NFL 2026-27 season: Exhibition Game Week 1 Picks.

About NFL 2026-27 Season

The National Football League (NFL) is the highest-level professional American football league in the world. It consists of 32 teams in both the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. These franchises are equally split between the two conferences. The NFL 2026-27 season has a record-breaking international slate, compressed offseason timelines, and key calendar shifts. The 2026 NFL season is shaping up to be another thrilling entertainment after an offseason filled with blockbuster transactions. Several Franchises also enter the season with new faces at quarterback and head coach. This adds another layer of interest to an already unpredictable league.

NFL 2026-27 Preseason

The NFL preseason consists of a series of exhibition games played ahead of a regular season. Here, the final scores do not count toward a team’s official win-loss record. Teams use these games as live practices to trim their large summer rosters down to the mandatory regular-season limit. The limit is up to 53 players per team. Coaches use the games to help players rebuild the offseason mistakes and test new tactical playbooks. Meanwhile, star players see very limited action to avoid injury. These games are useful for youth depth players to secure their careers and for staff to test operations.

NFL Preseason Hall of Fame Game Recap

The 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game officially kicked off in the NFL Preseason. The match was scheduled on Thursday, 6 August 2026, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Ohio. The Carolina Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals with a score of 33-30. The standard regular-season rosters are rested for safety because the exhibition game served as a platform for youngsters. The NFL matches franchises based on the legendary figures being inducted into that year’s Hall of Fame class. The Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026 features iconic franchise pillars from both teams.

NFL 2026-27 Preseason Fixtures

Fixtures	Date	Time	Venue
Cincinnati Bengals vs Detroit Lions	13 August 2026 (Thursday)	07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next day)	Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati
Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers	13 August 2026 (Thursday)	07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next day)	Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh
New England Patriots vs Indianapolis Colts	13 August 2026 (Thursday)	07:30 PM ET | 04:30 PM PT | 05:00 AM IST (Next day)	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers	13 August 2026 (Thursday)	08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)	Reliant Stadium. Houston
Las Vegas Raiders vs Arizona Cardinals	13 August 2026 (Thursday)	08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)	Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans	13 August 2026 (Thursday)	09:00 PM ET | 06:00 PM PT | 06:30 AM IST (Next day)	Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
Washington Commanders vs Miami Dolphins	14 August 2026 (Friday)	07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next day)	Northwest Stadium, Washington
Atlanta Falcons vs Denver Broncos	14 August 2026 (Friday)	07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next day)	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
New York Jets vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers	14 August 2026 (Friday)	07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next day)	MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Chicago Bears vs Cleveland Browns	15 August 2026 (Saturday)	01:00 PM ET | 10:00 AM PT | 10:30 PM IST	Soldier Field, Chicago
Buffalo Bills vs Carolina Panthers	15 August 2026 (Saturday)	01:00 PM ET | 10:00 AM PT | 10:30 PM IST	Highmark Stadium, New York
New York Giants vs Minnesota Vikings	15 August 2026 (Saturday)	01:00 PM ET | 10:00 AM PT | 10:30 PM IST	MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Rams	15 August 2026 (Saturday)	04:00 PM ET | 01:00 PM PT | 01:30 AM IST (Next day)	Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
New Orleans Saints vs Jacksonville Jaguars	15 August 2026 (Saturday)	04:00 PM ET | 01:00 PM PT | 01:30 AM IST (Next day)	Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
Baltimore Ravens vs Philadelphia Eagles	15 August 2026 (Saturday)	07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next day)	M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
Seattle Seahawks vs Dallas Cowboys	15 August 2026 (Saturday)	08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)	Lumen Field, Seattle

Match Previews

Cincinnati Bengals vs Detroit Lions

Date: 13 August 2026 (Thursday)

Time: 07:00 PM ET | 04:00 PM PT | 04:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati

