Week 1 NFL Picks: Season-Opening Betting Odds, Vegas Spreads and Projections

The most experienced NFL bettors know it is critical to start the season off with a bang.

Not only does a hot start provide a deeper bankroll capable of going the distance, it gives a bettor an idea as to how the league stacks up.

Nailing Week 1 also provides an annual lesson on the importance of early prep. Those who take advantage of lines early in the week will find much better deals than late in the week after Las Vegas has adjusted to protect the house.

This isn’t as difficult as it sounds, with smart projections and analysis the way to put together the puzzle before Las Vegas can figure out what’s happening. Here’s a look at the full list of Week 1 odds and projections.

NFL Week 1 Odds

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

Top Early Odds to Bet Chicago at Houston (-6.5)

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Get this one while it’s hot, folks.

The more one digs deeper on a showdown between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans, the more one should find the latter sits at a bigger advantage than this line.

Chicago isn’t a bad team per se, but it’s one in a rebuild after letting a name such as Matt Forte walk over the offseason. Jay Cutler has Alshon Jeffery to lean on in the passing game, but the star wideout has been on and off the field with issues going into the season. The offensive line as a whole just had to undergo a shuffle after the team signed Josh Sitton, as the team announced.

That last bit is terrible news against a J.J. Watt-led defense. ESPN’s Sarah Barshop caught up with Houston head coach Bill O’Brien on Watt’s return from back surgery:

Bill O’Brien on J.J. Watt: “I would say that he’ll play” on Sunday.

— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) September 5, 2016

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