Our best bets for the opening week of the 2023 NFL season include two moneyline picks and a player prop.
The NFL returns for the 2023 season with defending champions the Kansas City Chiefs kick-starting the campaign as they host the Detroit Lions.
Elsewhere there is a full slate of games for punters to get their teeth into across the weekend as teams look to get the new season off to the perfect start.
Ravens to take advantage of rookie QB
The Houston Texans had one of the worst records in the NFL last season, finishing 3-13-1, and they look set to open the new campaign with another defeat.
The Baltimore Ravens went 8-4 when quarterback Lamar Jackson started last season and 2-3 when he didn’t, so he is clearly crucial to their chances and could not have asked for a much easier game than this to get him started following his new contract extension.
Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers have joined and they can rack up the score against a poor Houston team. They will be throwing rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud in at the deep end and that looks like a recipe for disaster against the Ravens top secondary.
The Ravens have gone 3-1 in Week 1 with Jackson as quarterback, winning by 49, 32 and 15 points, and they are fancied for another comfortable success.
Baltimore Ravens -9.5 @ 10/11
Fields to star for Bears
The Chicago Bears have been playing second fiddle to the Green Bay Packers throughout the recent history of their rivalry, but things could be about to change under exciting quarterback Justin Fields.
With the departure of Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay look unlikely to make any waves under new gunslinger Jordan Love and Fields can announce himself here.
Fields threw for 2,241 yards last season and with the threat provided by his rushing, he can keep the Packers’ defence busy all game.
Take Fields to throw for at least 185 passing yards against a poor Green Bay team.
Justin Fields over 184.5 passing yards @ 20/23
Jets may fall short again
The New York Jets have been one of the stories of the off season, signing former MVP quarterback Rodgers to spearhead their new-look team as they aim to stop the Buffalo Bills’ dominance in the AFC East.
However much the Jets have improved in recent years, Buffalo are still one of the best teams in the league and will be buoyed by the return of Damar Hamlin after his horror injury last season.
Josh Allen remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and is fancied to lead his team on a party-crashing victory over the Jets, in which they can cover the three-point handicap.
Buffalo Bills -2.5 @ 10/11