Expected NFL Squad

Cincinnati Bengals

Offense

Position	Starter
Quarterback (QB)	Joe Burrow
Running Back (RB)	Chase Brown
Wide Receiver (WR)	Ja’Marr Chase
Wide Receiver (WR)	Tee Higgins
Wide Receiver (WR)	Andrei Iosivas
Tight End (TE)	Mike Gesicki
Left Tackle (LT)	Orlando Brown Jr.
Left Guard (LG)	Dylan Fairchild
Center (C)	Ted Karras
Right Guard (RG)	Dalton Risner
Right Tackle (RT)	Amarius Mims

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End (LDE)	Boye Mafe
Left Defensive Tackle (LDT)	Dexter Lawrence II
Right Defensive Tackle (RDT)	Jonathan Allen
Right Defensive End (RDE)	Myles Murphy
Weakside Linebacker (WLB)	Demetrius Knight Jr.
Middle Linebacker (MLB)	Barrett Carter
Strongside Linebacker (SLB)	Oren Burks
Left Cornerback (LCB)	Dax Hill
Strong Safety (SS)	Jordan Battle
Free Safety (FS)	Bryan Cook
Right Cornerback (RCB)	DJ Turner II
Nickel Back (NB)	Jalen Davis

Detroit Lions

Offense

Position	Player
Quarterback (QB)	Jared Goff
Running Back (RB)	Jahmyr Gibbs
Wide Receiver (WR)	Amon-Ra St. Brown
Wide Receiver (WR)	Jameson Williams
Wide Receiver (WR)	Isaac TeSlaa
Tight End (TE)	Sam LaPorta
Left Tackle (LT)	Penei Sewell
Left Guard (LG)	Christian Mahogany
Center (C)	Juice Scruggs
Right Guard (RG)	Juice Scruggs
Right Tackle (RT)	Blake Miller

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End (LDE)	Aidan Hutchinson
Left Defensive Tackle (LDT)	Alim McNeill
Right Defensive Tackle (RDT)	Levi Onwuzurike
Right Defensive End (RDE)	DJ Wonnum
Weakside Linebacker (WLB)	Derrick Barnes
Middle Linebacker (MLB)	Jack Campbell
Strongside Linebacker (SLB)	Malcolm Rodriguez
Left Cornerback (LCB)	D.J. Reed
Strong Safety (SS)	Avonte Maddox
Free Safety (FS)	Chuck Clark
Right Cornerback (RCB)	Keith Abney II
Nickel Back (NB)	Roger McCreary

Team Analysis

Joe Burrow leads the Bengals for this upcoming preseason match against the Lions. Expect the starting receivers to catch a few early targets. The Lions will rest Joshua Dobbs along with most core starters. Jack Fox will play the majority of the game at quarterback. This matchup gives backup running backs an excellent opportunity to claim roster spots. Focus your betting strategies on second-half point totals.

The Pick: Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans vs Los Angeles Chargers

Date: 13 August 2026 (Thursday)

Time: 08:00 PM ET | 05:00 PM PT | 05:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Reliant Stadium, Houston

Expected NFL Squad

Houston Texans

Offense

Position	Player
Quarterback (QB)	C.J. Stroud
Running Back (RB)	David Montgomery
Wide Receiver (WR)	Nico Collins
Wide Receiver (WR)	Jayden Higgins
Wide Receiver (WR)	Xavier Hutchinson
Tight End (TE)	Dalton Schultz
Left Tackle (LT)	Aireontae Ersery
Left Guard (LG)	Wyatt Teller
Center (C)	Keylan Rutledge
Right Guard (RG)	Ed Ingram
Right Tackle (RT)	Braden Smith

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End (LDE)	Will Anderson Jr.
Left Defensive Tackle (LDT)	Tommy Togiai
Right Defensive Tackle (RDT)	Sheldon Rankins
Right Defensive End (RDE)	Danielle Hunter
Weakside Linebacker (WLB)	Henry To’oTo’o
Middle Linebacker (MLB)	Azeez Al-Shaair
Strongside Linebacker (SLB)	Sione Takitaki
Left Cornerback (LCB)	Derek Stingley Jr.
Strong Safety (SS)	Reed Blankenship
Free Safety (FS)	Calen Bullock
Right Cornerback (RCB)	Kamari Lassiter
Nickel Back (NB)	Jalen Pitre

