Arizona Cardinals Los Angeles Chargers

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Chargers -9.5, Total 47.5

Series Rewind: Arizona won the last meeting between the teams, 17-15, in 2024. Overall, the Chargers lead the head-to-head series 11-5.

The Chargers are 6-1 in the season opener over the past seven seasons and are out to hit the ground running with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel promising plenty of running back Omarion Hampton. With their offensive line scrambled anew, the Chargers now have rookie Jake Slaughter at center and newcomer Kayode Awosika at left guard. They will try to get quarterback Justin Herbert back to the level he showed in 2021 when he passed for career highs of 5,014 yards and 38 touchdowns in his second NFL season. Keeping Herbert on two feet will be of the utmost importance after he was sacked a career-high 54 times in 2025. Herbert completed 66.4% of his passes last season for 3,727 yards and 26 touchdowns with 13 interceptions as the team went 11-6 before losing a wild-card playoff game to the New England Patriots. The Cardinals hired Mike LaFleur as head coach, plucking the younger brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur from Sean McVay’s coaching staff with the Rams. Jacoby Brissett gets another look as the QB1 with rookie No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love (ankle) planning to get in on the action in Week 1. The Cardinals do have options at running back. Tyler Allgeier signed in free agency after scoring eight touchdowns with the Falcons last season and James Conner is back from a season-ending injury.

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Eagles -5.5, Total 44.5

Series Rewind: Five of the last six regular-season meetings between the NFC East rivals have been decided by eight or fewer points. This is their earliest clash since Philadelphia’s 27-17 Week 1 win in 2020.

The two-time defending division champion Eagles have never lost a season opener (5-0 record) with Nick Sirianni as head coach and Jalen Hurts as the starting QB. Hurts has a new OC in Sean Mannion, a healthy Saquon Barkley in the backfield and one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. Hurts no longer has A.J. Brown, leaving DeVonta Smith as the undisputed WR1. Vic Fangio’s Philadelphia defense returns star tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis and added OLB Jonathan Greenard, who was limited in practice this week after missing camp with a pec injury. The Commanders followed up a 12-5 effort in Year 1 under coach Dan Quinn with a 5-12 flop last season as injuries plagued second-year signal-caller Jayden Daniels. Daniels has 19 TDs (14 passing, five rushing) and just three picks in 12 career road starts. WR Terry McLaurin has 71 catches for 1,027 yards in 14 games against the Eagles. Washington’s new edge-rushing pairing of Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson were both limited in practice this week.

Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Raiders -3, Total 39.5

Series Rewind: The Dolphins have won four of the past five games in the series.

Malik Willis opens a season as QB1 for the first time in his career. Willis, who was drafted by the Titans and played for the Packers last season, has played in 22 career games but has only 155 pass attempts and eight turnovers (three interceptions, five fumbles lost). First-year coach Jeff Hafley was hired to replace Mike McDaniel. He was defensive coordinator in Green Bay and knows what he has in Willis, but there are many other variables in play with one of the league’s youngest rosters. Miami could begin the season with rookies listed as the starter or top backup at 10 of 22 positions. That includes two starting wide receivers, third-round picks Chris Bell and Caleb Douglas. The Dolphins released Tyreek Hill and traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos, and the QB1 spot opened for Willis after Tua Tagovailoa was released. One Miami skill-position mainstay, running back De’Von Achane, was retained and should power a potent running game in which Willis expects to be a factor. The Raiders resisted the urge to start No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. They’ll go with Kirk Cousins to open the season. He is in the top five among active quarterbacks in TD passes (298, third) and passing yards (44,700; fourth).

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

FanDuel odds: Vikings -1.5, Total 46.5

Series Rewind: The Vikings have won three of the last four regular-season meetings in this NFC North rivalry. Green Bay is 1-4 in its last five trips to Minneapolis and hasn’t won there in September since 2020.

Competing in arguably the NFL’s deepest division with the Lions and Bears, neither team wants to dig an early hole. The newest addition to this fierce rivalry is Vikings QB Kyler Murray, the 2019 No. 1 overall pick who went 0-2 against the Packers and 3-2-1 in season openers while with the Cardinals. Superstar receiver Justin Jefferson posted his sixth straight 1,000-yard campaign in 2025 but only scored twice. Head coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense also returns former Green Bay RB Aaron Jones, WR Jordan Addison and TE T.J. Hockenson. Safety Harrison Smith is back for Year 15 to captain the defense. The Packers reached the playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons under coach Matt LaFleur in 2025 but are starting the 2026 season without RB Josh Jacobs (legal issues) and pass rusher Micah Parsons (left knee injury). QB Jordan Love, who has a losing record (4-5-1) as a starter in September, has a handful of healthy playmakers in wideouts Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden and TE Tucker Kraft.

