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USA Today Sports Media Group

Sport

Blake Schuster

NFL Preseason Week 1: Friday’s betting guide and need-to-know updates

NFL Browns (Organization) Jaguars Lions 49ers Cardinals Jets Packers Action Network Tipico

The NFL preseason is a bettor’s delight.

Spreads remain relatively short, starters often aren’t playing too many snaps—if any—and coaches aren’t going too deep into their playbooks. Typically, if you follow where things are headed in the lead up to the game, you should have a pretty good idea of how things are going to turn out.

That’s what we’re here to help you with as you get the weekend started.

With a five-game slate on tap Friday night, let’s dive into some notable injuries and playing-time questions as the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions get ready to play some (meaningless) football.

All odds via Tipico.

Detroit Lions (-2.5) vs. Atlanta Falcons

Notable Falcons Injuries:

Bryce Rodgers, DT, on IR (Undisclosed)
Bryan Edwards, WR, Questionable (non-contact practice participant this week)
Vincent Taylor, DT, on IR (Achilles)
Deion Jones, LB, on PUP (Shoulder)

Notable Lions Injuries:

Jameson Williams, WR, Out (Knee)
Greg Bell, RB, on IR (Hamstring)
Quintez Cephus, WR, Questionable (Leg)
Romeo Okwara, LB, on PUP (Achilles)

Notable Players Expected To See Limited Snaps:

Lions QB Jared Goff
Falcons DT Grady Jarrett
Falcons TE Kyle Pitts

Notable Players Expected To See Significant Snaps:

Lions QB David Blough
Lions QB Tim Boyle
Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez
Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson
Lions CB Jeff Okudah
Lions WR Tom Kennedy
Falcons QB Marcus Mariota
Falcons QB Desmond Ridder

Betting Trends

The public absolutely LOVES the Lions tonight, according to Action Network. Here’s how it breaks down:

67 percent of bets on the spread have Lions (-2.5)
72 percent of the money wagered on the spread is on the Lions
80 percent of bets placed on the moneyline are backing the Lions
92 percent of the money placed on the moneyline is on the Lions
70 percent of all money wagered on the over/under is backing Over 35.5 points (68 percent of all bets on the point total)

Jacksonville Jaguars (-1.5) vs. Cleveland Browns

Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars warms up before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at TIAA Bank Field on November 28, 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Notable Jaguars Injuries:

Nathan Cottrell, RB, on IR (Undisclosed)
Christian Kirk, WR, Questionable (Ankle)
Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Questionable (Hamstring)
Devin Lloyd, LB, Questionable (Undisclosed)
James Robinson, RB, Out (Achilles)

Notable Browns Injuries:

Silas Kelly, LB, on IR (Undisclosed)
Jakeem Grant Sr., WR, on IR (Achilles)
Michael Woods II, WR, Questionable (Hamstring)

Notable Players Expected To See Limited Snaps:

Browns QB Deshaun Watson
Browns WR Amari Cooper
Browns RB Nick Chubb
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence
Jaguars QB C.J. Bethard
Jaguars LB Josh Allen
Jaguars RB Travis Etienne

Notable Players Expected To See Significant Snaps:

Browns K Cade York
Browns CB M.J. Emerson Jr.
Browns DE Alex Wright
Browns CB Greg Newsome II
Jaguars WR Laquon Treadwell
Jaguars WR Zay Jones
Jaguars WR Jamal Agnew

Betting Trends

The public likes the Browns, but that could change if Watson is ruled ineligible to play before kickoff. Per Action Network:

71 percent of all bets on the spread favor Cleveland
80 percent of all money wagered on the spread favors Cleveland
71 percent of all bets on the moneyline like Cleveland
57 percent of the money wagered on the moneyline is backing the Jaguars
54 percent of bets on the point total are on the over
81 percent of the money wagered on the point total is on the under

Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) vs. Arizona Cardinals

Notable Cardinals Injuries:

