NFL ATS Best Bets Week 1

NFL ATS Best Bets Week 1

Steelers Surprise, Chargers Get Revenge, Niners Flop

Who will win in Week 1 of the NFL season? Which home favorites are the best bets for NFL picks against the spread? Which underdogs can pull off the upset?

These are some of the questions that are going to be tackled in this space each week as we rundown through the slate of games and spot the best bets in NFL betting markets.

Read on for our game preview and quick-fire NFL predictions below, which include the latest stats, injury reports, and NFL odds and are capped off with choice NFL picks for your consideration.

NFL Week 1 ATS Predictions & Picks

New Orleans Saints vs Atlanta Falcons (+6)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

The top two 2015 draft picks — Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota — meet again. Winston and the Saints looked good in preseason. Mariota did his bit to earn the starting job. The Saints have dominated this rivalry, but Mariota and the Falcons have more to prove and that could lead to an upset by the Falcons at home – both against the spread (ATS) and/or straight up (SU).

Pick: Falcons +6 (-120)

San Francisco 49ers vs Chicago Bears (+7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

With all the focus on the young quarterbacks in this game, this is going to be a fascinating contest. It’s no secret that the Niners are the better team, but this game marks the official beginning of the Trey Lance era. Is the kid ready? Maybe, he is. Still, with the Niners laying a touchdown on the road, there’s the chance for a backdoor cover or a surprise in this game.

Pick: Bears +7 (-115)

Pittsburgh Steelers (+7) vs Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Defending AFC Champs Bengals will feel the pressure to give home fans something to cheer about. Add to that the formidable Steelers defense, head coach Mike Tomlin’s genius, and the solid one-two QB punch of Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett, and this game could be a lot closer than the NFL odds would have it.

Pick: Steelers +7 (-110)

On this day in #Saints history (9/9/2019), the Saints defeat the Texans when Will Lutz knocks home a 58 yard field goal as time expires on Monday Night Football! #WhoDat #WhoDatNation pic.twitter.com/NvzikfJGbq

— New Orleans Saints History (@SaintsHistory) September 10, 2022

Philadelphia Eagles vs Detroit Lions
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Teams that were overly-hyped up for different reasons go head-to-head in Week 1. The Eagles are the vogue NFL pick in many circles and a potential contender according to the bookies. The Lions had the Hard Knocks crew filming their every move in the offseason. Who’s going to blink?

Pick: Lions + 4½ (Ev)

New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Finally, we’re going to see whether the Dolphins hype is real. Belichick’s Patriots have struggled against the Miami heat in the past, so Belichick has brought his side to Miami a few days earlier to acclimatize to the weather. The Patriots want this win badly.

Pick: Patriots +3 ½ (-110)

Cleveland Browns vs Carolina Panthers
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The Baker Mayfield revenge tour begins with a date against his former team, the Cleveland Browns. Even without Deshaun Watson calling the shots, bookies are reluctant to send the Browns into this game as the underdogs. The current line is a pick’em. Mayfield needs this win otherwise his days as a starter would almost certainly be numbered.

Picks: Panthers PK (-110)

Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX

As the NFL lines and odds would suggest, this is a tough game to call for various reasons. The Packers’ offense is a mystery and the Vikings are an unknown entity as yet under new head coach Kevin O’Connell. Chalking it to the proven NFC North champions makes sense, but divisional rivalries can be tricky.

Picks: Packers pick-em (-115)

Kansas City Chiefs vs Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

Patrick Mahomes will begin his first season without Tyreek Hill and Kyler Murray starts his campaign without the suspended DeAndre Hopkins. Despite the absence of two of the game’s best playmakers, this should be a stellar Week 1 tilt between potential contenders. The Chiefs should win, but the Cardinals should cover as the big home underdogs.

Pick: Cardinals 6½ (-115)

Once a Coach, now the competition.

This Sunday, @PatrickMahomes faces off with former TTU coach, Kliff Kingsbury, in AZ 📝

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 9, 2022

Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX

This is the game Justin Herbert and the Chargers had circled since the NFL schedule release. The Raiders crushed the Chargers’ playoff hopes in Week 18 last season. The Chargers will return the favor in their season home opener, doing it more convincingly than the NFL odds would suggest.

Pick: Chargers -3½ (-110)