NFL Picks, Odds: Preseason Best Bets for Eagles vs Ravens, Chargers vs Rams
Getty Images. Pictured: Tyler Huntley (left) and Stetson Bennett.
Back-to-back days of six-game slates in the NFL? Who cares if it's the preseason? This is great! We have more NFL picks!
Our staff was 2-1 on Friday and will have you covered all day Saturday. We'll open the day watching Anthony Richardson make his first competitive appearance in a Colts uniform, then it'll be the best preseason team ever, the Baltimore Ravens, looking to continue their dominance against the Eagles. Finally, we'll close it with the Battle of L.A.
Check out our staff's favorite NFL picks and odds breakdowns below.
NFL Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NFL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| 1 p.m. | ||
| 7 p.m. | ||
| 9 p.m. | ||
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NFL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Colts vs. Bills
By Sam Farley
We know that starters matter in preseason, which should sound positive for the Bills, who are expected to play the bulk of their first stringers. However, the reality is that Josh Allen won't be one of them and quarterbacks matter here. Kyle Allen and Matt Barkley are good backups but we need starting level players here.
The Colts won't have that problem. GM Chris Ballard has confirmed that first round selection Anthony Richardson will be starting under center for the Colts. While it's going to be fascinating to see how the offense runs through him, it's great for bettors who will then see Gardner Minshew, who’s good enough to be a starter in this league, take reps as the backup.
Quality quarterback play means points, which is why I'm backing the Colts -3.5 to beat the Bills on Satuday.
What is QuickSlip?
QuickSlip is an Action Network feature that allows users to automatically pre-load their bet slip at FanDuel Sportsbook.
Eagles vs. Ravens
Come on, are you really going to step in front of this money train?
These are the facts: The Ravens have won 23 consecutive preseason games. They’re 19–3–1 ATS in that span, a ridiculous 86% cover rate.
The last time the Ravens lost a preseason football game was Sept. 3, 2015. That’s 2,989 days ago. Lamar Jackson was a rookie… at Louisville. Matt Schaub started for Baltimore, and Rex Grossman featured prominently for the Falcons. That’s how long it’s been since the Ravens lost a preseason game.
And here’s the thing — they almost won that one too! Despite trailing 20–6 with three minutes left, they scored a TD, blocked a punt, scored again, and came a failed two-point conversion away from pushing this wild streak even further.
Look, I could give you analysis about Todd Monken’s fun new offense or the way this defense came around the second half of last season, but we both know we’re betting on Baltimore until they stop winning. I'm not big on paying -200 moneylines so I'll grab the spread, but either way, let's keep this money train going.
Chargers vs. Rams
By Matt Trebby
A few things have me leaning toward the Rams.
The first are reports coming out of Irvine, Calif., which is where the Rams hold training camp. Stetson Bennett is expected to play most of this game under center for Sean McVay, and the rookie out of Georgia has impressed during training camp. It looks like the two-time national champion is poised to enter the season as the backup QB.
McVay also told reporters this week that he was expecting the team to take a different approach to preseason this year. There’s a lot more uncertainty on the Rams roster than in past years, especially on the defensive side of the ball. There are 40 rookies on their roster!
Still, there have been positive reports, and these young Rams defenders aren’t going to be facing some dynamic quarterback in this game.
Justin Herbert isn’t going to play, which means Easton Stick and Max Duggan will play most of the game. Stick has been with the Chargers for four seasons, and his preseason stats are underwhelming. He has a career 62.5% completion percentage in the preseason and last year was at 60% while throwing two interceptions on 60 pass attempts. Duggan, meanwhile, is a rookie seventh-round pick.
I’m going to lay the three points and bet that a young Rams roster led by Bennett and Brett Rypien, who wasn’t horrible last season when given a chance to start in Denver (I’m not saying he was good), to best the Chargers offense.
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