10 Must-Watch Games for the 2024 NFL Season

The NFL dropped its highly anticipated schedule for the upcoming 2024 season, and it's safe to say it's absolutely packed with exciting matchups throughout the season.

With so many incredible games on tap, picking through the schedule can feel like an overwhelming task. With that in mind, we've poured over the schedule and hand-picked 10 games you won't want to miss.

All NFL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

NFL Schedule 2024 -- Best Games

Ravens at Chiefs, Week 1

The 2024 season is going to start out on a serious high note -- the reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs will host the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football in a rematch of last year's AFC title bout.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Chiefs (+600) and Ravens (+950) have the second- and third-shortest Super Bowl odds, respectively, for the upcoming season, and it's not hard to see why -- a matchup between a pair of two-time MVP-winners in Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson is simply something no football fan can afford to miss. Mahomes is the early MVP favorite for 2024, listed at +500 odds to win the NFL MVP.

We'll also be seeing the two top-five defenses from the 2023 season -- per numberFire's schedule-adjusted metrics -- as well as the Baltimore debut of Derrick Henry.

The Chiefs are a 2.5-point home favorite over the Ravens in this one, and both teams as currently listed as the favorite in their division, with KC at -230 odds to win the AFC West and Baltimore a +140 favorite in the AFC North.

Titans at Bears, Week 1

The Week 1 lineup is pretty stacked, but I'm especially pumped for the NFL debut of first overall pick Caleb Williams. The former Heisman winner is set up for success with an offense featuring all of D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and 2024 ninth overall pick Rome Odunze. Between Williams' incredible collegiate career and his offensive surroundings in Chicago, it's no surprise that his +170 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds pace the pack.

What makes Williams' debut even more exciting is that he'll get to take on a Tennessee Titans defense that tied for the fifth-highest adjusted yards per attempt allowed to opposing passers last year. Williams could hit the ground running.

Of course, we can't forget about the Titans' offense, either. Tennessee hired a new, offensive-minded head coach in Brian Callahan and swung big in free agency, signing Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd to supplement DeAndre Hopkins, forming a formidable pass-catching trio for second-year quarterback Will Levis.

The betting markets are into the Bears -- both for this game and overall for 2024. Chicago is a 4.5-point home favorite versus Tennessee, and the Bears win total is set at 8.5, with -150 odds on the over, per FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL win totals.

Commanders at Bengals, Week 3

LSU Tigers fans will want to tune into this one -- in Week 3, the Washington Commanders and second-overall pick Jayden Daniels will take on the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow throwing to Ja'Marr Chase. It's not far from an LSU alumni night, just on an NFL field.

Daniels' +600 odds to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year trail only Caleb Williams' odds. Burrow's +1000 NFL MVP odds are tied for third-shortest, and Chase's +1200 odds to win NFL Offensive Player of the Year rank fifth-shortest. This game is jam-packed with offensive talent.

Eagles at Buccaneers, Week 4

In recent seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles have now twice seen their postseasons end at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2021, Tom Brady and company silenced the up-and-coming Eagles in Jalen Hurts' first season as the starter. This past year, the scrappy Baker Mayfield-led Bucs upset the Eagles in the Wild Card Round, with stud defensive tackle Vita Vea helping Tampa Bay shut down the formerly-unstoppable "Tush Push" -- twice.

While Philly underwhelmed last year, especially down the stretch, the betting markets are still bullish on them. The Eagles are tied with the Dallas Cowboys as co-division favorites, with both squads coming in at +120 odds to win the NFC East. The Eagles' win total is set at 10.5.

As good as we've seen the Eagles' offense be -- with star receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith catching passes for Hurts -- the fate of their season could rest on the shoulders of their two rookie defensive backs. Quinyon Mitchell (+1200) and Cooper DeJean (+2500) have the third- and eighth-shortest odds to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and will be tasked with turning around a defense that completely fell apart in 2023.

Bills at Texans, Week 5

C.J. Stroud had one heck of a rookie season in 2023, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award while taking his Houston Texans all the way to the Divisional Round of the playoffs. He's tied with Burrow for the third-shortest NFL MVP odds (+1000) this year. On the other side of the field, Josh Allen has the second-shortest MVP odds at +800. This game could turn into one of the most exciting quarterback battles of the entire season.

Adding to what should already be an action-packed game is the Stefon Diggs revenge game narrative. Following a tumultuous 2023 season, the Bills traded Diggs to the Texans this offseason. After the Minnesota Vikings traded Diggs to the Bills, the All-Pro wideout smoked Minnesota in his first matchup against the Vikes, catching 12 of 16 targets for 128 yards. I'll be watching to see if he can do more of the same against Buffalo.

Each of these teams are the frontrunners to win their respective divisions -- the Bills own +165 odds to win the AFC East while the Texans are a +105 favorite in the AFC South. There's a good chance this Week 5 matchup could be a sneak peak at a future postseason contest.

