The NFL Week 1 slate actually doesn’t have quite as many divisional rivalry games as you might expect in the early window, but we do have one in the NFC South. It features Michael Penix and the Atlanta Falcons hosting Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and to get you ready for it, we’ve got our best Buccaneers vs. Falcons predictions for you.

Don’t worry if you’re a fan in a location like Georgia without legal sports betting - we’ve got a guaranteed Novig promo code bonus to help add to your Buccaneers vs. Falcons picks!

Buccaneers vs. Falcons Predictions for NFL Week 1, Sunday 9/7

For those who may not remember, last season, these NFC South rivals had some of the most exciting matchups of the entire NFL. Not only were they each decided by one possession, but one was also an epic shootout overtime matchup on Thursday Night Football.

This one won’t be a primetime game, but keep that shootout in mind as we progress through our Buccaneers vs. Falcons predictions. Let’s also not gloss over the fact that we mentioned Michael Penix above. No longer is it Kirk Cousins leading the Falcons offense, as the second-year Washington product is now the starter.

Although that happened at the tail end of last year, it’s still important to note because that’s how Atlanta can pull off this win - by exploiting Tampa’s league-fourth-worst passing defense last season. You can even use that factor for your Buccaneers vs. Falcons picks, as Penix Jr. closed out his rookie season with 312 passing yards!  

However, let’s also remember that Atlanta RB Bijan Robinson is among the favorites to win Offense Player of the Year, and you may have even drafted him #1 overall in your fantasy leagues. So, let’s get into where we’re focused for the best bet from our Buccaneers vs. Falcons predictions.

 

 

 

Buccaneers vs. Falcons Best Bet: Baker Mayfield Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns (-133 at Novig)

We aren’t straying far from what we were just discussing above, as we’re sticking with the QB position. Bucs starting QB Baker Mayfield was just as polarizing in college, and he’s also proven much more in the pros.

That includes against the rival Falcons, especially in that aforementioned shootout. In the most recent of last year’s meetings, Mayfield threw for a whopping 330 yards! While he’s more than capable of repeating that, we’re sticking with the passing TD prop market. After all, he had just 180 passing yards in his other matchup against the Falcons.

Speaking of the Falcons' passing defense, it’s one that takes a bit of digging into. If you just look at their league rank based on yardage, they’re far from awful. However, you’ll see that they also allowed the third-most fantasy points to QBs last year. Why is that?

Well, when you look a bit further into the numbers, they allowed the second-most passing TDs last season - just one fewer than the awful Carolina Panthers. Mayfield was a major factor in that, throwing for THREE touchdowns in both matchups. Now, the pushback here will be Chris Godwin’s injury.

It was great to see him activated off the PUP list, and even without him fully ready to go, even TE Cade Otton can score multiple times himself (he did in one game against Atlanta last year). Oh yeah, and Mike Evans is always an endzone monster!

We’ll see this line at 2.5 for some of Tampa’s other games this season, so we’re happy taking Baker Mayfield over 1.5 passing TDs (-133 at Novig) as the best bet from our Buccaneers vs. Falcons predictions.
 

 

 

How To Watch Buccaneers vs. Falcons NFL Week 1

You’ve seen from the start that Atlanta is hosting this season opener, and we’ve got more details regarding how to watch Buccaneers vs. Falcons NFL Week 1:

  • Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
  • When: 1 PM ET on 9/7
  • Watch on TV: FOX
  • Where to stream: YouTubeTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV

 

 

 

Buccaneers vs. Falcons Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

NFC South rivalries often feel like they can go either way, and based on the latest Buccaneers vs. Falcons odds at Novig, that trend may continue:

 

 

Buccaneers vs. Falcons Injury Report & Latest News

There’s no doubt that the biggest name to note when it comes to Buccaneers vs. Falcons injury news is Tampa’s Chris Godwin. While he’s been activated from the PUP list, we know that he’s not 100% just yet. The Bucs, their fans, and fantasy managers also want to monitor Cade Otton and Tristan Wirfs.

As for Buccaneers vs. Falcons news in Atlanta, it’s primarily Darnell Mooney that we’ll be keeping an eye on. To keep an eye on the league as a whole, make sure that you bookmark the Fantasy Alarm NFL injury report today!
 

 

 

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