In honor of last week's NFL Hall of Fame Game, the league's preseason begins in earnest this weekend, with two games on Thursday night and three more on Friday night, followed by a packed Saturday featuring a total of 18 teams.
Week 1 of the NFL preseason concludes on Sunday with the Broncos vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET) and the Cowboys vs. Rams (4:30 p.m. ET).
Best bets for Week 1 of the NFL preseason
Picking games during the preseason, especially Week 1, is always difficult as most teams only use their starters for one or two series (or none at all).
But when betting on all the games over the next few days, you should keep certain annual trends in mind, such as the Ravens' surprisingly consistent track record in recent years.
Another way to find tips on how to bet on NFL preseason games is to see what each team’s coaches are saying about whether their starters will play or not.
In Carolina, for example, first-year head coach Dave Canales said starting quarterback Bryce Young will not play in the preseason this season, and New England coach Jerrod Mayo said this week that “everyone who is healthy” will play in Thursday night's game against the Panthers and Patriots, including rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
Best NFL Preseason Bets for Thursday, August 8
Carolina Panthers vs. New England Patriots (7 p.m. ET, NFL Network)
Given the QB situations on these teams, it would be wise to favor New England in this matchup.
Not only will Young be without the Panthers, Carolina's top backup, Andy Dalton, is also reportedly injured, meaning undrafted rookie Jack Plummer will likely get most of the playing time for the Panthers on Thursday.
Regardless of whether Maye plays frequently, the Patriots also have veteran Jacoby Brissett available, and New England has a clear advantage under center in this matchup, making the Patriots the better team to cover at home.
Best bet for Panthers vs. Patriots: Patriots -6.5 (-108) DraftKings
Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants (7 p.m. ET)
We won't see much of either Detroit's Jared Goff or New York's Daniel Jones in the preseason opener between the Lions and Giants, which means the game could come down to a battle between Detroit's Nate Sudfeld and the Giants' Tommy DeVito-Drew Lock duo.
DeVito started six games for the Giants last year, leading them to a 3-3 record with wins over the Commanders, Patriots and the Commanders. Lock also started two games for Seattle last year and was a solid starter, leading the Seahawks to an upset win over Philadelphia on Monday Night Football in Week 14.
If these teams were to meet in the regular season, the Lions would be overwhelmingly favored, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them win at home on Thursday night.
Best bets on Lions vs Giants: Giants -3.5 (-110) available on FD, bet365
Best NFL Preseason Bets for Friday, August 9
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Baltimore Ravens (7:30 p.m. ET, NFL+)
If there's one NFL team that bettors have always trusted in preseason games, it's John Harbaugh's Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore had a 24-game preseason winning streak dating back to 2016 that was snapped last year. Still, even after going 1-2 in the 2023 preseason, they're still a reliable team until proven otherwise, going 4-0 in the 2016 and 2017 preseasons, 5-0 in 2018, 4-0 in 2019, 3-0 in 2021 and 3-0 in 2022.
The Ravens replaced backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, who joined the Browns this offseason after serving as Lamar Jackson's backup from 2020-2023, with 38-year-old Josh Johnson, so they'll have a new face leading their second-string offense, but they still figure to be a good bet on the money line at home on Friday night.
Eagles vs. Ravens Best Bet: Ravens Money Line (+105) DraftKings
Best NFL Preseason Bets for Saturday, August 10
Washington Commanders vs. New York Jets (12 p.m. ET, NFL+)
The Jets enter 2024 with a reliable backup quarterback in 34-year-old Tyrod Taylor after Zach Wilson, Trevor Simian and Tim Boyle struggled in place of Aaron Rodgers last year.
Besides Taylor, the Jets have former Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis as a long-term option, but he is currently unhealthy, so Taylor and undrafted rookie Ben Bryant will play for the Jets on Saturday.
The Commanders announced that No. 2 draft pick Jayden Daniels will start against the Jets' strong front seven on Saturday, with Marcus Mariota likely available after a series or two if Daniels is out.
There's a reason the Commanders are the favorites on the road and are worth keeping an eye on against the spread.
Best bets for Commanders vs Jets: Commanders -2.5 (-115) — FD, bet365
Best NFL Preseason Bets for Sunday, August 11
Dallas Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Rams (4:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network, NFL+)
With questions about the Rams' backup quarterback position and Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett vying to back up Matthew Stafford this season, it's understandable that LA is a big underdog at home in the preseason opener.
But things aren't looking good in Dallas. WR CeeDee Lamb, QB Dak Prescott and pass rusher Micah Parsons are all in contract disputes. Led by one of the league's best coaches, Sean McVay, the Rams are more than four-point underdogs at home, but it's worth noting.
Best bets for Cowboys vs Rams: Rams +4.5 (-115) FanDuel
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