Indeed, it is good that the NFL preseason has been reduced to three games. Regardless, the first week of preseason football is the most challenging handicap. The cause of the inability of fans and gamblers to have reliable lineup information. Teams often play rookies and/or inexperienced second or third-string players and free agents. Thus, the NFL betting odds lineups have no resemblance to what will be seen in the regular season. For playoff-contending teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, the main goal of the preseason is to escape without serious injuries to key players.
NFL Preseason Week 1
Thursday, August 7
- Indianapolis at Baltimore, 7/6c, NFL Network
- Cincinnati at Philadelphia, 7:30/6:30c
- Las Vegas at Seattle, 10/9c, NFL Network
Friday, August 8
- Detroit at Atlanta, 7/6c
- Cleveland at Carolina, 7/6c, NFL Network
- Washington at New England, 7:30/6:30c
Saturday, August 9
- New York Giants at Buffalo, 1/noon c, NFL Network
- Houston at Minnesota, 4/3c, NFL Network
- Pittsburgh at Jacksonville, 7/6c
- Dallas at Los Angeles Rams, 7/6c
- Tennessee at Tampa Bay, 7:30/6:30c
- Kansas City at Arizona, 8/7c
- New York Jets at Green Bay, 8/7c, NFL Network
- Denver at San Francisco, 8:30/7:30c
Sunday, August 10
- Miami at Chicago, 1/noon c, NFL Network
- New Orleans at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05/3:05c, NFL Network
On the other hand, perennial losers or teams with new quarterbacks will invest more in the preseason. Many online betting sharps love the preseason thanks to in-game live betting. Wise Guys will track the lineups on a play-by-play basis, looking for an advantage to leap into action immediately.
The NFL preseason has a direct relation to the NFL Draft. And with that in mind, there will be some top talent to track in the preseason games as new players get acclimated to the NFL. In particular, Cam Ward, who went first overall in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Tennessee Titans, will get plenty of attention. So too will Travis Hunter, the two-way superstar and Heisman Trophy winner from Colorado. And there will be no escaping the Shedeur Sanders circus in Cleveland.
If there is a team that needs new Pro football betting odds blood, it is the Tennessee Titans. With the pitiful Will Levis flaming out fast, the Titans were shopping for a quarterback. First overall in the 2025 NFL Draft was Cam Ward out of Miami-FL. Ward will be seen as the quarterback of the future for Tennessee. The question is if the future is now, later, or never. Certainly, Ward will be given every opportunity to win the starting job for Tennessee.
In like manner to Steve “Air” McNair, Ward is a gunslinger with the confidence and moxie to lead a franchise. Those traits brought out the best in his teammates and elevated his team at Miami. Now, gamblers and fans see him doing the same in Tennessee under Brian Callahan’s tutelage. Ward gives the Titans a chance to close the playoff gap in the AFC.
Certainly, it made sense for the Jacksonville Jaguars to draft the best player available. Hence, they took Travis Hunter. Some would argue that Abdul Carter was more valuable, but there’s a Carter in many drafts.
On the whole, there has never been a player like Hunter who can be elite at two positions. However, trading a 2026 first-round pick to move up three spots for a non-quarterback makes little sense to some. Still, gamblers are not surprised that a Browns general manager bullied a new Jaguars general manager into a poor trade. Despite that, Hunter will likely be great.