Los Angeles Chargers

Offense

Position	Player
Quarterback (QB)	Trey Lance
Running Back (RB)	Omarion Hampton
Wide Receiver (WR)	Ladd McConkey
Wide Receiver (WR)	Quentin Johnston
Wide Receiver (WR)	Tre’ Harris
Tight End (TE)	Oronde Gadsden
Left Tackle (LT)	Alec Ingold
Left Guard (LG)	Rashawn Slater
Center (C)	Kayode Awosika
Right Guard (RG)	Tyler Biadasz
Right Tackle (RT)	Cole Strange

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End (LDE)	Teair Tart
Left Defensive Tackle (LDT)	Dalvin Tomlinson
Right Defensive Tackle (RDT)	Jamaree Caldwell
Right Defensive End (RDE)	Tuli Tuipulotu
Weakside Linebacker (WLB)	Daiyan Henley
Middle Linebacker (MLB)	Denzel Perryman
Strongside Linebacker (SLB)	Khalil Mack
Left Cornerback (LCB)	Cam Hart
Strong Safety (SS)	Derwin James Jr.
Free Safety (FS)	Elijah Molden
Right Cornerback (RCB)	Donte Jackson
Nickel Back (NB)	Tarheeb Still

Team Analysis

C.J. Stroud will sit out to avoid unnecessary preseason injuries. Davis Mills will start at quarterback for the Texans. The Chargers plan to test their young offensive line depth as quickly as the regular season start. Justin Herbert will not see any game action this week. Expect a low-scoring affair dominated by intense defensive line pressure. Backup wide receivers will fight hard for the final roster positions.

The Pick: Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants vs Minnesota Vikings

Date: 15 August 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 01:00 PM ET | 10:00 AM PT | 10:30 PM IST

Venue: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Expected NFL Squad

New York Giants

Offense

Position	Player
Quarterback (QB)	Jaxson Dart
Running Back (RB)	Cam Skattebo
Wide Receiver (WR)	Darnell Mooney
Wide Receiver (WR)	Darius Slayton
Wide Receiver (WR)	Calvin Austin III
Tight End (TE)	Isaiah Likely
Left Tackle (LT)	Andrew Thomas
Left Guard (LG)	Jon Runyan
Center (C)	John Michael Schmitz Jr.
Right Guard (RG)	Francis Mauigoa
Right Tackle (RT)	Jermaine Eluemunor

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End (LDE)	Shelby Harris
Left Defensive Tackle (LDT)	DJ Reader
Right Defensive Tackle (RDT)	Darius Alexander
Right Defensive End (RDE)	Brian Burns
Weakside Linebacker (WLB)	Arvell Reese
Middle Linebacker (MLB)	Tremaine Edmunds
Strongside Linebacker (SLB)	Abdul Carter
Left Cornerback (LCB)	Paulson Adebo
Strong Safety (SS)	Tyler Nubin
Free Safety (FS)	Elijah Campbell
Right Cornerback (RCB)	Greg Newsome II
Nickel Back (NB)	Dru Phillips

Minnesota Vikings

Offense

Position	Player
Quarterback (QB)	Kyler Murray
Running Back (RB)	Aaron Jones Sr.
Wide Receiver (WR)	Justin Jefferson
Wide Receiver (WR)	Jordan Addison
Wide Receiver (WR)	Jauan Jennings
Tight End (TE)	T.J. Hockenson
Left Tackle (LT)	Christian Darrisaw
Left Guard (LG)	Donovan Jackson
Center (C)	Blake Brandel
Right Guard (RG)	Will Fries
Right Tackle (RT)	Brian O’Neill

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End (LDE)	Levi Drake Rodriguez
Left Defensive Tackle (LDT)	Caleb Banks
Right Defensive Tackle (RDT)	Jalen Redmond
Right Defensive End (RDE)	Andrew Van Ginkel
Weakside Linebacker (WLB)	Eric Wilson
Middle Linebacker (MLB)	Blake Cashman
Strongside Linebacker (SLB)	Dallas Turner
Left Cornerback (LCB)	Isaiah Rodgers
Strong Safety (SS)	Jay Ward
Free Safety (FS)	Theo Jackson
Right Cornerback (RCB)	James Pierre
Nickel Back (NB)	Byron Murphy Jr.

