It’s funny to call the Hall of Fame Game an appetizer to the main course, because the preseason in and of itself is an appetizer to the NFL regular season, but maybe last week’s 33-30 Panthers win over the Cardinals was the complimentary bread before the appetizer? A mint?
Either way, we’re getting our first full week of “real” football in a long time and the good people at the DraftKings Sportsbook have you covered with lines and props for every matchup in Week 1 of the preseason. All 16 games.
Here’s a first look at the odds.
Opening Odds for NFL Preseason Week 1
Thursday, August 13
The thing that stands out on Thursday is obviously the tilt between the Lions and the Bengals. It’s exceedingly rare to see a spread for a preseason football game get higher than two or three points — that’s the nature of an exhibition contest with unclear stakes — but there’s a pretty good reason for Cincinnati being a seven-point favorite against Detroit. Dan Campbell cares not for this time of year. In his first five seasons as the Lions head coach, Campbell has been steadfast in barely playing his offensive and defensive starters, and it doesn’t appear that trend will change in 2026.
With that said, Detroit is 5-4 in the preseason since 2023. Starters matter, but it’s not like they’d be seeing the field all that much, anyway. Also, if we’re analyzing coaches’ preseason success patterns, Zac Taylor is 4-14 in his time as Bengals’ head coach. I might suggest taking the points in this one.
Friday, August 14
There’s another large spread on Friday in Atlanta, with the Broncos favored by 5.5 points on the road.
I would assume this line has to do with the health — or lack thereof — of both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa. Penix Jr. has yet to be fully cleared from his Torn ACL, and as recently speculated by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, he might not be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, let alone the preseason. That said, new head coach Kevin Stefanski did say earlier in training camp that he was most likely to player his starters in Week 1 and Week 3 of the preseason. So that’s something to keep in mind.
Saturday, August 15
Afternoon NFL football on a Saturday doesn’t feel quite right, but the nightcap on August 15 will see the reigning Super Bowl Champions play in front of their home crowd in Seattle for the first time since the NFC Championship Game. So that’s fun. The Seahawks are 3.5-point favorites against the Cowboys in Week 1 of the preseason, but remember, this is the same squad that literally tied a preseason game with the Raiders in 2025. This stuff can get really, really weird.