– Field Level Media

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Week 1
NFL preview capsules for Sunday’s Games – Action via Betting Hero

Texans at Ravens: First-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie QB C.J. Stroud lead Houston into Baltimore eyeing a turnaround for a franchise with 11 wins the past three seasons. The Ravens loaded up at wide receiver after signing QB Lamar Jackson to a five-year contract, adding Odell Beckham and first-round pick Zay Flowers. Baltimore won 10 games last season for the ninth time during the John Harbaugh era and even without Pro Bowl CB Marlon Humphrey (foot) brings a veteran-laden defense to this fight.

49ers at Steelers: Second-year QB Kenny Pickett put up a brilliant preseason and graduates to a stern test from a San Francisco defense likely to have DE Nick Bosa in the fold. Bosa signed a monster contract on Wednesday and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year joined the team for the first time since minicamp. The 49ers reached the NFC title game behind rookie QB Brock Purdy, whose elbow injury in that game led to offseason ligament surgery. He threw multiple TD passes in each of the final six games (five starts) in 2022 as defenses locked down on RB Christian McCaffrey. With at least two TDs and a win this week, Purdy would become the only QB in NFL history to go 6-0 with multiple TD passes in his first six career starts.

Packers at Bears: Welcome Jordan Love to the stage. The Packers intercepted the torch from Aaron Rodgers, trading him to the Jets and inserting Love into the starting lineup. A rivalry game at Soldier Field pits two solid defenses and unproven quarterbacks. Justin Fields rushed for 1,143 yards last season, but the Bears want him to prove he’s a pro passer with new weapon D.J. Moore matched up with Packers CB Jaire Alexander in a popcorn-worthy pairing.

Eagles at Patriots: A coach for twice the lifetime of Jalen Hurts, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick appreciates the unique challenge the running quarterback presents as the engine of the Eagles’ multi-faceted offense. New England changed offensive coordinators, bringing back Bill O’Brien, who is tasked with getting greatness out of QB Mac Jones while matching wits this week with former co-worker Matt Patricia, an assistant with Philadelphia. The Patriots invested their top three picks on defense, including CB Christian Gonzalez, and expect big things out of other rookies (DE Keion White, LB Marte Mapu, WR Kayshon Boutte). The club will honor the retired QB and franchise legend, Tom Brady, in a halftime ceremony at Gillette Stadium.

Panthers at Falcons: Panthers OLB Brian Burns’ “hold-in” is a fancy way of saying he wants more money but plans to play as Carolina chases Atlanta first-round RB Bijan Robinson and QB Desmond Ridder around the dome Sunday afternoon. The Falcons put up a season-high 37 points and beat Carolina on Oct. 30 last season but lost 25-15 in Charlotte. No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young makes his first career start for the Panthers, who went 7-10 last season and hired Frank Reich as head coach in January. Carolina’s new look spans the roster. Active building the roster in the offseason, the Panthers added versatile RB Miles Sanders and veteran WR Adam Thielen and brought in SS Vonn Bell to anchor the back end of the defense.

Jaguars at Colts: A playoff team in 2022 with a 9-8 record, the Jaguars are widely expected to be the best in the AFC South. They split a pair of games with the Colts last season with a 34-27 loss at Indianapolis, then ended the season with a six-game winning streak, including the wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, before falling at Kansas City in the divisional playoffs. Indianapolis hit the reset button following a 4-12-1 season, hiring Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and drafting Anthony Richardson No. 4 overall to end a run of musical chairs at QB. The Colts won’t have RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle), who was inactive for the 2022 home date with Jacksonville.

Buccaneers at Vikings: No Tampa Tom Brady means something new, or at least not as old, at quarterback for the Buccaneers. Baker Mayfield won the job over Kyle Trask and has a star-studded receiving corps, provided Mike Evans puts his contract rift with the club to bed. He’ll be operating behind a young offensive line. Both teams made difficult roster moves to work from under a growing salary-cap burden since they last played a game that counted. The Bucs also made a switch at offensive coordinator, hiring Dave Canales (Seahawks) to replace Bryon Leftwich and shuffling Rachaad White into the featured running back role. Minnesota, a winner of two of the past three meetings with its former NFC Central rival, has a new lead back, too. Dalvin Cook was released after four straight 1,000-yard seasons and replaced by understudy Alexander Mattison.

