We are so back. The 2025 NFL season is upon us, with NFL Week 1 kicking off tomorrow night in a thrilling matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys. After so much offseason news, roster turnover, trades, and drama, it is finally time to see which teams got better and will compete for the Lombardi Trophy, and which teams will be looking ahead to the 2026 NFL draft.

So without further ado, it is time to bring you our expert NFL Week 1 Picks Straight Up. Below, you will find my picks, some highlighted matchups, and the schedules and spreads for every game this week.

 

 

 

NFL Week 1 Picks Straight Up & Odds For All 16 Games

Since it is week one, of course, all 32 teams are playing this week, with some exciting matchups across a five-day span. This means we have 16 games to pick! In the following section, you will find my predictions, with the teams I anticipate starting hot and coming away with a victory highlighted in bold:

 

 

 

NFL Week 1 Picks Straight Up: Los Angeles Rams ML (-144 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

This offseason, the Houston Texans made the head-scratching move to trade away their franchise left tackle, Laremy Tunsil, to the Washington Commanders. Tunsil was a five-time probowler with the Texans, and despite getting several pre-snap penalties last year, he seemingly was the only one keeping C.J. Stroud upright, as he got sacked a whopping 52 times. 

Now entering 2025, the Texans are once again sporting one of the worst offensive lines in the league, in addition to more question marks at the wide receiver and running back positions. Stefon Diggs left for the New England Patriots, and both Tank Dell and Joe Mixon are expected to miss significant time for the Texans due to injury. Now, the Texans are expecting some new faces to step up against a tough Rams defense, finishing ninth in opponent points per game in 2024, thanks to the emergence of 2024 defensive rookie of the year, Jared Verse. Stroud will have his hands full, as this Rams defensive unit got better as the 2024 season went along and has only gotten even stronger this offseason.

On the other side of the ball, while the Texans also sport one of the league's best defenses, they are facing off against the veteran Matthew Stafford, who historically plays very well during Week One. In the past nine seasons, Stafford was only held under 280 passing yards once during the first week of the NFL season. With Davante Adams joining an already strong group of weapons on offense, I expect Stafford to have another strong week one performance. With so many question marks on for the Texans on the offensive side of the ball, along with this emerging Rams defense, I expect Los Angeles to control this game from start to finish.

 

 

 

NFL Week 1 Picks Straight Up: Chicago Bears ML (+105 at Caesars Sportsbook)

Picking a (slight) underdog during a primetime divisional matchup in Week One of the NFL season might seem crazy, ESPECIALLY when picking against a Vikings team that finished 14-3 just a year ago, but I swear, there is a method to my madness. 

First, it's hard to talk about the Chicago Bears without noting that they are back-to-back-to-back “offseason champions.” While this perceived offseason success has yet to carry into the regular season, one move from this offseason looms larger than most: the hiring of Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson has been THE head coach candidate that every struggling team's fanbase has been begging for for the past two offseasons, and he decided to land in the same division he has been coaching in, with the Bears. Lucky for us, that gives us a large sample size to work with in terms of his success against Brian Flores and this Vikings defense. Flores is widely regarded as one of the best defensive coordinators in the league, allowing only 30 points to be scored on his defense seven times in the last two seasons combined. Luckily for the Bears, the Ben Johnson-led Lions were responsible for four of the seven. Caleb Williams is no slouch against this tough Vikings defense, either, with 531 yards and three touchdowns to no interceptions against them through two games. 

The lights are also going to be shining bright on second-year man J.J. McCarthy, as he is going to be making his first career start in this game. While I personally believe in McCarthy, this is not the easiest atmosphere for anyone, let alone someone who is essentially entering his rookie year. McCarthy is also dealing with some question marks in terms of his weaponry; Jefferson and Nailor are coming back from injury, Jordan Addison is suspended, and Adam Thielen is probably just getting up to speed after being traded just a few days ago. While I think this season is going to be a good one for the Vikings, I am bracing for a slow start as the Pride and Joy of Illinois comes away with a Week One victory.

 

 

 

How To Bet On NFL Week 1 With The BetMGM Bonus Code & Unlock $150 In Bonus Bets

If you want to make the most of our free picks, try signing up to BetMGM with our exclusive bonus code ALARM!

This welcome bonus is straightforward and inclusive, giving you the chance to place wagers on any matchup you like during NFL Week 1. After registering through this offer, simply deposit at least $10 and place a qualifying bet of $10 or more.

As long as you bet at least $10 with your first bet, you're ready to just kick back and root for it to win. If it does, you’ll get $150 in bonus bets, even if you're betting a big favorite like the Eagles over the Cowboys! In other words, you’re getting 15/1 odds on anything when you become a new member with our BetMGM bonus code ALARM!

NFL Week 1 Spreads For All 16 Games Provided By BetMGM Sportsbook

We just unveiled our NFL Week 10 picks, and below are the spread odds for each matchup, provided by BetMGM Sportsbook:

  • Cowboys +8.5 vs. Eagles -8.5 (TNF)
  • Chiefs -3 vs. Chargers +3 (Brazil)
  • Dolphins +1 vs. Colts -1
  • Steelers -3 vs. Jets +3
  • Panthers +3.5 vs. Jaguars -3.5
  • Cardinals -6.5 vs. Saints +6.5
  • Giants +6 vs. Commanders -6
  • Buccaneers -2.5 vs. Falcons +2.5
  • Bengals -5.5 vs. Browns +5.5
  • Raiders +2.5 vs. Patriots -2.5
  • 49ers -2.5 vs. Seahawks +2.5
  • Titans +8 vs. Broncos -8
  • Lions +2.5 vs. Packers -2.5
  • Texans +3 vs. Rams -3
  • Ravens -1.5 vs. Bills +1.5 (SNF)
  • Vikings -1.5 vs. Bears +1.5 (MNF)

Be sure to come back and check out our NFL Week 1 Picks Against the Spread or take advantage of our BetMGM bonus code ALARM by signing up now!