X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Top NFL Betting Expert Picks for Week 1 (9/8/19)

The 2019 NFL season is finally upon us and this might be one of the most hyped up seasons in recent memory! Yes, we say that every year, but it's true!

We're here to dive into the numbers, teams, and picks setup for the NFL this week. There is nothing quite like waking up on Sunday morning, checking out the lines, and throwing down some fun money to make watching those games a little more enjoyable.

Follow me on Twitter @sgjanik_6 to chat about football and my picks. I’m also on the Action App @sgjanik6 where I’ll post all the picks below and more this season. Here’s the motto we’ll take through the year: Bet. Sweat. Keep the wallet wet. 

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Atlanta at Minnesota (-4)

O/U: 48

Atlanta returns one of the league's most electric offenses from a season ago, scoring 25.9 points per game, which ranked ninth in the NFL. While Matt Ryan is back after throwing for 4,924 yards and 35 touchdowns, he also gets a healthy Devonta Freeman back, who only appeared in two games last year due to a groin injury. We can't forget about Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Mohamed Sanu who form one of the most electric receiving corps in football. However, the team fired offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and brought back Dirk Koetter, who was the OC in Atlanta from 2012-14. Times have changed and so have NFL offenses, so there's no telling what this team may show in Week 1. Betting wise, Atlanta was terrible last year when considered underdogs on the road, going 1-4 against the spread in 2018. Even worse, they were 2-8 ATS in games against non-divisional opponents. 

Minnesota is a pretty similar team to last year, except their expectations are now considerably high with the hopes that Dalvin Cook will be healthy for the entire season. Kirk Cousins is one of the most underrated signal callers in football and the weapons at his disposal are top tier in the league. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are the perfect floor and upside combo. Add in a top three defense, and this Vikings team is a contender in the NFC. When favored at home last year, the Vikings were actually one of the best teams in football at covering the spread, going 4-2-1.  Over the last two season, they are also 10-6-1 ATS when playing in Minnesota.

There's been some under the radar Twitter rumblings that Julio Jones may sit out the first week if he can't get a contract extension done before the game. If that happens then this game will be chalk on Minnesota. However, even before that situation unfolds, the Vikings are the way to roll here. This Vikings Defense is real, and Atlanta switching offensive coordinators will slow them down enough to hold them back in Week 1.

Pick: Minnesota -4

 

Cincinnati at Seattle (-9.5)

O/U: 44

Cincinnati finally got rid of Marvin Lewis and brought in Sean McVay disciple Zac Taylor. However, this team has a lot of work to do before they return to relevance in the AFC. Andy Dalton isn’t a good quarterback, and while he has two of the top playmakers in the AFC North in AJ Green and Joe Mixon, this team is in shambles right now. Green is out for at least the first two games, and while Mixon is healthy, the Bengals offensive line lost first-round pick, tackle Jonah Williams for the year. Under Jones, the Bengals were 6-2 ATS on the road last season.

Seattle is one of the most difficult places to play in the NFL. Fortunately for the Seahawks, they get to start the 2019 season at home. Russell Wilson is back after throwing for a career-high 35 touchdowns in 2018, even after attempting just 427 passes, his lowest total since 2013.  His efficiency was complemented by the second-highest rushing attempts per game (32.8) as a team. Chris Carson is one of the most underrated backs in football and don’t forget they have former first-round pick Rashaad Penny spelling him. Expect more of the same in 2019, especially this week when they face the Bengals who had the fourth worst rushing defense last year. Seattle’s defense just got an enormous upgrade over the weekend when they traded for Jadeveon Clowney to help Ziggy Ansah bolster the defensive line. I fully expect this front seven to attack Dalton and force him to make uncomfortable throws.

Since Pete Carroll took over in Seattle in 2010, Seattle has gone 47-29-2 ATS at home and 33-22-2 while being favored at home. Don’t overthink this one, even with a near double-digit spread. Seattle is tough to beat at home, and evidence shows they’re pretty good at covering too.

