking Week 18 off. Meanwhile, the 49ers are dealing with more injuries, highlighted by OT Trent Williams. The Eagles should win this game by a touchdown plus against the reeling Niners. Since 2023, no team has had a worse ATS record than the 49ers as road underdogs (1-5 ATS, 16.7%).”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Texans/Steelers UNDER 38.5 (-110)
“This game is going to be an absolute rock fight. It’s hard to imagine how the Pittsburgh offense will score more than 10 points against the Houston defense, which is probably the best in the NFL. The return of DK Metcalf from suspension probably isn’t going to help much when Aaron Rodgers is likely to be under duress from Texans edge rushers Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter all game. And I don't know how well Houston will move the ball against Pittsburgh. The Texans won’t be able to run on the Steelers. This one feels like a 14-10 type of game.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
What is your favorite Super Bowl Futures Bet heading into the Wild Card Round of the NFL Playoffs?
Denver Broncos (+650)
“With no obvious favorite, I’m tempted to go in a few directions here. But ultimately, I think my favorite Super Bowl futures bet is Denver +650. If you look at the quarterbacks and head coaches in the AFC playoff picture, the only names who have won a Super Bowl before are Sean Payton, Aaron Rodgers, and Mike Tomlin. And as discussed in my favorite game pick, I don’t think the Steelers are any good, which just leaves Payton. One of the three best defenses in football, a head coach who’s done it before facing a field of newcomers, and a bye week to rest up? And oh, by the way, as a Denver resident, I can confirm that playing here in January is brutal. It’s a real homefield advantage for the Broncos, who have every piece except a proven QB. But in this particular playoff field, they might not need one.”
– Ryan Wormeli (FantasyPros)
“The Denver Broncos are at +650 to win the Super Bowl. The Broncos are the No. 1 seed and have a first-round bye. They are my pick from the AFC to make the final table, made easier by the bye to open the playoffs. The Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL and a hot-and-cold offense that could catch fire at the right time. If Bo Nix and company can look like the best version of themselves in the postseason, they could easily be the most complete team in the playoffs.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Houston Texans (+1300)
“The Houston Texans have quietly been the most underrated team all season long. Their win total was set at 9.5, and when they stumbled out of the gate, starting 0-3, and CJ Stroud was concussed, things looked bleak. All they did after that was go 12-2, riding a nine-game winning streak into the playoffs. There are question marks around their offensive line, but they have the weapons, and their defense is elite. Sitting with only the 7th best odds, I’ll take them all day long at +1300 to win the Super Bowl.”
– Tyler Conium (FantasyPros)
San Francisco 49ers (+3000)
“San Fran to win the Super Bowl. They have been knocking on the door for a few years now, and the window is closing. They are not 100% healthy, but are very strong on both ends of the ball. The boogyman (Chiefs) is out, and the Eagles don’t look like the team from last year. If San Fran were to ever win, it would be this year.”
– David Buckley (OTAAT Fantasy)
Philadelphia Eagles (+950)
“Before the start of the NFL season, the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles were listed with the shortest odds to repeat (+700). Three of the other five teams with the shortest preseason SB odds missed the playoffs, with Buffalo making the postseason as a wildcard team. Needless to say, +950 for a team that could host two playoff games before the Big Game? The defense is top-tier, and getting Lane Johnson back healthy could get this offense back on track. This roster is littered with playoff experience. Nobody is talking about the reigning champs even after they won it all last year without a bye week.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
Jacksonville Jaguars to Win the AFC (+550)
“Jaguars are +550 to reach the Super Bowl. The Jaguars are on an eight-game winning streak and have been the AFC's best team over the second half of the season. Their last loss was a game they flat-out blew against the Texans in the fourth quarter, way back in early November. Trevor Lawrence has been terrific. Liam Coen is the best playcaller on the AFC side of the bracket. The defense has been sneaky-good. The Jags do get a tough draw against the Bills this weekend, although I do think the Bills are being slightly overvalued. I just love the price here on a really good team, when all the AFC contenders are flawed (and probably more flawed than the Jaguars).”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)