Team Analysis

The Giants will start Jaxson Dart to test the second-team offense. Rookie wide receivers will get plenty of targets down the field. Minnesota plans to give Justin Jefferson a very brief appearance. J.J. McCarthy will then take over for multiple quarters. Both teams want to evaluate their secondary depth during passing plays. Look for aggressive defensive coverages throughout the second half.

The Pick: Minnesota Vikings

Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Rams

Date: 15 August 2026 (Saturday)

Time: 04:00 PM ET | 01:00 PM PT | 01:30 AM IST (Next day)

Venue: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Expected NFL Squad

Kansas City Chiefs

Offense

Position	Player
Quarterback (QB)	Justin Fields
Running Back (RB)	Kenneth Walker III
Wide Receiver (WR)	Rashee Rice
Wide Receiver (WR)	Cyrus Allen
Wide Receiver (WR)	Tyquan Thornton
Tight End (TE)	Travis Kelce
Left Tackle (LT)	Josh Simmons
Left Guard (LG)	Kingsley Suamataia
Center (C)	Creed Humphrey
Right Guard (RG)	Trey Smith
Right Tackle (RT)	Kahlil Benson

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End (LDE)	George Karlaftis
Left Defensive Tackle (LDT)	Chris Jones
Right Defensive Tackle (RDT)	Khyiris Tonga
Right Defensive End (RDE)	Felix Anudike-Uzomah
Weakside Linebacker (WLB)	Drue Tranquill
Middle Linebacker (MLB)	Nick Bolton
Strongside Linebacker (SLB)	Cole Christiansen
Left Cornerback (LCB)	L’Jarius Sneed
Strong Safety (SS)	Chamarri Conner
Free Safety (FS)	Alohi Gilman
Right Cornerback (RCB)	Kristian Fulton
Nickel Back (NB)	Kader Kohou

Los Angeles Rams

Offense

Position	Player
Quarterback (QB)	Matthew Stafford
Running Back (RB)	Kyren Williams
Wide Receiver (WR)	Puka Nacua
Wide Receiver (WR)	Davante Adams
Wide Receiver (WR)	Jordan Whittington
Tight End (TE)	Colby Parkinson
Left Tackle (LT)	David Quessenberry
Left Guard (LG)	Steve Avila
Center (C)	Coleman Shelton
Right Guard (RG)	Kevin Dotson
Right Tackle (RT)	Warren McClendon Jr.

Defense

Position	Starter
Left Defensive End (LDE)	Larrell Murchison
Left Defensive Tackle (LDT)	Poona Ford
Right Defensive Tackle (RDT)	Braden Fiske
Right Defensive End (RDE)	Byron Young
Weakside Linebacker (WLB)	Nate Landman
Middle Linebacker (MLB)	Omar Speights
Strongside Linebacker (SLB)	Desjuan Johnson
Left Cornerback (LCB)	Jaylen Watson
Strong Safety (SS)	Kamren Kinchens
Free Safety (FS)	Kam Curl
Right Cornerback (RCB)	Trent McDuffie
Nickel Back (NB)	Quentin Lake

Team Analysis

Justin Fields replaces Patrick Mahomes in this exhibition game as a quarterback. Justin Fields will command the Chiefs’ offense during the first half. Sean McVay will rest Stetson Bennett along with other key starters. Matthew Stafford will get valuable snaps for the Rams. Expect both coaches to test creative special tactics and strategies. This game offers great value for under betting markets.

The Pick: Los Angeles Rams

Conclusion

Week 1 of the NFL preseason in 2026-27 ends with the coaches preparing the regular-season roster. The starters got some playing time to get into the groove. In contrast, the backups had a good fight for the last roster spots. The games turned out to be a good practice for the team. A good tape for depth assessment.