What is the story about?
The
Los Angeles Rams open the 2026 NFL season far away from home.
They'll face the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia, and many experts predict them to win. We checked in with seven outlets' Week 1 expert panels to see how the picks are shaking out ahead of Thursday's game against the 49ers. Across the seven outlets, 32 of 49 total picks favor the Rams to win in Melbourne, against 17 for the 49ers.
Here is a brief roundup of those picks.
USA Today Sports
- Jarrett Bell: Rams
- Nick Brinkerhoff: 49ers
- Chris Bumbaca: Rams
- Nate Davis: 49ers
- Adam Kaufman: Rams
- Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Rams
ESPN
- Matt Bowen: Rams
- Mike Clay: Rams
- Jeremy Fowler: 49ers
- Dan Graziano: 49ers
- Pamela Maldonado: 49ers
- Eric Moody: Rams
- Jason Reid: Rams
- Ben Solak: Rams
- Seth Wickersham: 49ers
CBS Sports
- Pete Prisco: Rams
- Jared Dubin: Rams
- Ryan Wilson: Rams
- John Breech: Rams
- Tyler Sullivan: 49ers
- Dave Richard: 49ers
- Jamey Eisenberg: Rams
NFL.com
- Jeremy Bergman: Rams
- Brooke Cersosimo: 49ers
- Gennaro Filice: Rams
- Bobby Kownack: 49ers
- Dan Parr: Rams
Bleacher Report
- Gary Davenport: Rams
- Brad Gagnon: 49ers
- Ian Hanford: Rams
- Kris Knox: Rams
- Moe Moton: 49ers
- Wes O'Donnell: 49ers
- Brent Sobleski: Rams
Sports Illustrated
- Albert Breer: Rams
- Eva Geitheim: 49ers
- Mitch Goldich: Rams
- Mike Kadlick: 49ers
- Gilberto Manzano: Rams
- Conor Orr: Rams
- John Pluym: Rams
- Matt Verderame: Rams
The Athletic
- Zach Berman: Rams
- Joe Buscaglia: Rams
- Jon Greenberg: 49ers
- Larry Holder: Rams
- Josh Kendall: Rams
- Nick Kosmider: 49ers
- Austin Mock: Rams
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams vs. 49ers Week 1 picks: Experts heavily favor LA
