The 2025 NFL schedule was released in its entirety on Wednesday, May 14, and DraftKings Sportsbook is live with spreads, totals and moneylines for every single game. While Week 1 doesn’t kickoff for over three months, it’s always worth examining if there are any bets worth getting on early. These three games jumped out to me as potential value, not just based on the matchups, but anticipating worse numbers as the summer progresses and we approach the games being played on the field.
Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Sunday, September 7 (1:00pm ET)
After a very rough start to the 2024 season, Bryce Young and the Panthers got things on track in the second half of the schedule. From Week 9 on, Carolina went 4-5, but ripped off a solid 7-2 ATS finish that included narrow losses to the Chiefs, Buccaneers and Eagles in consecutive weeks. The Panthers have made moves to improve on both sides of the ball and build upon some of that momentum. Will it lead to them making the jump to the playoffs? Probably not. But when catching points against an unproven commodity like the Jaguars, who now have a rookie head coach that’ll be running the sidelines for the first time in his career, there could be some value.
After defeating the Patriots in an international game in Week 7, Jacksonville finished up the regular season going just 2-8. Both of those wins came by just one possession over the Titans, who landed the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. We’ll see what the Jags can build on with Trevor Lawrence and Travis Hunter, but that chemistry is going to take time. Interestingly enough, Jacksonville has stated it plans to use Hunter primarily on offense, rather than in the secondary. The Jags ranked dead last in 2024 in passing yards allowed, and were in the bottom third of the league in rush defense. Getting more than a field goal with the Panthers feels strong, and that’s where 65% of the bets for 95% of the money has gone on DraftKings Sportsbook in the first 24 hours the game has been on the board.
The Pick: CAR Panthers +3.5 (-115)
Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos
Sunday, September 7 (4:05pm ET)
Along with the Commanders laying 7.5 at home to the Giants, the Broncos are the biggest favorite on the board in Week 1. Denver will be a very popular play in teasers, moneyline parlays and survivor leagues, which if you’ve followed over recent seasons makes this a scary spot. But this is a very difficult game to ask the Titans to start the Cam Ward era. Tennessee went just 3-14 last season, and now have to work in a rookie quarterback in his first career start in one of the toughest road atmospheres in the NFL.
After dropping their first two games of 2024, the Broncos finished the regular season 10-5, with all five losses coming as underdogs. Denver went an absurd 8-0 SU/ATS as a favorite last season, winning each of those games by at least nine points. With a veteran head coach, a solid defense, a developing offense and home field against a QB in his NFL debut, the advantages for the Broncos are overwhelming.
The Pick: DEN Broncos -7.5 (-115)
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
Monday, September 8 (8:15pm ET)
The Bears have done a good job of adding offensive weapons around Caleb Williams, and hiring a head coach in Ben Johnson to put all those pieces in the right spot. That said, it’s not realistic to expect everything to click right away. As terrific as Johnson was as a coordinator in Detroit, he has to make it work with a new roster as a first time head coach, with plenty of issues to address of the defensive side of the ball.
Sure, the Vikings were exposed late in the season and postseason, but this was still a very good team in 2024. If J.J. McCarthy can just step in as a serviceable quarterback, Minnesota is likely being undervalued heading into 2025. The Vikings won both regular season matchups in 2024, and return a ton of that talent outside of the QB position. While only 36% of the bets in the early going on DraftKings Sportsbook are taking the points with the Vikings, 84% of the money has landed on Minnesota. We may wind up seeing this one flip favorites at some point leading up to the season.
