NFL Odds and Lines for Week 1

• Week 1 of the NFL season got underway with Thursday’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Dallas Cowboys game
• Which betting line has moved the most since opening? What’s the smallest spread of the week?
• All of the wagering information on every NFL game is listed below

Like a child on Christmas Eve, NFL bettors have awaited this week since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walked off the field with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl 55.

It’s the first week of the NFL season and there are spreads, totals and moneylines galore. Where’s the action? Which spreads are moving? Are the totals going over or under?

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers. All of the Week 1 movers and shakers in the NFL odds are detailed below.

NFL Week 1 Odds

Odds as of September 9th at DraftKings.

Darnold Going Back To The Future

It’s not often that a castoff player is given the chance at instant karma. That’s what is being offered to quarterback Sam Darnold. Shunted aside by the New York Jets in favor of second overall draft pick Zach Wilson, Darnold will be under center for the Carolina Panthers as they play host to the Jets.

Bettors seem confident that Darnold will have his way with his old team. Carolina was a 4-point pick in the opening line. Since then, the spread has grown to Panthers -5.5. It probably won’t move more. While the Panthers are better at this stage than the Jets, Carolina isn’t exactly an NFL juggernaut.

#Panthers QB Sam Darnold had a chance to throw the #Jets organization under the bus when the media asked him about the lack of weapons, protection in NY, but he took blame instead. Always has been a stand up guy: #NYJvsCAR #TakeFlight #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/ZpRC9PXVBo

— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) September 8, 2021

Quite simply, the explanation for the growth in this point spread is more to do with who is surrounding Darnold than it is with Darnold himself. He can hand the ball off or flip an outlet pass to running back Christian McCaffrey, the most dangerous two-way threat in any NFL backfield. He can also hook up with receiver Robbie Anderson, a fellow ex-Jet and they can gain revenge in tandem.

Stafford Expected To Pile Up Points

It’s a new era for the Los Angeles Rams — new quarterback, new stadium. The expectations are that with Matthew Stafford at the helm, the Rams will pile up the points against the Chicago Bears in their regular-season debut at So-Fi Stadium.

Last season with the Detroit Lions, Stafford threw for 4,000 yards and 26 touchdowns with pedestrian weapons at his disposal and while running for his life behind a sieve-like offensive line. Imagine what he can accomplish surrounded by first-rate offensive talent?

Looking forward to watching Matthew Stafford operate Sean McVay's offense for real. 🐏 #PedalToTheMetal pic.twitter.com/UgSdARC4iD

— JimEverett.eth (@Jim_Everett) September 6, 2021

NFL bettors certainly appear to be envisioning the possibilities. The total on the Rams-Bears game opened at 43.5 points. It’s since expanded to 46.5 points.

It’s not likely to move further. The Bears will be hard-pressed to supply their portion of this equation. They’ve also got a new QB in Andy Dalton. He should carry on the Chicago tradition of mediocre performance at the position.

The total has gone under in 14 of LA’s last 17 home games but that was during the Jared Goff era.

Charging To The Capitol

The NFL offensive rookie of the year (Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert) squares off against the NFL Defensive ROY (Washington edge Chase Young).

Herbert rewrote the NFL rookie passing record book last season. Young and his defensive cohorts led Washington to the NFC East title.

Justin Herbert might be a little camera-shy 😂 @brgridiron

(via @chargers)pic.twitter.com/6uJpRYTtdi

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 3, 2021

Washington will be breaking in a new QB (veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick). LA is breaking in a new head coach (Brandon Staley).

It’s not quite a pick’em but it’s the next closest thing. Washington is a 1-point home favorite. The line hasn’t budged all week, so it’s unlikely to move this late in the week.

Big Numbers Going To The Matt

The actual largest spread of the week is Tampa Bay -9 against Dallas on Thursday. But since they’ve already kicked off, we’ll go with the next in line and both involve Stafford in a roundabout way.

https://twitter.com/KobeRansom49GM/status/1435779695203790848?s=20

His current team, the Rams, are 7.5-point picks at home over Chicago. His old team. the Lions, are 7.5-point home underdogs to the San Francisco 49ers.

Neither line has moved an inch all week. The wide margin on the point spread indicates exactly how wide the gulf is between NFC West and NFC North teams.

Giants, Broncos Doesn’t Add Up

The smallest total of the week has been assigned to the Denver Broncos-New York Giants game. It’s set at 42 points.

#Giants RB Saquon Barkley is gearing up to play Sunday vs. the #Broncos, and sources say he’s close to being fully cleared to do so following major knee surgery. The team needs to watch him through Thursday to gauge how his body responds to the workload. But he’s close.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 6, 2021

If you have to ask why, then you’ve obviously never watched Daniel Jones or Teddy Bridgewater play QB. However, if the speculation about Giants’ RB Saquon Barkley (knee) being cleared to play proves true, it could move this number.

Big Number For AFC Playoff Rematch

Cleveland and Kansas City combined for 39 points in last season’s AFC playoff game. However, that was without Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, who was hurt in the game. The total is set at 54.5 for their rematch. That’s the highest of any Week 1 game.

Baker Mayfield 2020 Season:
16 Games Played
3,563 Yds (18th)
26 TDs (Tied 12th)
8 INT (Tied 10th)
QBR 65.5 (10th)

Patrick Mahomes 2020 Season:
15 Games Played
4,740 Yds (2nd)
38 TDs (4th)
6 INT (Tied 5th)
QBR 78.1 (2nd)#CLEvsKC #ChiefsKingdom

— Brad Symcox (@BritChiefUK) September 9, 2021

With Mahomes at QB, the Chiefs have met or gone over the total of 54.5 in two of their past three season openers.