Top 4 NFL Preseason Week 1 Odds & Picks: Friday (8/12)

Aug 12, 2022 - 1:09 PM

The NFL isn’t quite back yet. But we’ve got preseason action to get our feet wet. Despite what many think, there actually is plenty of value in NFL preseason games. You just can’t blindly bet a game without knowing depth charts and players’ roles for each game.

That’s why we’ll give a list of a couple of our best bets and the reasoning behind our picks.

(Odds courtesy DraftKings)

Matthew Freedman’s Guide to Betting the Preseason >>

Cleveland Browns vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

No, I’m not a fan of Deshaun Watson. But I understand his talent and ability on a football field. He’s expected to get the start for the Browns tonight after missing all of last season due to sexual misconduct allegations.

He will likely miss more games in the regular season this year. But while he waits on the appeal process, he’s able to play in the preseason. The Browns want to get him in as much action as possible to be comfortable when he gets back on the football field for good.

We’ve already seen the Jaguars play this pre-season. They lost to the Raiders, 27-11, and couldn’t do much offensively in the first half against the Raiders. Jake Luton started that first game, but Trevor Lawrence will start this game. That’s clearly better for the Jaguars. However, I’m still not sold on Jacksonville.

The Browns will be playing most of their starters to begin the game, and that should propel them to a victory over the Jaguars. At the end of the day, the Jaguars, even with their starters, are still projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season.

Bet: Browns ML (-120 at DraftKings)

New York Jets vs. Philadelphia Eagles

It looks like the Jets and Eagles will only be playing their starters for the first couple of drives. However, the Jets are kind of deep at quarterback this season. Once Zach Wilson sits, the Jets can put Joe Flacco and Mike White under center.

We all remember the Mike White hype after he tore apart the Bengals last season when given the opportunity.

The Jets went 2-0-1 in preseason last year while the Eagles went 0-2-1. The Eagles even ended up losing to the Patriots 35-0 in an embarrassing loss. I will not trust the Eagles on the defensive end in the preseason.

Obviously, the Jets won’t win by 35, but the Jets clearly have an advantage with Flacco and White on the offensive end. Meanwhile, the Eagles will have Gardner Minshew running the show when Jalen Hurts comes out. He’s another quarterback with plenty of experience and should be able to showcase his ability in this game.

Therefore, Over 35.5 makes the most sense.

Bet: Over 35.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

Atlanta Falcons vs. Detroit Lions

Bets: Falcons ML and Under 35.5 points

Matthew Freedman’s NFL Win Total Projections & Bets >>

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