Pick: Seattle -9.5

 

New York Giants at Dallas (-7)

O/U: 45.5

The Giants constantly found themselves playing from behind last season, mainly because their defense allowed almost 26 points per game. They’ve since improved over the offseason and will hopefully not force the offense to constantly throw the ball by the second quarter. On offense, Saquon Barkley is arguably the best player in the NFL but aside from Evan Engram, the supporting cast around him is shoddy at best. Eli Manning is a terrible quarterback who shouldn’t still be starting games for an NFL franchise, but here we are. With Odell Beckham Jr. gone, the tables might be turning this year, and the offense will struggle to put up points, mainly because teams will stack the box against Barkley.

The Cowboys has been in the news a lot over the past month, strictly because Ezekiel Elliott wasn’t around town. He’s back (thankfully) but how much do we actually expect Dallas to throw him out there? Probably a lot to be honest, but expecting him to be his usual self after not donning pads until earlier this week. Dak Prescott is an overrated quarterback because of his ability to run, but there’s no doubt he was better last year when Amari Cooper came to town. However, with new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in town, expect Prescott to be given more chances to air it out, which could back fire against an improved Giants secondary.

This is one of the most storied rivalries in football but when they play each other for the first time each season, they tend to feel each other out and not spotlight too many of their big-time plays. Over the past three seasons, the most points scored in their first meeting is 39 and that was back in 2016. Combine the improved Giants Defense with the Cowboys’ best player just suiting up earlier this week, I wouldn’t expect a shootout in Jerry World.

Pick: Under 45.5

More Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Edgar Quero23 mins ago

Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero Reassigned To Minor-League Camp
Angel Perdomo32 mins ago

Traded To The Angels
Spencer Strider42 mins ago

Shines In First Spring Training Start
Cleveland Browns48 mins ago

Browns Could Be Desperate Enough To Trade Up For Cam Ward
Noah Murdock53 mins ago

Earns Opening Day Roster Spot
Raheem Mostert1 hour ago

Expected To Be No. 2 Back In Vegas
Stefon Diggs1 hour ago

Raiders Could Target Stefon Diggs
Michael Gallup1 hour ago

To Visit With Seahawks
Rui Hachimura1 hour ago

Has Progressed To Three-On-Three Work
Pittsburgh Steelers2 hours ago

Isaiahh Loudermilk Returning To Steelers
Dorian Finney-Smith2 hours ago

Ready To Face Spurs
Houston Texans2 hours ago

Ronald Darby Signs One-Year Deal With Texans
Luka Dončić2 hours ago

Luka Doncic Officially Available Monday
Travis Homer2 hours ago

Re-Signs With Bears
Toumani Camara2 hours ago

Ruled Out Monday
Esteury Ruiz2 hours ago

A's Option Esteury Ruiz, J.T. Ginn To Triple-A
Patrick Sandoval2 hours ago

Steadily Progressing In His Rehab
Santi Aldama2 hours ago

Misses Sixth Consecutive Game
David Hamilton2 hours ago

The Front-Runner For Second Base Job?
Aaron Gordon2 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
Scotty Pippen Jr.2 hours ago

