Football is only a few months away, and regular season schedule release day is a checkpoint toward the glorious Sunday watch parties with friends and families. Week 1 is unique in that the season kicks off with a Wednesday night Super Bowl rematch.
Sunday, however, features a typical full slate. The Bears and Panthers will be one of the eight 1 p.m. ET games. Opening odds for this matchup are live, and it’s never too early to take a look.
Here are the opening odds of Bears vs. Panthers on DraftKings Sportsbook for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL regular season.
Opening odds for Bears vs. Panthers on DraftKings Sportsbook
The Bears open as 2.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Panthers are +114 underdogs, with the total set at 44.5.
This is a major season for Chicago, following a surprising NFC North title in 2025. Of the Packers, Vikings and Lions, the Bears were the only team with double-digit wins (11-6) in the division. It was an impressive run that included a Wild Card victory over Green Bay. Caleb Williams looks like the real deal, but this season will be a test to prove whether 2025 was a fluke.
The Panthers also shockingly won their division, owning the three-way tiebreaker between the Buccaneers and Falcons in the NFC South. Carolina took a home run swing when it traded up to draft Bryce Young in 2023. His first two seasons were shaky, casting doubt whether the franchise made the right decision. His 2025 campaign provided some hope, but like Williams, this upcoming season is a chance to prove he should be the Panthers’ quarterback of the future.
