NFL Picks

Chicago has high hopes in 2026, especially after coming an OT defeat away from playing the conference championship. This is Year 2 under head coach Ben Johnson, and Williams is an MVP sleeper if he can take the Chicago Bears to the next level. The Carolina Panthers backed into the postseason last year, with five losses in their final eight games, and I’m a little surprised this spread is short of a field goal, considering Carolina went 2-5 against playoff teams.

The Texans were active in the offseason, bolstering their dog poo O-line and adding a steady rushing threat in David Montgomery. QB C.J. Stroud got the vote of confidence at QB (for at least one more year) and should improve given the better talent around him. For Buffalo, Josh Allen gets a true No. 1 receiver in D.J. Moore, who could show out in his Buffalo debut, as his career numbers spike when he plays indoors (I’ll be sniffing around his Week 1 props as well).

This should be Kyler Murray’s Minnesota Vikings debut. A lot can happen between now and Week 1 — just ask J.J. McCarthy. — and whoever wins the QB1 job might not even finish the game, considering the pass rush coming after him. The Packers were a Super Bowl contender that came apart at the seams last season, with injuries decimating their depth chart on both sides of the ball.

Offensively, the G-Men are hoping all their young skill players are back from injury in time for this opener. Running back Cam Skattebo and WR Malik Nabers are trending in the right direction, and second-year QB Jaxson Dart has an improved O-line in front of him. We know the Cowboys will score points... but can they stop anyone from scoring? New defensive coordinator Christian Parker is Dallas’ fourth DC in four seasons, and while the draft brought in some much-needed talent, this could still be a team that gives up home run plays.

Patrick Mahomes is trending toward playing in Week 1 after suffering an ACL injury last season. And the schedule makers did the best they could to get No. 15 back on the field, giving him an extra day of rest. He likely won't be the full 100% version of Mahomes, however, and the Denver Broncos defense remains among the elite under coordinator Vance Joseph, especially against the pass. The Broncos have done an excellent job shutting down Mahomes the past two seasons, and that respect shows in this sub-44 total.