Out Against Kings
Sean Newcomb2 hours ago

A Candidate For Rotation Spot
Quinten Post2 hours ago

Available Monday Night
Spencer Torkelson2 hours ago

Could Play Regularly As DH
Christian Braun2 hours ago

Misses Monday's Game
Joey Gallo2 hours ago

Trying His Hand At Pitching
Josh Rojas3 hours ago

Dealing With Hairline Fracture In His Big Toe
Stephen Curry3 hours ago

Good To Go Against Nuggets
Michael King3 hours ago

Named Padres' Opening Day Starter
Jamal Murray3 hours ago

Sits Out Monday's Action
Nikola Jokić3 hours ago

Nikola Jokic Out Against Warriors
Brice Turang3 hours ago

Down 3-5 Days After Throwing Session Doesn't Go Well
James McCann3 hours ago

Signs Minor-League Deal With Braves
Corey Kispert3 hours ago

Leaves Road Trip Due To Thumb Injury
Marcus Smart3 hours ago

Not Healthy Enough To Play On Monday
Jordan Clarkson3 hours ago

Active On Monday
Keyonte George3 hours ago

Returns From Four-Game Absence Monday
Collin Sexton3 hours ago

Will Not Play Monday Night
Lauri Markkanen4 hours ago

Available Against Bulls
Coby White4 hours ago

Cleared For Action Monday
Josh Giddey4 hours ago

Remains Out On Monday
Grayson Allen4 hours ago

Sits Out Fourth Straight Game
Philadelphia Eagles4 hours ago

Azeez Ojulari Heading To Philadelphia
Jesse Winker4 hours ago

Exits Early On Monday
Pittsburgh Steelers4 hours ago

Juan Thornhill Heading To Steel City
Orelvis Martinez4 hours ago

Removed Early On Monday
Andrew Benintendi4 hours ago

Takes Live Batting Practice
Minnesota Vikings4 hours ago

Garrett Bradbury Released By Vikings
Alek Manoah4 hours ago

Placed On 60-Day Injured List
Philadelphia Eagles5 hours ago

Eagles Rework Lane Johnson's Contract
Kristian Campbell5 hours ago

Still Competing For Second Base Gig
Brett Baty5 hours ago

Luisangel Acuna Could Platoon At Second Base
Spencer Steer5 hours ago

To Resume Throwing On Tuesday, Could Be Ready For Opening Day
Andrei Svechnikov6 hours ago

Could Return To Action Thursday
Dustin Wolf6 hours ago

Faces Maple Leafs Monday
Jake Allen6 hours ago

Searches For Third Consecutive Victory Monday
Jet Greaves6 hours ago

Receives Starting Nod Monday
Ivan Fedotov6 hours ago

Starts Against Lightning
Joonas Korpisalo7 hours ago

Starts For Bruins Monday
Roman Dolidze7 hours ago

Extends His Win Streak To Three
Marvin Vettori7 hours ago

Suffers Back-To-Back Losses
Will Zalatoris7 hours ago

Has Been Consistent At Least In 2025
Carson Young7 hours ago

Makes The Cut In Second Straight Tournament
Xander Schauffele7 hours ago

Struggles At The PLAYERS Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard7 hours ago

Misses First Cut In 2025
Lucas Glover7 hours ago

Produces Another Strong Showing At The PLAYERS Championship
Joel Dahmen7 hours ago

Finding Stride Heading To Valspar Championship
Corey Conners7 hours ago

Finishes Tied For Sixth At The PLAYERS Championship
Luke Clanton7 hours ago

Secures PGA Tour Card At Cognizant Classic
Blades Brown7 hours ago

Set To Make Fourth PGA Tour Start In 2025
Cameron Young7 hours ago

A Loose Cannon On Florida Swing
Akshay Bhatia7 hours ago

Secures Third Top-10 Finish
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos8 hours ago

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Sahith Theegala8 hours ago

Seeking Elusive Consistency In Florida
Kyler Murray8 hours ago

Excited For 2025
Joe Highsmith8 hours ago

An Intriguing Option At The Valspar
Chidi Njokuani8 hours ago

Scores TKO Win At UFC Vegas 104
New York Jets8 hours ago

Byron Cowart Inks Deal With Jets
Kurt Holobaugh8 hours ago

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez8 hours ago

Wins Decision At UFC Vegas 104
PGA8 hours ago

Nico Echavarria Just Attempting To Get To The Weekend
Bud Cauley8 hours ago

Trying To Keep Good Times Rolling
8 hours ago

Tetairoa McMillan Increasing His Draft Stock
Christiaan Bezuidenhout9 hours ago

Needs His Putter At The Valspar
PGA9 hours ago

Byeong Hun An Attempts To Get Off To Faster Start
Joseph Woll9 hours ago

Starting On Monday
Nick Jensen9 hours ago

Not Expected To Play On Tuesday
Dylan Strome9 hours ago

Battling Illness
Jonas Brodin9 hours ago

Not Playing On Monday, Viewed As Day-To-Day
Cody Gibson9 hours ago

Submitted At UFC Vegas 104
Josh Norris9 hours ago

Not Playing On Monday
Da'Mon Blackshear9 hours ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
JJ Peterka9 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday's Contest
Brendson Ribeiro10 hours ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC Vegas 104
Diyar Nurgozhay10 hours ago