Lions at Cowboys, Week 6

There was a three-way tie at the top of the NFC in 2023, with the Detroit Lions and the Cowboys sharing a 12-5 record alongside the San Francisco 49ers. Tie-breakers -- partially won in the 49ers' landslide victory over the Cowboys in Week 5 -- dictated that San Francisco earned the NFC's bye in the playoffs. While the Lions progressed through those playoffs before eventually succumbing to the 49ers in the NFC Championship game, the Cowboys fell flat in the Wild Card Round.

The Cowboys are now leaning into a "make it or break it" phase with coach Mike McCarthy and starting quarterback Dak Prescott, opting not to extend Dak as he enters the final year of his current contract. On the flip side, the Lions just recently extended Jared Goff on a massive new deal, keeping him with the team through the 2028 season. It's a stark contrast considering the disparity in the two quarterbacks' MVP odds -- Prescott's +1600 NFL MVP odds are significantly shorter than Goff's +3500 odds.

This game could have massive implications across the NFC. The Lions' +600 odds to win the NFC trail only the 49ers' conference-best +250 odds while the Cowboys are tied with the Eagles for the third-shortest odds at +650. For whoever wins this matchup, it could be the deciding factor in putting them on top of the conference this year.

Ravens at Chargers, Week 12

Week 12 will feature a battle between brothers as longtime Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh takes on recently appointed Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, whose Michigan Wolverines claimed a national title during his final season with the team in 2023.

These two teams are at completely different stages entering the season. Like we mentioned earlier, the Ravens are considered among the favorites to win the Super Bowl while the Chargers are in a bit of a rebuild. That said, the Chargers' +350 odds to win the AFC West rank second-shortest behind the Chiefs' odds, and in Jim's previous stint in the NFL, his 49ers yielded a stellar 44-19-1 record across four seasons. The Chargers may seem like they're down, but with Harbaugh and Justin Herbert, they are certainly not out.

Despite a seemingly large talent gap between these teams, I'm expecting the Harbaugh brothers to put on a show. This one should be a nail-biter right in the heart of the season.

Packers at Lions, Week 14

This one has high stakes written all over it. The Green Bay Packers (+185) are neck-and-neck with the Lions (+145) in terms of odds to win the NFC North. There's a good chance this Week 14 matchup could decide the eventual winner of the division.

Green Bay appeared to get over the loss of Aaron Rodgers pretty quickly, with Jordan Love shining in his first season as the team's starter. Despite mild preseason expectations for the longtime kings in the North, Love helped bring the Packers all the way to the Divisional Round of the playoffs -- nearly beating the same 49ers that eventually knocked out the Lions in the NFC Championship game.

The 2020 first-round pick took a massive leap in the second half of the 2023 season while playing alongside one of the youngest offenses in the NFL. If the Packers take another step forward this year, they could renew the vicelike claim they held over the division over the last 30 years.

Falcons at Vikings, Week 14

Speaking of the NFC North, the Vikings will square off against their former starter and his new team in Week 14. After making just two playoff appearances in six seasons with Kirk Cousins under center, Minnesota agreed to part ways with the gunslinger this offseason -- now he'll get his chance for revenge as the starting quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons.

Can Cousins pull off a win over J.J. McCarthy, the quarterback the Vikings drafted to replace him? Will the Vikings have regrets about their decision to move on?

The Falcons and the Vikings have slogged through some pretty rough seasons in recent years, but this year could be different. The Vikings may have the postseason in sight but are considered underdogs to get there based on their odds to make the NFL playoffs (+245). The Falcons, on the other hand, are favorites in their division, with -120 odds to win the NFC South. Cousins should be the best quarterback in the division this season, giving the Falcons an edge over the Bucs, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers.

Rams at 49ers, Week 15

The NFL loves matchups between Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and friend/rival Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers are the favorites to win the whole conference with +250 odds to do so, but the Rams still have the second-shortest odds to win the NFC West (+350) behind San Fran.

McVay and Shanahan have run the conference since taking over their respective teams in 2017, with multiple Super Bowl appearances between. McVay won three of their first four head-to-head meetings but then lost eight consecutive regular season contests against Shanahan in the subsequent years. Importantly, though, McVay's Rams got the better of Shanahan's 49ers in the 2021 playoffs during LA's successful Super Bowl run.

These games are always must-watch contests, and a Week 15 date adds to the suspense -- the fate of the division could come down to this one. Matthew Stafford is playing some of the best football of his career while Brock Purdy has been getting the most out of his star-studded supporting cast despite entering the league as the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Texans at Chiefs, Week 16

Patrick Mahomes. C.J. Stroud.

Two of the most exciting quarterbacks the NFL has to offer. The AFC No. 1 seed -- and the coveted playoff bye week -- could very well be on the line in this one.

The Chiefs' +370 odds to win the AFC lead the pack, but the Texans' +850 odds rank fifth-shortest. There's a chance this game is a preview of a future postseason clash.

There's little arguing that Mahomes has been the best quarterback in the league since taking over the Chiefs' starting job from Alex Smith. But after Stroud's rookie breakout, he could position himself as Mahomes' new rival in the AFC -- the new Peyton Manning-Tom Brady rivalry we've been waiting for.

Between Mahomes, Stroud, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Lamar Jackson, the AFC is a truly scary conference this year. And this one might end up being the most exciting quarterback duel of the year.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.