NFL Preseason Picks: 3 NFL Best Bets and Predictions for Preseason Week 3

NFL Betting Picks in Summary

• NE-CLE Under 34.5 (-104)
• Falcons -4.5 (-115)
• Colts Moneyline (-190)

The final week of the NFL preseason can be difficult to handicap because each team approaches it differently. Some coaches want one final dress rehearsal for their starters, while others have no interest in exposing key players to unnecessary injury risk.

That makes playing-time information especially valuable.

For this week's picks, I'm focusing primarily on games where coaches have provided some indication of who will — or won't — be on the field. Here are five NFL preseason Week 3 bets to consider at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Here’s the full NFL Preseason Week 3 schedule and odds.

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

NFL Predictions and Picks for Preseason Week 3

New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns (Thur, 8 p.m. ET)

Under 34.5 (-104)

This is one of the cleaner playing-time situations on Thursday's slate. Cleveland Browns coach Todd Monken and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel have both said they will not play their starters in the preseason finale.

Cleveland will actually sit backup Shedeur Sanders as well as starter Deshaun Watson and instead turn the game over to Dillon Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green. Gabriel is expected to start before Green takes over.

New England has been similarly cautious with Drake Maye and its most important players throughout the preseason.

That sets up a game dominated by reserve offensive linemen, skill players fighting for roster spots, and third- and fourth-string personnel.

Cleveland has scored only 30 total points through its first two preseason games, and the Browns' decision to sit their top two quarterbacks further lowers the offensive ceiling.

At a modest total of 34.5, there isn't a huge amount of room for error for the under, but I still prefer the under in a matchup where neither coaching staff appears particularly interested in putting a good offensive product on the field.

Atlanta Falcons at Miami Dolphins (Fri, 7 p.m. ET)

Falcons -4.5 (-115)

The Atlanta Falcons are approaching their preseason finale much differently than a lot of teams.

Kevin Stefanski has confirmed that the Falcons' starters will play against the Miami Dolphins as part of a dress rehearsal for the regular season. Atlanta is even treating this week like a normal regular-season game week from a preparation standpoint.

That should mean at least some early action for Tua Tagovailoa and several of Atlanta's other first-team players. Michael Penix Jr. has also been medically cleared for full-team work and appears on the Falcons' depth chart alongside Tagovailoa, giving Atlanta an intriguing quarterback situation even after the starters leave. Despite Penix being cleared, he seems unlikely to play in this one.

Miami's quarterback depth is much shakier. Malik Willis is the starter, while Quinn Ewers recently returned from a groin injury after going just 1-of-8 for 27 yards in Miami's preseason opener. QBs Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski combined to complete only 8 of 16 passes for 61 yards last week.

The line has climbed to Atlanta -4.5, so some of the playing-time advantage is already bakes in. Even so, the combination of first-team snaps and superior quarterback depth makes the Falcons my preferred side.

Detroit Lions at Indianapolis Colts (Sat, 1 p.m. ET)

Colts Moneyline (-190)

Saturday's early game gives us another fairly significant playing-time advantage.

Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen said he plans to play most of Indianapolis' starters for approximately 8 to 12 snaps. Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor will sit, but Anthony Richardson will start at quarterback and is expected to play at least the entire first quarter.

That's a pretty strong preseason quarterback situation. Richardson has extensive NFL starting experience and will get at least some snaps alongside Indianapolis' first-team offensive line and skill-position players.

The Colts will then turn things over to Riley Leonard, giving them two quarterbacks with something meaningful to play for as the team continues evaluating its backup hierarchy.

The Detroit Lions, meanwhile, have been focused on a backup competition between Joshua Dobbs and undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer. Jared Goff sat out the Lions' second preseason game, and Detroit has been using its exhibitions primarily to evaluate the bottom half of the roster.

The market has noticed, pushing Indianapolis out to a 3.5-point favorite. Given that the spread is 3.5, I prefer to take the Colts on the moneyline instead of the spread.

Playing fantasy football this season? Check out our fantasy football RB rankings as well as our fantasy football printable cheat sheet.

NFL Frequently Asked Questions

When does the 2026 NFL regular season begin?
The 2026 NFL regular season kicks off Wednesday, September 9th at 8:20 p.m. ET with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seahawks and Patriots.

How many games does each team play?
Each NFL team plays a 17-game regular season schedule over 18 weeks, with one bye week.

How many teams make the playoffs?
Fourteen teams qualify for the playoffs — seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC. The top seed in each conference receives a first-round bye.

When do the playoffs start?
The NFL playoffs begin on January 16, 2027 and conclude with Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027.

Who are the Super Bowl favorites?
Per FanDuel Sportsbook’s Super Bowl odds, the Rams have the shortest Super Bowl odds at +550, followed by the Seahawks (+1100) and Bills (+1100).

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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.