For the three games on Friday, here are three NFL preseason predictions. Week 3 of the preseason resumes with the Jaguars vs Falcons and Dolphins vs Buccaneers scheduled to start early in the evening. The first two games are scheduled to kick off at 7 PM ET. Then we move on to the weekend's 49ers vs Raiders game, which is scheduled to close out the night at 10 PM ET on NFL Network.
Let's take a look at the totals and spreads our experts are betting on Friday.
NFL Preseason Picks for Friday, August 23rd
Sam Farley's best bets for Jaguars vs. Falcons: Jacksonville first half spread
Sam Farley
As the Jaguars and Falcons head into their final preseason game, some news comes in that completely upends the market, and that's the main reason behind this bet: the Jaguars intend to use their starters early on Friday against the Falcons, while the Falcons are expected to bench their starters.
It's unclear how long Trevor Lawrence and his teammates will be able to play, but Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said it's likely “two quarters, depending on how the game plays out,” and added that the team is treating this like a regular-season game.
The Jaguars are 2-0 so far in the preseason, while the Falcons are 0-2, and with the visiting team's starter set to play the first half, your only bet is on the Jaguars to cover the spread in the first half.
Pick: Jaguars 1H -4.5 (-105)
Ricky Henn's best bets on Dolphins vs Buccaneers: Decreasing the over/under trend
Ricky Henne
The under has been a money tree so far in the preseason, so why would I bet on the over with the highest total this week? No need to rush. I'm going to bet on the over with the sharp guys on this one.
This game doesn't have quite the same feel as most of the awful matchups we'll encounter this week, instead it tends to feature first-team offensive players.
Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles told reporters he's excited to see how new offensive coordinator Liam Cohen matches up with Baker Mayfield and the first-team offensive line in practice, and in Miami, head coach Mike McDaniel said he's also leaning toward having his first-line players on the field.
We also won't see the typical heartbreaking quarterback play from practice squad players that often accompanies the final preseason game — such as the fierce competition between Skylar Thompson and Mike White for the backup role to Tua Tagovailoa — but I'm optimistic that Miami will have a (somewhat) competitive offense on the field for the full 60 minutes.
Still, it might be best to wait as close to kickoff as possible before placing your bets. That's how I do my preseason, so I'm just getting a taste. If word comes in that either team is giving their starters few opportunities, I'll definitely sit out this match.
John Lanfranca's best bets on 49ers vs Raiders: SF scores too many points
John Lanfranca
The lines for this game were shaken up with the news that the Raiders' starting offense will not be playing, but Kyle Shanahan will likely use this game as a dress rehearsal for his starters. I simply don't expect to see Brock Purdy for long, and without a full cast of characters surrounding him, I'm not sure he'll lead his team to early runs.
Purdy played briefly last Sunday but only completed six passes for 11 yards, which was largely due to the turmoil the Niners are in up front. San Francisco is severely thin on the offensive line, and it raises the question of how long Shanahan will be willing to risk the health of the rest of his starters.
The 49ers defense is dead last in Pro Football Focus' tackle rating this preseason but led the league in missed tackles through two games. It would make sense to give the defenders on the brink of making the team more practice time before making a final decision on where they'll be lower on the roster.
Finally, Nathan Peterman and Carter Bradley are battling for the Raiders' third-string quarterback spot. Peterman has six years of NFL experience and had a solid preseason showing with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. He's looking to solidify his roster spot and should do enough to help the Raiders hang on in this one.
Pick: Raiders +7.5 (-110)
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About the Author
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