NFL Picks & Predictions | NFL Best Bets for Week 1

The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions open the 2023 NFL season Thursday, Sept. 7. (Photo by Anntaninna Biondo/Detroit Free Press/USA TODAY Network)

Week 1 NFL Picks & Predictions

To kick off the season, we have already posted NFL picks predictions for every Week 1 game as well as our best NFL bets against the spread. Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season will be upon us soon enough, and NFL betting apps posted odds shortly after the schedule was announced. Let's get an early look at NFL picks for that slate of games and how sports bettors can use them to make more profitable wagers.

Since the spread, moneyline and over/under are generally the most popular NFL picks on the board when it comes to NFL odds, we've put together a list of these odds types and picks for every Week 1 NFL matchup to assist you in making your NFL weekly picks as well.

Expert NFL Predictions

• Lions at Chiefs: Getting to be in the prime-time season opener is new territory for the Lions, but it also pretty much assures Detroit will start the 2023 campaign 0-1.
• Panthers at Falcons: Bijan Robinson will begin his case for Offensive Rookie of the Year with a big day versus a subpar Carolina rush defense, so Atlanta is the selection.
• Texans at Ravens: This game is one of the most lopsided NFL picks in Week 1, as Houston has no place to go but up after last year, but they will be overmatched in a road contest against the Ravens.
• Bengals at Browns: Joe Burrow got his first win against Cleveland last year, and even though the Browns are improved, the Bengals still are the team to pick here.
• Jaguars at Colts: Gardner Minshew hosts his former team in this matchup, but his skills can't equal Trevor Lawrence & Co., so take the Jaguars.
• Buccaneers at Vikings: Minnesota isn't expected to repeat as NFC North champion, but a Week 1 battle against a depleted Tampa Bay team should result in a Vikings victory.
• Titans at Saints: Adding Derek Carr could make New Orleans the most improved team in the league and that ought to lead to an opening week win for the Saints.
• 49ers at Steelers: Mike Tomlin has Pittsburgh headed in the right direction, but the Steelers just aren't likely to hold up against an elite 49ers squad.
• Cardinals at Commanders: Add the Cardinals offseason issues to a 1 p.m. ET kickoff, and it's enough to land this in Washington's column.
• Packers at Bears: These teams are trending in opposite directions, which means that Chicago's eight-game losing streak to Green Bay is apt to come to an end.
• Eagles at Patriots: The Patriots offense may be more improved in 2023 due to a step up in coaching, but it won't be enough to keep up with the powerhouse Eagles offense.
• Raiders at Broncos: The Sean Payton/Russell Wilson combination will get out to a strong start in a home matchup against Denver's archrivals.
• Dolphins at Chargers: This is one of the toughest NFL Week 1 predictions, as these teams are very close talent-wise, so go with the home-field tiebreaking edge and pick Los Angeles.
• Rams at Seahawks: The Rams have started a youth movement that will pay dividends in the long term, but in the short term Seattle is the better play.
• Cowboys at Giants: Dallas has won 11 of the past 12 against the Giants and there is little reason to think this game will alter that trend.
• Bills at Jets: The Jets won the home matchup against Buffalo last year and have since added Aaron Rodgers, so this trends toward another New York win.

NFL Best Bets for Week 1

Detroit at Kansas City (-7): The NFL rewarded the Lions' late-season success by giving them the most challenging Week 1 matchup on the board. Kansas City's overwhelming talent edge gives the Chiefs many paths to victory, and the vast majority of those are by more than a touchdown. Take the Chiefs minus the points.

Houston at Baltimore (-9.5): The Texans may have landed their franchise QB in the NFL Draft, but whoever is under center for Houston will be facing a brutal Ravens defense. Add to that the improvements to the Ravens passing game and that it is a home game for Baltimore, and this is one of the most favorable NFL picks against the spread for Week 1. Bank on a double-digit point win for Baltimore.

Tampa Bay at Minnesota (-6.5): Tom Brady kept the Buccaneers 2022 season from falling apart, but Baker Mayfield can't mimic Brady's ability in that area. Combine that with the game being in Minnesota and the Vikings being fired up to prove the NFL experts wrong about who should be the favorite in the NFC North, and Minnesota should roll to victory by seven or more points.

Tom Brady is no longer around to rescue the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who face Minnesota in their 2023 season opener. (Photo by Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

Best NFL Bets

NFL picks can include many different types of wagers, with the three primary types being spread, moneyline and over/under. These are far from the only types of wagers you can make, as there are also NFL season predictions that you can bet on, also known as NFL futures.

These are the most common markets you will see when looking to bet on the NFL online.

NFL Moneylines

Moneylines are the NFL betting lines that have become the go-to wager type for NFL picks and parlays, as they comprise the bulk of NFL expert picks and are the most popular bet types among sports bettors. Simplicity is a main reason for this popularity: you just need to pick the outright winner. This makes it easier for bettors to make NFL game picks.

Spreads

The king of NFL betting picks is the point spread, as making NFL picks against the spread is one of the most challenging yet rewarding wager types. In this bet type, you are wagering on the margin of victory. For example, if the Chiefs are favored by seven points, the odds will be designated as Chiefs (-7). In that case, a bet on Kansas City requires that the Chiefs win by at least eight points for your wager to be successful.

Over/Under

Many sports bettors enjoy over/under wagers because they don't require you to pull for a team. Instead, you are wagering that the total points in this game will go over or under a set amount. For instance, if the over/under is 45 points and you bet the over, the combined point total needs to be at least 46 points for your wager to win.

Player Props

Player prop wagers are bets on if a player will reach a particular achievement within a game, such as will a quarterback pass for more than 250 yards or a running back rush for more than 80.5 yards. First touchdown scorer and anytime touchdown scorer are two of the most popular player props to wager in a game and are often part of NFL parlay picks.

Game Props

Game prop bets are when you wager on specific outcomes within a game but not necessarily tied to the outcome of the game. Examples of this include which team will score first or if there will be a safety in the contest. The atypical nature of these bet types is what makes them entertaining.

Parlays

A parlay wager is combining two or more wagers into a single bet. They can be bets from different games - such as backing the Bears, Packers and Vikings to all win - or a same-game parlay (many operators now allow you to build your own same-game parlay). For instance, you could bet on a team to cover the point spread in a game, the QB to pass for more than 300 yards and for a specific player to score a touchdown. You only win if every bet in a parlay is successful, which lowers the likelihood of success, but parlays also generally have the highest payouts.

Futures

Futures are NFL picks for future achievements, such as on Super Bowl odds. These include if a team will win a division title, conference championship or Super Bowl 58. Because this wager type often ties into team success, it's a popular pick for fans wanting to combine their fandom and betting prospects into one.

Where to Make NFL Picks

1. BetMGM

The BetMGM bonus code USATODAY gives new customers a first-bet offer up to $1,000. This will refund an opening wager loss with bonus bets of equal value. BetMGM is a great place for NFL parlay picks, as it has an Easy Parlay feature that lives up to its name.