Kyler Murray, QB, OUT (COVID)
Marquise Brown, WR, Questionable (Hamstring)
Zach Ertz, TE, Questionable (Calf)
Maxx Williams, TE, Questionable (Knee)

Notable Bengals Injuries:

Joe Burrow, QB, OUT (Appendix)
Tee Higgins, WR, OUT (Shoulder)
Drew Sample, TE, Questionable (Knee)

Notable Players Expected To See Limited Snaps:

Bengals S Dax Hill
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase
Begnals Edge Joseph Ossai
Cardinals RB James Conner
Cardinals LB Zaven Collins

Notable Players Expected To See Significant Snaps:

Cardinals QB Trace McSorley
Cardinals QB Jarrett Guarantano
Cardinals LB Victor Dimukeje
Bengals QB Brandon Allen
Bengals QB Jake Browning

Betting Trends

There’s a real divide between the spread and the moneyline in this one, per Action Network

80 percent of money wagered on the spread is backing Arizona with the points
56 percent of all bets placed on the spread are riding with the Bengals
69 percent of all moneyline bets and 81 percent of the money wagered there is on the Bengals
55 percent of all bets on the point total have the Under, along with 84 percent of the money wagered

Philadelphia Eagles (-1.5) vs. New York Jets

Notable Eagles Injuries:

DeVonta Smith, WR, Questionable (Groin)
Jason Kelce, C, OUT (Elbow)
Greg Ward, WR, Questionable (Toe)
Boston Scott, RB, Questionable (Concussion)

Notable Jets Injuries:

Mekhi Becton, OT, OUT (Knee)
Greg Zuerlein, K, Questionable (Toe)
Ty Johnson, RB, Questionable (Hamstring)

Notable Players Expected To See Limited Snaps:

Jets QB Zach Wilson
Jets WR Corey Davis
Jets DE Carl Lawson
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts
Eagles C Cam Jurgens
Eagles DT Jordan Davis

Notable Players Expected To See Significant Snaps:

Eagles QB Gardner Minshew II
Eagles QB Carson Strong
Jets CB Sauce Gardner
Jets RB Breece Hall
Jets WR Denzel Mims

Betting Trends

The sharps are leaning Jets pretty comfortably, per Action Network:

62 percent of money wagered on the spread favors New York
58 percent of bets on the spread are taking the Eagles
60 percent of bets on the moneyline are backing the Eagles
88 percent of money wagered on the moneyline is on the Jets
78 percent of money wagered on the Over/Under is on the over
98 percent of the bets on the Over/Under have the under.

San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) vs. Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) and quarterback Jordan Love (10) are shown Monday, August 17, 2020, during training camp in Green Bay, Wis.

Notable 49ers Injuries:

Jason Verrett, CB, OUT (Knee)
Jordan Matthews, TE, on IR (Knee)
Charvarius Ward, CB, OUT (Undisclosed)
Arik Armstead, DE, OUT (Knee)

Notable Packers Injuries:

Mason Crosby, K, OUT (Knee)
Robert Tonyan, TE, OUT (Knee)
David Bakhtiari, OT, OUT (Knee)
Randall Cobb, WR, Questionable (Foot)

Notable Players Expected To See Limited Snaps:

Packers WR Amari Rodgers
Packers WR Romeo Doubs
Packers QB Jordan Love
49ers QB Trey Lance
49ers WR Elijah Mitchell

Notable Players Expected To See Significant Snaps:

49ers WR Danny Gray
49ers WR Ray-Ray McCloud
49ers QB Brock Purdy
Packers QB Danny Etling

Betting Trends

With the Niners suiting up a few more starters than Green Bay, the public is fading the Packers, per Action Network:

71 percent of bets on the spread have the Niners covering
84 percent of the money bet on the spread is on the Niners
73 percent of bets on the moneyline are backing San Francisco with the money split pretty evenly
Both the bets placed and the money wagered favor Over by a pretty wide margin

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