Suffers His First Loss
MMA10 hours ago

Seung Woo Choi Suffers First-Round TKO Loss At UFC Vegas 104
Kevin Vallejos10 hours ago

Finishes Seung Woo Choi In Debut
Jameis Winston10 hours ago

To Visit With Giants On Tuesday
Cincinnati Bengals11 hours ago

Bengals Still Hoping To Sign Trey Hendrickson To An Extension
Houston Texans11 hours ago

Texans Make Derek Stingley Jr. The Highest-Paid Defensive Back
Tyler Reddick12 hours ago

Solid Performance Is Derailed By Late Pit-Road Issues At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney12 hours ago

Struggles End In A Disappointing Exit Late At Las Vegas
Josh Berry13 hours ago

Impressively Earns First Cup Series Win At Las Vegas
AJ Allmendinger13 hours ago

Scores First Top-10 Finish Of Season At Las Vegas
Kyle Larson13 hours ago

Leads The Most Laps, But Settles For A Top-10 Finish At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain13 hours ago

Obtains A Hard-Fought Top-Five Finish At Las Vegas
Daniel Suarez13 hours ago

Scores Career-Best Finish At Las Vegas, But Falls Short Of Winning
Cole Perfetti16 hours ago

Tallies Goal, Assist In Victory
Karel Vejmelka17 hours ago

Earns Victory On Sunday
Jordan Kyrou17 hours ago

Tallies Three Points On Sunday
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins17 hours ago

Dishes Out Three Helpers
Cale Makar17 hours ago

Tallies Three Points On Sunday
Dmitry Kulikov17 hours ago

Injured On Sunday
NASCAR19 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Wrecks At Las Vegas But Shows Promising Speed
Alex Bowman19 hours ago

Recovers From Loose Wheel To Finish Seventh
Austin Cindric19 hours ago

Wins Stage 1, But Loose Wheel Foils Victory Bid
William Byron19 hours ago

Loses Las Vegas Race On Strategy But Expands Points Lead
Ryan Preece19 hours ago

Earns Best Career Non-Drafting Oval Finish At Las Vegas
Tee Higgins1 day ago

Becomes Highest-Paid WR2 In NFL History
Ja'Marr Chase1 day ago

Bengals Make Ja'Marr Chase The Highest-Paid Non-QB In NFL History
Miami Dolphins1 day ago

Ryan Stonehouse Signs With Dolphins
Sam Darnold1 day ago

Could Opt Out After One Season
Igor Shesterkin1 day ago

Remains In Rangers Crease Sunday
John Gibson1 day ago

Still Out On Sunday
Nick Bjugstad1 day ago

Returns For Utah Sunday
Christopher Bell2 days ago

Quest For Four Wins In A Row Just Got More Difficult
Kyle Larson2 days ago

Should Contend For Another Win At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney2 days ago

Once Again The Chalk DFS Pick At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain2 days ago

Fastest In Practice At Las Vegas
Chris Buescher2 days ago

Has Sneaky Upside This Weekend
Chase Elliott2 days ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
William Byron2 days ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin2 days ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Roman Dolidze4 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani4 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos4 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez4 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson4 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro4 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
Jacob Bridgeman6 days ago

Use Caution For Jacob Bridgeman At TPC Sawgrass
Nicolai Hojgaard6 days ago

Looks To Stay Consistent Heading Into PLAYERS Championship
Karl Vilips6 days ago

Makes PLAYERS Championship Debut After First PGA Tour Win
Taylor Pendrith6 days ago