Titans at Saints: Tennessee tries to find its way back to a winning path on the heels of a season wrecked by injuries that ended with a seven-game losing streak. Two constants remain for the Titans: Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill, who is attempting to bring balance to the offense after Tennessee ranked 30th in passing last season. DeAndre Hopkins joined Tennessee to make a trio of weapons and could help the new-look scheme establish balance. New is fitting for the Saints. They signed QB Derek Carr, RB Jamaal Williams and TE Foster Moreau and must cope with the three-game suspension of RB Alvin Kamara. Carr could be busy considering the Titans ranked No. 1 against the run in 2022.

Cardinals at Commanders: Arizona plans to contend, but likely down the road after a cleaning house in January and starting over from the top, down. The Cardinals are keeping Washington guessing as to who’ll start at quarterback with Kyler Murray (knee) shelved for at least a month. It could be Josh Dobbs, the journeyman with two career starts, or rookie fifth-rounder Clayton Tune staring across at a Commanders’ defense drenched with first-round draft selections. If Dobbs starts, it will be after just five practices since he was acquired Aug. 24 from the Browns. Washington put its chips behind QB Sam Howell, a second-year quarterback making his second career start with new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy planning to spice up the attack to highlight WRs Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin. McLaurin (toe) is expected to play.

Bengals at Browns: Perhaps the Bengals pulled the appropriate levers in the offseason and the offensive line woes exposing QB Joe Burrow to 100-plus hits the past two seasons are in the past. Nothing like a face-to-face with Myles Garrett to test that theory. Garrett had 16 sacks in 2022, 3.5 of them in two games against Cincinnati. Burrow’s lead receiver, Ja’Marr Chase (2,501 receiving yards, 29 games), can pass Hall of Famer Randy Moss (2,527) for the third-most receiving yards in a player’s first 30 games on Sunday. Cleveland turned the defense over to spicy veteran coordinator Jim Schwartz, who emphasizes pressure.

Raiders at Broncos: The Raiders (6-11 last season) have beaten the Broncos six straight times and aim to extend the streak under new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Denver is putting past history to bed, or at least that’s the plan under new head coach Sean Payton. The former boss of the Saints sat out last season and arrived with ideas on how to resurrect Russell Wilson from a serious downturn in 2022, his first with the Broncos. Injuries hit at wide receiver in preseason, but Wilson gets a reprieve thanks to a rebuilt offensive line and the return of RB Javonte Williams from an ACL injury. Garoppolo has two big-time playmakers to work with: RB Josh Jacobs and WR Davante Adams. Jacobs led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards last season while Adams had an NFL-leading 14 scoring receptions.

Dolphins at Chargers: AFC wild-card playoff teams last season, the Chargers and Dolphins are connected by their 2020 draft decisions, when Tua Tagovailoa went to Miami ahead of Justin Herbert landing with L.A. Tagovailoa showed brilliance in moments but also experienced multiple frightening ones with two documented concussions. Tagovailoa was 10 of 28 for 145 yards in a loss to Herbert and the Chargers last season. Chargers RB Austin Ekeler needs one TD reception for 30 in his career, an achievement only five others at his position have accomplished. Marshall Faulk holds the all-time record for RBs with 36 TD catches.

Rams at Seahawks: Eastern Washington product Cooper Kupp was looking forward to returning home to play the Seahawks in Week 1. That won’t happen due to a hamstring injury in camp, putting the Rams in a hole after a 5-12 season and roster rebuild during the offseason. Gone are CB Jalen Ramsey, WR Allen Robinson, LB Bobby Wagner and DE Leonard Floyd. Wagner makes his homecoming by returning to the Seahawks and facing the Rams in the opener. Seattle re-upped with QB Geno Smith after his Pro Bowl campaign in 2022 helped make the Seahawks a surprise playoff entry. Seattle won two games by a combined seven points over the Rams last season. Smith was sacked seven times.

Cowboys at Giants: New York crashed the playoffs thanks to a 7-2 start last season. But the Giants have only one win in the past 12 meetings with Dallas. The Cowboys roll with Dak Prescott, who faced criticism after throwing 15 interceptions last season, and expected the revamped offense with head coach Mike McCarthy taking over play-calling to be a boost. Tony Pollard replaces Ezekiel Elliott as the RB1 and adds a big-play dimension. Dallas relies heavily on defense and revealed plans to move pass rusher Micah Parsons into a more traditional defensive end role. He has nine career games with two or more sacks.

–Field Level Media

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