After standalone games on Wednesday and Thursday, we'll have several highlight matchups to enjoy on Sunday during NFL Week 1. In a potential AFC playoff preview, QB Josh Allen and the Bills will travel to Houston to take on the Texans. Sunday Night Football brings a long-standing rivalry to the forefront with the Giants hosting the Cowboys.
What other clashes catch the eye? Below, we’ll dive head-first into the schedule and discuss our best NFL Week 1 predictions, including picks for winners, spreads, over/under, team totals, and more on PrizePicks.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Cincinnati Bengals Prediction on Over/Under for NFL Week 1
Game Time, How to Watch: 1 p.m. ET on FOX
The Buccaneers and Bengals both disappointed on their way to missing the playoffs in 2025. Tampa Bay finished 8-9, losing the NFC South title on a tiebreaker to the Panthers. It didn’t help that RB Bucky Irving was limited to 10 games because of injuries.
The Bengals had their own injury issues en route to finishing 6-11. QB Joe Burrow appeared in just eight games, marking the second time over the last two seasons that he played 10 or fewer contests.
Tampa Bay enters the season with a different look at WR after Mike Evans left for the 49ers. However, he only played eight outings last year in what was his 12th season with the franchise. Filling his shoes as the new WR1 on the team will likely be Emeka Egbuka, who had three games with at least 100 receiving yards during his rookie campaign.
Per Pro Football Focus, Egbuka ranked 11th in yards per reception (14.9) and 19th in average depth of target (13.2 yards) among 81 qualified WRs in 2025. PrizePicks has his projection at 55.5 receiving yards for Week 1. WR Chris Godwin is also in the picture, but the veteran will need better luck in the health department (16 total games the last two years). His PrizePicks Week 1 projection is 41.5 receiving yards.
The Bengals gave up the third-most points per game (28.9) last year. Their 33 passing TDs allowed trailed only the Jets (36) and Cowboys (33). In an effort to improve on that side of the ball, they added DT Dexter Lawrence, DE Boye Mafe, and S Bryan Cook in the offseason.
Both teams enter the campaign mostly healthy on offense. Egbuka had been had a toe injury during the preseason but is now practicing in full with the team. Even WR Jalen McMillan (knee) has practiced in a limited fashion. Irving is ready to lead the Buccaneers’ backfield, with new addition RB Kenneth Gainwell expected to at least make an impact on passing downs.
The Bengals don’t have any of their top skill players dealing with an ailment, meaning the deadly duo of WR Ja’Marr Chase and WR Tee Higgins will be out in full force. That’s a concern for Tampa Bay because it was 18th in dropback EPA per play allowed last year, per RBSDM. The Bucs weren't far behind the Bengals with 30 passing TDs allowed.
Chase has a PrizePicks projection of 85.5 receiving yards, while Higgins’ is 60.5. Two healthy passing attacks leave the potential for both of these teams to score early and often.
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Atlanta Falcons vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Prediction on Spread for NFL Week 1
Game Time, How to Watch: 1 p.m. ET on FOX
The Steelers made the playoffs at 10-7, while the Falcons missed out because of their 8-9 mark. Both teams had question marks at QB that limited their upside. Aaron Rodgers was a shell of the player that he was in his prime, throwing for 3,332 yards and 24 TDs. His average target depth was only 6.4 yards, which ranked 40th among 43 qualified players. It also didn’t help that his average time to throw of 2.58 seconds was 41st.
The Falcons ended up leaning on Kirk Cousins after Michael Penix Jr. tore his ACL in Week 11. Cousins is now a member of the Raiders, and Penix is still working his way back. They plan to turn the starting reins over to QB Tua Tagovailoa, who was almost as limited as Rodgers was last season.
As a member of the Dolphins, he sat 35th in average target depth (7.2) and 40th in average time to throw (2.59 seconds). He was also listed as limited in practice Thursday with an oblique issue. If he can't play, QB Cooper Rush might be forced to start.
The Steelers did have a couple of key changes of their own this offseason. Head coach Mike Tomlin’s tenure with the franchise is over; he was replaced by Mike McCarthy, who was also Rodgers’ head coach during their days with the Packers. The Steelers also brought in RB Rico Dowdle, who is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Dowdle can impact both facets of the offense, evident by his PrizePicks projection of 61.5 rush + receiving yards.
The Steelers have a significant advantage with this matchup being in Pittsburgh. They were 6-3 at home last year and haven't had a losing record at home since 1999. They were 5-4 against the spread there in 2025, including 3-1 ATS as a home favorite.
Tagovailoa hasn't been good on the road. In 36 career games away from Miami, he only had 59 TDs to go along with 33 INTs. He went 15-21 on the road compared to 31-11 at home, too. If he can't play, then the Falcons' chances of being competitive might be even bleaker.
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Miami Dolphins vs. Las Vegas Raiders Prediction on Spread for NFL Week 1
Game Time, How to Watch: 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX
After posting a 7-10 record, the Dolphins underwent numerous changes during the offseason. Jeff Hafley is their new head coach, WR Jaylen Waddle was traded to the Broncos, and QB Malik Willis is now their starter under center. After spending most of his career as a backup with the Titans and Packers, Miami signed him to a lucrative three-year, $67.5 million contract.
The Raiders also changed their QB room, drafting Fernando Mendoza first overall and adding Cousins. Mendoza is the future of the franchise, but Cousins will start Week 1. He won’t have many exciting pass-catchers at his disposal now that TE Brock Bowers is out after having a meniscus trim procedure.
The top WR is Tre Tucker, who has a PrizePicks projection of 46.5 receiving yards for Week 1. TE Michael Mayer, who will fill in for Bowers, has a PrizePicks projection of 39.5 receiving yards.
Even when Bowers is healthy, the Raiders figure to be limited on offense. Last season, they were last in the NFL at 14.2 PPG.
The offense is built around RB Ashton Jeanty, who has a PrizePicks projection of 59.5 rushing yards as he works his way back from a sprained ankle. The Dolphins have their own star back in De’Von Achane, who can make an impact on the ground and in the passing game. He had over 1,800 total yards last season, and his PrizePicks rush + receiving yards projection for this matchup is 103.5 yards. He has a higher receiving yards projection (29.5 yards) than any of the WRs on the Dolphins.
Las Vegas was only 4-5 ATS at home last year, including 1-2 ATS as a home favorite. It was 2-3 overall in games without Bowers, with one of the two wins coming against a Chiefs team that sat most of their starters in Week 18. With their offensive limitations, asking the Raiders to beat the Dolphins by at least 4 points might be unrealistic.
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The Buccaneers and Bengals could produce a high-scoring matchup in Week 1. The Steelers may continue their home dominance when they face the Falcons, and the Raiders might just have a difficult time against the Dolphins with Bowers sidelined yet again.
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