NFL Preseason Top Betting Opportunities
One of the most intense quarterback competitions of the NFL preseason is being staged in Minnesota, where veteran Kyler Murray is attempting to beat out young gun J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. According to numerous reports out of Vikings camp, Murray has emerged as the favorite, but a few important games will be played before that’s a done deal.
A quarterback duel that’s highly competitive can create a bet-on team in the preseason, which kicked off last week with a high-scoring Hall of Fame Game at Canton, Ohio. Most sportsbooks have posted opening lines for this week’s 16-game schedule, beginning with six games on Thursday, and you can bet many of those point spreads and totals will be moving as coaches reveal information about playing time for starters and quarterback rotations.
While some carnival barkers in the media and other uninformed buffoons claim preseason wagering is only for degenerates and idiots, the truth is many pro bettors will be in action and these are numbers that can be beat. Sharp money is more fact than fiction in the preseason, but on a relative scale. Bookmakers set lower wagering limits for a reason.
“As soon as some information is released, there will be quite a few moves and all the bookmakers will be on defense with low limits and lines moving fast,” Boomer’s sportsbook director Nick Bogdanovich said. “It is really an interesting three-week puzzle, and I’m not against it at all. I sort of enjoy the process.”
Of the various angles to consider, quarterback rotations are arguably most important to handicappers. Instead of dancing with the stars, you are betting on backups in most cases. Kansas City coach Andy Reid said he’s not planning to play Patrick Mahomes on Saturday against the Rams. The Chiefs’ backup quarterbacks are Justin Fields, Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Oladokun. Reigning league MVP Matthew Stafford is unlikely to play for the Rams, who feature an intriguing battle for the No. 2 job between Stetson Bennett and rookie first-round pick Ty Simpson.
Preseason quarterback rotations must be evaluated through a different lens. With backups on the field on both sides of the ball, and especially on the offensive line, mobile QBs become more valuable because of their ability to make something happen on the run when plays break down. A perfect example of that was on display in Canton when rookie Haynes King ran 5 yards for a touchdown on the game’s final play to give Carolina a 33-30 victory over Arizona.
It should be noted the Hall of Fame Game continued a trend from last year, when scoring increased and the 16 games in preseason Week 1 averaged 44.8 points.
The Cleveland quarterback situation has been a circus, but it was an advantage last August when the Browns went 3-0. The competition now involves veteran Deshaun Watson, second-year pros Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, and mobile rookie Taylen Green.
Another popular angle focuses on new head coaches who theoretically want to establish a winning culture. It’s not a foolproof angle. Last year, seven teams had new coaches and those teams went a combined 6-11-4 straight up in the preseason, with only Ben Johnson of the Bears (2-0-1) and Mike Vrabel of the Patriots (2-1) posting a winning record.
This year there are 10 new coaches in the league — Joe Brady (Bills), Jeff Hafley (Dolphins), John Harbaugh (Giants), Klint Kubiak (Raiders), Mike LaFleur (Cardinals), Mike McCarthy (Steelers), Jesse Minter (Ravens), Todd Monken (Browns), Robert Saleh (Titans) and Kevin Stefanski (Falcons).
Las Vegas will be a team to monitor closely due to the combination of a new coach and a quarterback competition. While veteran Kirk Cousins is expected to initially win the job, he will get pushed by No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza. The third quarterback is Aidan O’Connell, who has made 17 starts in three seasons for the Raiders.
NFL PRESEASON QUARTERBACK DEPTH CHARTS 2026
ARIZONA: Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, Carson Beck, Kedon Slovis
ATLANTA: Tua Tagovailoa, Michael Penix Jr., Cooper Rush, Jack Strand
BALTIMORE: Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, Joe Fagnano
BUFFALO: Josh Allen, Kyle Allen, Shane Buechele
CAROLINA: Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett, Haynes King
CHICAGO: Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum, Miller Moss
CINCINNATI: Joe Burrow, Joe Flacco, Josh Johnson, Sean Clifford
CLEVELAND: Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Taylen Green
DALLAS: Dak Prescott, Joe Milton, Sam Howell
DENVER: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger
DETROIT: Jared Goff, Teddy Bridgewater, Luke Altmyer
GREEN BAY: Jordan Love, Tyrod Taylor, Kyle McCord, Kyron Drones
HOUSTON: C.J. Stroud, Davis Mills, Graham Mertz
INDIANAPOLIS: Daniel Jones, Riley Leonard, Anthony Richardson, Easton Stick
JACKSONVILLE: Trevor Lawrence, Nick Mullens, Carter Bradley, Joey Aguilar
KANSAS CITY: Patrick Mahomes, Justin Fields, Garrett Nussmeier, Chris Oladokun
LAS VEGAS: Kirk Cousins, Fernando Mendoza, Aidan O’Connell, Jacob Clark
L.A. CHARGERS: Justin Herbert, Trey Lance, DJ Uiagalelei
L.A. RAMS: Matthew Stafford, Stetson Bennett, Ty Simpson, Matthew Caldwell
MIAMI: Malik Willis, Quinn Ewers, Cam Miller
MINNESOTA: Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, Max Brosmer
NEW ENGLAND: Drake Maye, Tommy DeVito, Behren Morton
NEW ORLEANS: Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, Zach Wilson, Hunter Dekkers
N.Y. GIANTS: Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston, Brandon Allen
N.Y. JETS: Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik, Brady Cook, Bailey Zappe
PHILADELPHIA: Jalen Hurts, Andy Dalton, Tanner McKee, Cole Payton
PITTSBURGH: Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Drew Allar
SAN FRANCISCO: Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Kurtis Rourke, Adrian Martinez
SEATTLE: Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Milroe
TAMPA BAY: Baker Mayfield, Jake Browning, Connor Bazelak, Jalon Daniels
TENNESSEE: Cam Ward, Mitchell Trubisky, Will Levis, Hendon Hooker
WASHINGTON: Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota, Sam Hartman, Athan Kaliakmanis
