The long wait is over for Eagles and Ravens fans. On Saturday’s NFL preseason slate, Philadelphia and Baltimore fans will get their first taste of action in the 2026 season. There are camp battles to settle and new schemes to unlock all over the field.
Looking at the odds for the preseason matchup, the Eagles enter as 3.5-point favorites with -180 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Ravens are +150 to pull off the upset, with the game total set at 36.5 points.
Eagles at Ravens prediction, pick
Philadelphia has one of the most settled teams in the league going into the preseason. The offensive line is locked in, with Jalen Hurts under center and Saquon Barkley alongside him in the backfield. But there’s a lot to figure out in the pass-catching group. After A.J. Brown’s departure, DeVonta Smith is the top passing option, while Dallas Goedert will continue to see volume as the top tight end. After that, it’s a bit of a mystery.
GM Howie Roseman’s first two picks were spent on pass catchers: wide receiver Makai Lemon in the first round, and tight end Eli Stowers in the second round. Lemon is expected to have an inside track to starting at receiver, but will have to compete with Dontayvion Wicks for snaps on the outside; Wicks arrived from Green Bay via an offseason trade. Free agent signings Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore will be in the mix as well for depth snaps between that top trio. At tight end, Goedert is locked in as the top option, but the TE2 spot seems like an open contest between Stowers and Johnny Mundt.
Down the depth chart, there will be some consequential battles. The RB2 spot is expected to go to Tank Bigsby, but he won’t have the competition to himself; Will Shipley, Dameon Pierce, and Carson Steele will all get looks. The backup QB spot is also up in the air between veteran Andy Dalton and youngster Tanner McKee. The outside linebacker spots in their 4-3 defensive scheme also have some snaps to settle; Jonathan Greenard and Jalyx Hunt are the presumed starters, but Arnold Ebiketie and Nolan Smith will have some say before the dust is settled.
The Ravens have considerably more to settle. Funny enough, their pass catchers are in the same spot; Zay Flowers is the top dog at wide receiver, and Mark Andrews at tight end, but the rest is up for grabs. Rashod Bateman has the veteran edge at the second outside receiver spot, with Tez Walker figuring to get a real look. But the rookies may be unstoppable. Elijah Sarratt has made waves, but it’s third-round pick Ja’Kobi Lane who is drawing the real eyes. If he pops in preseason play, he could climb all the way up to No. 2 on the receiving depth chart.
Tight end should be a battle behind the aging Andrews. Durham Smythe is the projected backup after signing from Chicago, but Baltimore spent two mid-round picks on Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas. With Andrews’ best football behind him, the rookies in particular are worth a look.
The interior offensive line bears watching as well. After some big departures, including center Tyler Linderbaum, they replaced the entire IOL in the offseason. Free-agent signees John Simpson (LG) and Ethan Pocic (C) are presumed starters, as is first-round pick Vega Ioane at right guard. But others such as Danny Pinter, Andrew Vorhees, Jovaughn Gwyn, and rookie Evan Beerntsen are worth watching. For a team that runs so often with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, those IOL spots are significant.
Defensively, Baltimore is mostly set. Second-round rookie Zion Young and incumbent Tavius Robinson will compete for snaps at the outside linebacker spot opposite Trey Hendrickson. The cornerbacks have some doubts; Marlon Humphrey has seriously regressed, and Nate Wiggins got injured at the beginning of training camp, though it’s nothing season-ending. TJ Tampa Jr., Keyon Martin, and rookie Chandler Rivers should get some extended looks outside. New head coach Jesse Minter is a defensive-minded guy and will want to know who’s waiting in the wings if Wiggins’ injury troubles prove serious or Humphrey’s regression proves permanent.
Eagles at Ravens best bet
It’s tough to pick between the two teams, but ultimately, the edge for me is that Baltimore has a new coach in town. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni largely knows what his team is about; Ravens head coach Jesse Minter is new here. My gut tells me he’ll want to give some starters a bit more run as he fleshes out this roster. The Ravens will also be getting solid QB play from backup Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, giving them a high floor for a team that’s going to be playing a lot of backups. I like their value as home underdogs.
