NFL parlays are back and I've cooked one up for Week 1.
The pregame narrative: On Sunday, I'm backing both the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers to get a win. Also, I'm taking the Cincinnati Bengals to cover an alternate spread against the New England Patriots.
Check out my Week 1 parlay picks for the start of the NFL season.
NFL Week 1 parlay picks
Go to full NFL Week 1 betting markets.
Parlay: Saints moneyline + Bengals -6.5 + Chargers moneyline (+328)
Saints moneyline (-200): This isn't so much an endorsement of the Saints but rather a fade against the Panthers.
Carolina finished 2-15 last season and 0-9 on the road. Even if it improves this season, it's hard to see the Panthers winning in Week 1.
The Panthers scored the fewest points in the NFL last season (tied with the Patriots) and didn't add much in terms of young talent as they traded away the 2024 first overall pick in the deal that landed them Bryce Young.
New Orleans wasn't bad last season despite the narrative around the team. The Saints went 9-8, including a 5-1 run at the end of the season to just miss the playoffs.
Derek Carr was seemingly more comfortable under centre as the season progressed. He finished with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions. It was his best statistical season since 2020-2021.
Young, meanwhile, finished with an 11:10 TD to INT ratio. It's clear why the Saints are the play here.
Other parlay picks
Bengals -6.5 (-137): Another team I'm happy to fade in Week 1 is New England.
The Pats went 4-13 last year. They had a much better defence than the Panthers (but lost key piece Mattew Judon this offseason), though the offence was just as abysmal.
A revamped offence will see the field behind journeyman Jacoby Brissett. Although better than Mac Jones, he certainly isn't a needle mover and is more of a placeholder while No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye develops.
On the other side, Joe Burrow is healthy and primed to try to reclaim the AFC North. His No .1 receiver, Ja'marr Chase, is reported to be a part of the offence in Week 1 despite ongoing contract disputes.
Cincinnati has a 17-9 with Burrow under centre over the last two seasons.
Chargers moneyline (-167): To close out the parlay, I'm taking the Chargers to beat the Las Vegas Raiders at home.
Los Angeles' offence lost key pieces Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler in the offseason but Justin Herbert is still under centre, which is most important.
Las Vegas will start career backup Gardner Minshew, giving the quarterback advantage to the home team.
The Chargers signed Gus Edwards to replace Ekeler and he's arguably a better pure rusher at this point. Edwards scored 13 touchdowns last season.
They also signed J.K. Dobbins, who will form a nice one-two punch with Edwards if he can stay healthy — a big if.
Los Angeles, which drafted wideout Ladd McConkey with the 34th overall pick to help replace Allen, will be under new coach Jim Harbaugh.
The polarizing coach is a major improvement over Anthony Lynn and is expected to help the Chargers get back to being a threat in the AFC.
I trust this version of the Chargers a lot more than last season's and I'm backing them at home in Week 1 over one of the lower-tier rosters in the NFL.
NFL picks made at 1:06 p.m. on 09/04/24.
