Welcome to the opening night of the 2026 NFL season! And it is a rare Wednesday night kickoff at that.  

The NFL opens the 2026 season with a matchup that feels more like a playoff rematch than a season opener, with the New England Patriots visiting the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, just seven months after Seattle beat New England in Super Bowl LX. 

The twist is that this isn't simply a Super Bowl replay. Both teams have evolved, and the Patriots in particular arrive with a chance to show that the championship loss was a starting point rather than a ceiling.
 

 

 

Patriots vs. Seahawks DFS Picks & Preview: Wednesday Night Football, 9/8

New England revamped their roster, and Quarterback Drake Maye enters Year 3 with considerably more help. New England added A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, and offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, giving the quarterback a deeper receiving corps and a potentially stronger offensive line. 

That's important because Seattle's defense gave Maye fits in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks generated pressure without having to consistently blitz, allowing their secondary to play aggressively while the pass rush squeezed the pocket.

Maye has another year of experience now, but Seattle represents one of the toughest possible opening tests.

There's also an immediate adjustment in the running game, with TreVeyon Henderson ruled out with an ankle injury, meaning Rhamondre Stevenson is expected to shoulder more of the workload. Henderson led New England with 911 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns as a rookie. 

The Seahawks enter with enormous confidence after going 14–3 last season and finishing with the league's best scoring differential at +191. Their defense allowed just 17.2 points per game and remains the obvious strength of the team. 

Quarterback Sam Darnold also needs to prove his 2025 breakout was not a one-season surge, and that he is ready to establish himself as a legitimate top-tier starter. He threw for 4,048 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, while Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerged as one of the NFL's premier receivers. 

The biggest offensive change comes on the sideline, with Brian Fleury taking over as offensive coordinator. Seattle also has to replace Super Bowl standout Kenneth Walker, with rookie Jadarian Price among the players expected to help fill the void. 
 

 

 

Patriots vs. Seahawks TNF Odds at DraftKings & FanDuel

DraftKings Sportsbook

  • Spread:
    • Patriots +3 (-102)
    • Seahawks -3 (-118)
  • Money Line:
    • Patriots (+142)
    • Seahawks (-170)
  • Game Total:
    • Over 44.5 (-108)
    • Under 44.5 (-112)

FanDuel Sportsbook

  • Spread:
    • Patriots +3.5 (-118)
    • Seahawks -3.5 (-104)
  • Money Line:
    • Patriots (+152)
    • Seahawks (-180)
  • Game Total:
    • Over 44.5 (-110)
    • Under 44.5 (-110)

 

 

 

NFL Weather: Patriots vs. Seahawks WNF, September 9th

Temperatures are expected to be in the 70s with no concerns for precipitation or heavy winds. The weather impact should be very minimal. 

 

Patriots vs. Seahawks Injuries: Wednesday Night Football Week 1

New England running back TreVeyon Henderson has been ruled out for Week 1. His absence is significant and should lead to a larger role for Stevenson. Center Ben Brown is also out, but Defensive tackle Christian Barmore has been cleared to play. 

Seattle has running back Zach Charbonnet on the PUP list, recovering from the ACL tear he suffered in the 2025 playoffs. They also have ruled out safety Ty Okada, with Nick Emmanwori and receiver Tory Horton listed as questionable. Emmanwori is particularly worth watching as he was runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year last season. 

 

 

 

NFL Thursday Night Football DFS Picks: MVP/Captain

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks - DraftKings: $10,600 | FanDuel: $13,000

Smith-Njigba is coming off an extraordinary 2025, posting 119 catches, 1,793 yards, and 10 TDs, leading the NFL in receiving yards and earning Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Pro honors.

JSN topped 100 receiving yards in 10 of 20 games last season, including playoffs. However, he is looking to avenge a mediocre Super Bowl performance, in which the NFL's new highest-paid cornerback Christian Gonzalez held him to just 4 catches for 27 yards. 

A.J. Brown, WR, New England Patriots - DraftKings: $9,600 | FanDuel: $10,800

Brown immediately becomes Drake Maye's premier outside weapon. New England specifically added him to give Maye a dominant receiver, and Brown has topped 1,000 yards in six of his seven seasons.

The matchup is a bit of a concern as Seattle's defense dominated New England in the Super Bowl, and its pass rush remains a major problem. New England's offensive line needs to hold up for Brown to reach his ceiling.

Henderson's injury has an impact here as his absence could force New England to lean more heavily on Maye and Brown in the passing game. 

Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots – DraftKings: $10,000 | FanDuel: $12,400

Maye is coming off a spectacular 2025 season, finishing with 4,394 passing yards, 31 TDs, and 8 INTs. He added 450 rushing yards and four rushing TDs, demonstrating rushing ability that gives him a valuable fantasy floor. 

New England added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs in the offseason, giving Maye a much better receiving group than he had in Super Bowl LX, though he still threw for 295 yards and two TDs. 

The Seahawks have an elite defense, but if New England falls behind, Maye could pile up attempts. That potential volume contributes to his considerable fantasy ceiling. 

Sam Darnold, QB, Seattle Seahawks – DraftKings: $9,400 | FanDuel: $11,600

Darnold enters the opener coming off a strong 2025 season with 4,048 passing yards, 25 TDs, and a 67.7% completion rate. 