A Sneaky Play At TPC Sawgrass
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2025)

The NFL offseason is starting to heat up, and the league's legal tampering period is set to begin on March 10 at noon Eastern. Free agents cannot officially sign until the new league year begins on March 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern, but deals will be agreed to, and news will be coming in quickly […]


Kaleb Johnson - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Drafts: Best, Worst Picks In Rounds 1-4

You don't want to draft the below players, trust me. There are busts in every year's rookie class, and while some of them are tough to predict, others show clear signs that they aren't worth their capital. Many players have great fortune in college, playing on great teams that elevate their production and thus the […]


Matthew Golden - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Draft

2025 NFL Draft Wide Receiver Rankings: Top 5 Rookies

Last year’s wide receiver class was one of the best in recent history, totaling three top-10 picks and seven prospects coming off the board in the first round. Many have called this year’s class a massive downgrade compared to last year’s unit. Yet, the 2025 wide receiver draft class has several impressive prospects. There might […]


Brenton Strange - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire, TE Streamers, NFL DFS

Winners and Losers of 2025 NFL Free Agency in Fantasy Football

NFL Free Agency has been quite the frenzy. At RotoBaller, we track it all for you right here! It might not always feel like it, but there have been a ton of impactful moves. And with every move comes a fantasy football impact, right? This article takes a look at some of the top winners […]


Jaylen Wright - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Fantasy Football Breakouts: Running Back Sleepers For 2025

The running back position is in constant flux in Dynasty fantasy football, as depth charts are constantly shuffled around, teams often decide to move on from productive players and replace them with cheaper or younger options, and players have their first good seasons in their careers. We're mostly concerned with that last point -- RBs […]


Albert Haynesworth - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Worst NFL Free Agent Signings Of All Time

With the free agency period for the 2025 NFL season now underway, many big-name players will find new homes as teams compete to sign anyone and everyone they think they need to help their squad. While many signings end up being good moves, or at least help their teams fill holes at certain positions on […]


Cole Kmet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Tight Ends to Buy or Sell (2025)

It's tough to find good tight ends in dynasty fantasy football. Unfortunately, it's also very easy to be stuck with one that sticks around in the doldrums of low production. Such is the case for many TEs, and even those who have good seasons here and there often lack consistency year over year. It's not […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Running Backs to Buy or Sell (2025)

Running back volume and production is highly mercurial in the NFL. It can thus be difficult to know when to trade away and when to trade for tailbacks. There is constant competition for roles in certain backfields, and red-herring situations are abound due to injuries and plain luck. While some RBs are certainly safe in […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Third-Year Breakouts

Patience can be tough, especially in fantasy football. We want instant production from rookies, but these players often take a while to get going. These youngsters need to adjust to the speed of the NFL and learn from their early struggles to break out fully. The third year in the NFL is oftentimes when things […]


Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Free Agency Winners and Losers - Fantasy Football Outlooks from Florio

Free Agency is the most fun week of the NFL offseason. Even when it is not the strongest class, there is never a shortage of excitement. Players changing teams at a rapid rate. It is a week filled with hope that your favorite team will add stars and that those under-the-radar players you love will […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

Josh Downs Fantasy Football Dynasty Outlook (2025)

The 2025 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. For the last few months, dynasty fantasy football gamers have been meticulously studying the incoming rookie class to gain any edge they can on their league mates. While we should be anxiously awaiting our rookie drafts, we must also take time and analyze how veteran players are valued […]


Tyron Smith Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

New York Jets and former long-time Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL for an extended period of time. He's made five All-Pro teams, two with the first team and two with the second team, been selected to eight Pro Bowls, and earned a spot on […]


Bills Defense - Von Miller IDP Rankings, D/ST Streamers, Fantasy Football Team Defense

Von Miller Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, one of the greatest pass-rushers in NFL history, was released by his team on March 9, 2025. He had signed a six-year, $120 million deal with the team in 2022, but the soon-to-be 36-year-old wasn't able to make it to the end of that contract, so he's now looking for […]