NFL Expert Picks for Week 1 of 2026
The NFL is back! The first game of the regular season kicks off Wednesday night, which is being branded as Sunday Night Football, because nothing makes sense in football and that’s how we like it.
Our panel of NFL writers is back to predict every game in the regular season this year. When it comes to picking Week 1 it’s all a total toss-up based on what we saw from these teams last year. Lest we all forget that in the season opener of 2025 we saw the Raiders beat the Patriots, and the Broncos struggle against the Titans — so safe to say there’s a little wiggle room for randomness.
Each week we’ll update each of the panel’s overall records to keep us accountable for our horrible picks. Let’s football.
Week 1
Mookie Alexander
James Dator
David Fucillo
Brandon Gowton
Jared Mueller
R.J. Ochoa
Ricky O’Donnell
Mark Schofield
Matthew Warren
Kickoff: Patriots vs. Seahawks
Seahawks
Seahawks
Seahawks
Seahawks
Seahawks
Seahawks
Seahawks
Patriots
Seahawks
TNF: 49ers vs. Rams
Rams
49ers
49ers
Rams
Rams
Rams
49ers
Rams
Rams
Falcons vs. Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Steelers
Buccaneers vs. Bengals
Buccaneers
Bengals
Bucs
Bengals
Bengals
Buccaneers
Bengals
Bengals
Bengals
Bears vs. Panthers
Bears
Panthers
Bears
Bears
Bears
Bears
Bears
Bears
Bears
Saints vs. Lions
Lions
Lions
Lions
Lions
Lions
Lions
Lions
Lions
Lions
Jets vs. Titans
Titans
Titans
Titans
Titans
Jets
Titans
Titans
Titans
Titans
Ravens vs. Colts
Ravens
Ravens
Ravens
Ravens
Colts
Ravens
Ravens
Ravens
Ravens
Browns vs. Jaguars
Jaguars
Jaguars
Jaguars
Jaguars
Browns
Jaguars
Jaguars
Jaguars
Jaguars
Bills vs. Texans
Texans
Bills
Texans
Texans
Bills
Bills
Bills
Bills
Bills
Cardinals vs. Chargers
Chargers
Chargers
Chargers
Chargers
Chargers
Chargers
Chargers
Chargers
Chargers
Commanders vs. Eagles
Eagles
Eagles
Eagles
Eagles
Eagles
Eagles
Eagles
Eagles
Eagles
Packers vs. Vikings
Packers
Vikings
Packers
Vikings
Packers
Vikings
Vikings
Packers
Packers
Dolphins vs. Raiders
Raiders
Raiders
Raiders
Raiders
Dolphins
Raiders
Raiders
Raiders
Raiders
SNF: Cowboys vs. Giants
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Cowboys
Giants
MNF: Broncos vs. Chiefs
Broncos
Chiefs
Broncos
Chiefs
Chiefs
Chiefs
Broncos
Chiefs
Broncos
The NFL is back! The first game of the regular season kicks off Wednesday night, which is being branded as Sunday Night Football, because nothing makes sense in football and that’s how we like it.
Our panel of NFL writers is back to predict every game in the regular season this year. When it comes to picking Week 1 it’s all a total toss-up based on what we saw from these teams last year. Lest we all forget that in the season opener of 2025 we saw the Raiders beat the Patriots, and the Broncos struggle against the Titans — so safe to say there’s a little wiggle room for randomness.
Each week we’ll update each of the panel’s overall records to keep us accountable for our horrible picks. Let’s football.
