Most Surprising 2019 NFL Season Week 1 Betting Lines, Spreads and Odds

Cover Photo: Getty Images

We're still more than one week away from hearing the first name in the 2019 NFL Draft, but that hasn't held FanDuel Sportsbook back from releasing betting lines for the Week 1 matchups of the 2019 NFL regular season.

While the draft could certainly shake a few things up, here are three of the most surprising NFL Week 1 opening lines and spreads.

1. Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints (-7.5)

The New Orleans Saints have lost every Week 1 game since the 2013-14 season and went 3-6 against the spread (ATS) as a home favorite in 2018. New Orleans is obviously a strong team, but the Houston Texans are no slouch. The Texans just put together an 11-win season and should be more dynamic on offense with the return of Will Fuller.

2. Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders (-3)

The Oakland Raiders have landed a few pieces on offense, but they still have some gaping holes on the defensive side. The Raiders allowed 29.2 points per game (PPG) in 2018 and ranked dead last in total sacks with 13. Unless they find another Khalil Mack in the draft, they'll likely struggle to generate a competitive pass rush by Week 1, which would give new Denver Broncos' QB Joe Flacco all day to find his new weapons.

3. Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (-1)

The Arizona Cardinals were far and away the worst team in the NFL last season, scoring the fewest PPG (14.1) and allowing the 26th-most PPG (26.6) on their way to a 3-13 record. Furthermore, we don't even know who the starting gunslinger will be in Arizona, as Kyler Murray remains the heavy favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. At least have the luxury of knowing who its starting quarterback is heading into Week 1.

Join FanDuel Sportsbook Today. New users get a risk-free bet up to $500. Join Now.

Taylor Smith is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Taylor also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username jtsmittyyy. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.