Happy NFL Kickoff Game Day!
On Wednesday evening, the 2026 regular season will begin with a rematch of Super Bowl LIX: the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots squaring off in Seattle on “banner night.” The season opener is set to kick off at 7:20 p.m.
It will be the first of 272 professional football games to watch this fall and winter before the NFL postseason. To celebrate the return of football, I’m going to list some of my favorite season-long bets to make as we watch the world’s greatest
sport for the next four months straight. The odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Share your season-long predictions in the comments!
Joe Burrow to win MVP (+1000)
Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes (+1700) has the ninth-lowest odds
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is tied for the second-lowest odds to win the award, tied with Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and behind Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (+550).
Allen is everyone’s overwhelming favorite, but the Bengals have a step on the competition in the AFC North, considering the Baltimore Ravens have a first-year head coach and the Pittsburgh Steelers are allowing Aaron Rodgers to play out his last-dance fantasy.
The AFC North will also face the NFC South and the Washington Commanders as interconference games, another factor towards Burrow having a big season and leading the Bengals to one of the top seeds in the conference.
Mansoor Delane to win Defensive Rookie of the Year award (+1000)
Chiefs’ defensive tackle Peter Woods (+5000) is tied for the 16th-lowest odds, and defensive end R Mason Thomas (+7500) is tied for the 22nd-lowest odds.
Call this a homer pick if you will — and the long odds on Thomas are enticing as well — but Delane has impressed through training camp and the preseason. This award usually either goes to pass rushers or defensive backs that can rack up pass breakups and interceptions. In his first year, before quarterbacks grow weary of testing him, Delane has a chance to put up those numbers.
He also looks the part of a willing tackler with the read-and-react skills to get on the ball fast. A strong number in the tackle category, along with highlights in coverage, could have Delane in the driver’s seat.
The Denver Broncos to miss the playoffs (+136)
The Chiefs (+152) have the highest odds of the three top AFC West competitors.
Similar to the 2024 Chiefs, the 2025 Denver Broncos were elite at finishing close games. Quarterback Bo Nix deserves a lot of credit for delivering in the clutch for Denver on the way to hosting the AFC Championship.
The Broncos are an obvious regression candidate, especially given the slate of games Denver will start the regular season with. If Kansas City takes care of business at home, the 0-1 Broncos will have an uphill battle ahead of them before the rematch with the Chiefs in Week 8.
- Week 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
- Week 3: at Los Angeles Rams
- Week 4: at San Francisco 49ers
- Week 5: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 6: vs. Seattle Seahawks
I believe it’s tough to overcome slow starts in the NFL; if these opponents get the best of Denver through six games, the AFC playoff race could become too competitive to creep back into.
Share any NFL season predictions you have in the comments!