New England's defense should be able to limit Seattle's rushing attack, potentially forcing Darnold to throw more, especially with a rookie in the backfield while Charbonnet recovers from his ACL injury. 

If Gonzalez is able to contain JSN yet again, Darnold may need to spread the ball around a bit more, which increases his chances of being the top scorer over one of his pass catchers. 

 

 

NFL Thursday Night Football DFS Picks: Core Plays

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots – DraftKings: $8,400 | FanDuel: $10,000

With Henderson officially ruled out with his ankle injury, Stevenson should get the bulk of New England's RB work against Seattle. A role as a true workhorse back gives him immense upside. 

The downside comes in the matchup against one of the NFL's best defenses, so an efficient rushing performance shouldn't necessarily be the expectation. New England's center Ben Brown is also out, which adds another concern for the running game.

Jadarian Price, RB, Seattle Seahawks – DraftKings: $7,200 | FanDuel: $9,200

Seattle drafted Price 32nd overall to replace Kenneth Walker, and with Zach Charbonnet still on the PUP list, Price is expected to lead the backfield against New England.

Price has reportedly impressed throughout camp, and Seattle appears prepared to give him a significant role. Seattle's unofficial depth chart lists Holani alongside Price, and Holani is expected to have a meaningful role as a receiver and pass blocker, so Price is not without risk. 

Price's explosive rushing ability gives him tremendous upside, even in a tough matchup, if he is able to lock down the majority of the rushing share. 

 

 

 

NFL Thursday Night Football DFS Picks: Mid-Tier Plays

Romeo Doubs, WR, New England Patriots – DraftKings: $6,600 | FanDuel: $8,200

Doubs should benefit from A.J. Brown drawing the most defensive attention. He's also a legitimate red-zone threat, as Doubs has had at least seven receiving TDs twice in his career and has commanded significant red-zone volume in multiple seasons. 

Henderson’s absence could funnel additional volume to Doubs, raising his ceiling in a game where the Patriots could find themselves playing from behind.

Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots – DraftKings: $4,800 | FanDuel: $7,600

Henry had a strong 2025, finishing with 60 catches for 768 yards and seven touchdowns, but the Patriots' additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs should reduce his target share. 

He likely needs to find the end zone to be a factor on the showdown slate, but he could see increased volume if New England falls behind and is forced to rely more heavily on the passing game.

Rashid Shaheed, WR, Seattle Seahawks – DraftKings: $6,400 | FanDuel: $7,200

Seattle gave Shaheed a three-year, $51 million extension this offseason, signaling that the team intends to make him a bigger part of the offense. He has big-play upside, but his Week 1 floor is concerning against New England.

If he hits a deep touchdown, he can smash his projection, but 3–5 targets without a TD could leave you with a dud.

 

 

 

NFL Thursday Night Football DFS Picks: Value Plays

George Holani, RB, Seattle Seahawks – DraftKings: $4,200 | FanDuel: $5,000

Holani has been getting meaningful work in Seattle's backfield during the preseason, and he's viewed as a potential passing-down option, which could give him some PPR value even if Price handles more rushing attempts.

The absence of Charbonnet opens the door for touches, but Seattle appears committed to a committee rather than handing one player a true workhorse role. 

Elijah Arroyo, TE, Seattle Seahawks – DraftKings: $1,600 | FanDuel: $3,400

Seattle lists Arroyo as TE3 behind A.J. Barner and Eric Saubert, although the Seahawks' heavy use of 12- and 13-personnel formations should still get him onto the field. His pass-catching ability easily makes him more interesting than Saubert. 

Arroyo needs either a big play or touchdown to matter in Week 1. Barner has the safer floor among Seattle's tight ends, but Arroyo is the more interesting cheap tournament/Showdown upside play.

 

 

 

WNF DFS Picks: Kickers & D/ST

Seattle is the safer D/ST on the slate. The Seahawks return the core of the defense that helped them win Super Bowl LX, and their pass rush is the biggest problem for New England.

The matchup is particularly interesting because Drake Maye struggled under pressure in the Super Bowl, and Seattle doesn't need to blitz heavily to create pressure. New England also enters without TreVeyon Henderson, potentially making the offense more one-dimensional.

New England is the more interesting contrarian D/ST, projecting for roughly half the ownership. 

Seattle's offense is talented, but it has undergone some changes. Brian Fleury takes over as offensive coordinator, and the Seahawks are replacing Kenneth Walker with rookie Jadarian Price as part of a revamped backfield. That could create opportunities for New England if the offense struggles to find its rhythm.

Switching to the kickers, Myers was extremely productive in 2025, making 41 field goals, including 9 from 50+ yards, and averaged 11.88 fantasy points per game. His 57-yard long also gives him excellent range. 

Borregales is a little more volatile but has legitimate upside. He made 31 of 38 field goals and 60 of 62 extra points as a rookie, including a perfect 4-for-4 from 50+ yards. He had a shaky preseason, including three misses in one game, but New England remains committed to him.

 

 

 

Patriots vs. Seahawks DFS Player Pool: WNF, 9/8

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