NFL Preseason Week 1 Odds, Lines, Spreads and Picks

• The first full week of the NFL Preseason kicks off on Thursday, August 11th
• The Ravens have won 20 straight preseason games dating back to 2015
• See below for complete Week 1 preseason odds, analysis and best bets

The start of the NFL Preseason brings so much hope for so many different fanbases. Die-hard fans have spent the last six months talking themselves into new hires, promising draft picks and expensive free agents, and now we finally get to see some of these new pieces in action.

Make no mistake, you won’t be bouncing your grandkid off your knee one day reminiscing about preseason football, but chances are you will be watching. That’s because there’s no better sport to sweat than the NFL.

Online sportsbooks have posted a full menu of NFL Preseason Week 1 games to bet on starting Thursday, so check out all the odds below plus a few wagers to target.

NFL Preseason Week 1 Odds

Odds as of August 9th at Barstool Sportsbook.

Unlike the regular season, where totals typically range from the mid 40’s to mid 50’s, oddsmakers are not expecting a ton of scoring in the opening week of the NFL Preseason. Nine of the 16 games in the NFL odds have a total below 35, with the Rams vs Chargers matchup boasting the lowest over/under at 30.

No game has a total that’s even flirting with 40, as the Panthers vs Commanders over/under of 37 is the highest on the board.

As for the biggest and tightest spreads, The Ravens, Bears, Steelers, Chargers and Raiders are all slate-high 3.5-point favorites in their respective matchups. Three of the 16 games have a point spread of just a single point, including the Dolphins versus Buccaneers matchup.

Titans vs Ravens Betting Analysis

Typically, it’s been more profitable to bet underdogs than favorites in the NFL Preseason. ‘Dogs have covered 53.7% of the contests since 1995, and 54.2% over the past two preseasons.

However, we can simply ignore that trend when it comes to John Harbaugh and the Ravens. Thursday’s Baltimore vs Tennessee odds favor the Ravens by 3.5 points, as they look to extend their prolific preseason winning streak.

The Ravens have won 20 straight preseason games since 2015, and are 12-1 against the spread in the Week 1 exhibition contests under Harbaugh.

John Harbaugh said these players won't suit up for the Ravens' preseason opener on Thursday:

QB Lamar Jackson
TE Mark Andrews
CB Marlon Humphrey
OLB Justin Houston
S Marcus Williams

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 6, 2022

They’ve won 19 of their last 22 preseason games at home, and had an average margin of victory of 18 points during the 2021 preseason.

Obviously, Harbaugh and Co. take these games more seriously than other NFL squads, but this epic runs also speaks to how well every player on the team is coached, from the starters all the way down to the third and fourth stringers.

We won’t see Lamar Jackson or Mark Andrews on offense, but we should see plenty of Tyler Huntley under center. Huntley completed more than 70% of his passes last preseason, and was fantastic starting for an injured Jackson during the regular season.

Tyler Huntley's touchdown celebration is 10/10 😂 @_SNOOP1 @Ravens #BALvsWAS pic.twitter.com/S0oGcsiM6Q

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) August 28, 2021

The Utah product threw for nearly 1,000 yards in four 2021 starts, while rushing for nearly six yards per carry.

As for the Titans, we likely won’t see Ryan Tannehill or Derrick Henry. That means plenty of Logan Woodside and Malik Willis. Woodside, a 2018 seventh round pick, managed just 5.9 yards per attempt in two of three 2021 preseason outings.

Mike Vrabel on how and when the #Titans decide who plays in the preseason pic.twitter.com/KZd34iM9Xn

— Buck Reising (@BuckReising) August 8, 2022

Willis, on the other hand, has had an inconsistent training camp. His ceiling is high but he’s incredibly raw and expectations should be kept low for his NFL debut.

Tennessee teams have won just four of seven preseason games under head coach Mike Vrabel, and the Titans aren’t likely to snap Baltimore’s incredible streak.

Pick: Ravens -3.5 (-110)

Falcons vs Lions Betting Analysis

One underdog we will target is the Lions versus Flacons on Friday. Detroit is currently catching 1-point at Ford Field, making them one of the lone home ‘dogs on the slate. The Lions actually opened up getting 1.5 points, but early action on their side has shaved the line by a half point.

The Lions on Hard Knocks tonight is gonna be so fire 🔥

Eating kneecaps, D’Andre Swift, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and more lets gooooooo

— Luke Sawhook 🪚🪝 (@lukesawhook) August 9, 2022

Detroit is one of the trendiest sleepers for the upcoming season, thanks to a wealth of young talent. D’Andre Swift, Amon-Ra St. Brown and TJ Hockenson are fantastic offensive playmakers, and the addition of Jameson Williams through the draft is going to give Jared Goff and the Lions a whole new speed element on offense once he’s healthy.

Both the Lions and Falcons intend on playing their starters for at least a quarter before giving way to the backups. Detroit’s first team is significantly more talented than Atlanta’s, which is part of the reason their 2022 win total is anywhere from 1.5 to 2 games higher.

This video makes me want to die on the football field pic.twitter.com/vGd3fRnjBp

— Will Compton (@_willcompton) August 8, 2022

The Falcons under head coach Arthur Miller were swept in the 2021 preseason, losing each game by average of 16.3 points per game. Marcus Mariota now has the reigns of the offense, and given his sub-41 QBR rating over his past two full seasons expectations should be kept low on Friday and for the 2022 regular season.

Pick: Detroit Lions +1 (-110)