NFL Preseason Week 3 Predictions, Odds & Best Bets

The final games of the NFL preseason schedule 2026 will be played over the course of three days starting on Aug. 27 with coaching staff getting one last chance to fine tune their roster and decide crucial position battles in a live-game setting. The slate opens on Thursday with four games featuring the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots taking on the Cleveland Browns. The Rams and Chargers don’t have to travel for their final contest with the teams playing in their shared home venue of SoFi Stadium with the Bolts listed as a 4.5-point NFL betting line favorite.

The final NFL preseason game takes place Saturday night when Tennessee hosts Chicago as an early 3-point home favorite.

WHERE ARE YOU BETTING FROM?

Select your state and download the app.

Ohio Ohio New Jersey New Jersey Kentucky Kentucky

NFL Preseason Games This Week

The final week of NFL preseason games features some intriguing regional battles. And with final rosters needing to be set following the games there will certainly be position battles ongoing as well as players looking to impress for one of the final spots on the 53-man squad. In addition to the Rams vs. Chargers tussle, the slate also includes the fight for New York with the Jets and Giants playing in New Jersey and the Battle of the Beltway between the Commanders and Ravens.

Thursday, August 27

• Steelers at Bills, 7 p.m. ET
• Patriots at Browns, 8 p.m. ET
• 49ers at Raiders, 8 p.m. ET
• Rams at Chargers, 10 p.m. ET

Friday, August 28

• Commanders at Ravens, 6 p.m. ET
• Falcons at Dolphins, 7 p.m. ET
• Texans at Panthers, 7 p.m. ET
• Giants at Jets, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Buccaneers at Jaguars, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Saints at Cowboys, 8 p.m. ET
• Cardinals at Packers, 8 p.m. ET
• Seahawks at Chiefs, 8 p.m. ET
• Bengals at Eagles, 8 p.m. ET
• Vikings at Broncos, 9 p.m. ET

Saturday, August 29

• Lions at Colts, 1 p.m. ET
• Bears at Titans, 6 p.m. ET

Featured NFL Preseason Week 2 Matchups to Watch

• A total of six Week 3 NFL preseason games will be televised live on NFL Network, including the Pittsburgh at Buffalo matchup to start the weekly slate on Thursday night.
• Ahead of its Thursday night regular season package of games, Prime Video gets a jump on the slot airing the Patriots/Browns matchup in primetime. The Browns recently announced Deshaun Watson as their QB1 and starters are expected to play a few series against the defending conference champions.
• The Friday night matchup between Cincinnati and Philadelphia is a rare network broadcast of a NFL preseason game. Both clubs have high expectations entering the season and will likely take this opportunity to lock down critical depth pieces on their lines and secondary units.
• There are some intense local rivalries renewed during the preseason with all of them airing live on NFL Network. Two games feature teams that share the same home venue, so for NFL betting purposes there is no homefield advantage.
• On Friday night the Rams and Chargers collide at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Sean McVay has continued his trend of sitting notable starters the entire preseason with Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett fighting for the backup QB job.
• The Battle of New York between the Jets and Giants takes place at MetLife Stadium while the Commanders make the 30-mile trip down the beltway to tangle with the Ravens. Both games will be played on Friday night.

NFL Preseason Schedule 2026

The NFL preseason schedule 2026 started with the annual Hall of Fame Game on August 6 and concludes on Saturday, August 29 with the final games of the preseason Week 3 schedule. Every team plays three exhibition games with the exception of the Hall of Fame Game participants.

The shorter preseason schedule was introduced for the 2021 season when the NFL increased the number of regular season games to 17. Teams alternate years hosting an extra game. In a season where a club plays nine regular season home games it will play one preseason game at home. When a team is scheduled for eight regular season home games it will host two preseason contests.

When Does NFL Preseason Start?

• The NFL preseason schedule 2026 officially started with Week 1 that ran from Thursday, August 13 through Saturday, August 15.
• The exhibition game schedule opened on August 6 with the Hall of Fame Game where the Carolina Panthers beat the Arizona Cardinals, 33-30.
• Every team except Arizona and Carolina will play three preseason games in preparation for the start of the regular season on September 9.

NFL Preseason Odds for This Week

The opening Week 3 NFL preseason odds reflect tight matchups as teams and coaching staffs prioritize evaluating depth and determining position battles over winning. Teams approach the final preseason game with varying strategies regarding playing time and if starters or key regulars even take the field. Because of this point spreads remain small, typically between 1- and 3.5-points, and game totals are set on the low side compared to regular season games.

A trend of blowout games in the NFL preseason continued in Week 2 with 10 of the 16 games being decided by 17 points or more. In Week 1 nine games had a double digit margin. The over/under in Week 2 was evenly split with eight games going OVER the closing total.

How to Read NFL Preseason Betting Odds

• NFL preseason odds are posted just like they would be for a regular season game. The difference being that preseason game totals are usually much lower than during the regular season since backup offenses struggle to score.
• It’s a good idea to stay away from straight moneyline bets for NFL preseason games since they are known for being unpredictable. Winning is not a priority and the outcome is left in the performance of third- and fourth-string players.
• Even with totals marked down significantly UNDER bets are hugely popular. In the first two weeks the UNDER is 20-12.

Factors That Move NFL Preseason Odds

• Unlike the regular season, NFL preseason odds are heavily influenced by information regarding who will be playing.
• With starters and regulars not playing or seeing limited snaps, NFL preseason games are decided by depth players. Teams with veteran backups hold a significant edge.
• Along with who will be taking snaps, coaching strategies and public betting volume are primary factors that move NFL preseason odds.

NFL Preseason Predictions and Analysis

NFL preseason predictions are difficult and much harder than the regular season. There are so many variables in play that oddsmakers even struggle. The good news is that bettors are on an equal playing field with the people who set the stakes, and NFL preseason odds are typically bland. Point spreads are around 3-points and game totals are between 34 and 38 points. There are the exceptions, of course, but for the most part you have vanilla lines.

NFL Preseason Picks for Week 3

• This might be the most boring week of the NFL preseason with starters expected to see little if any field time. Instead coaching staffs will use the final game to evaluate players on the roster bubble and to determine position battles.
• With Michael Penix Jr. cleared to return the Atlanta Falcons have a full-on QB competition which will only ignite the club in its preseason finale against the Dolphins.
• We won’t see Jaxson Dart take the field for the Giants, but even if that’s the case the G-Men have better depth at the position. Jameis Winston has performed well this preseason and will lead New York to a victory (the Giants that is).

Best Betting Angles for NFL Preseason Games

• One of the best betting angles for NFL preseason predictions is backing teams with quarterback competitions for the backup job.
• Head coaches with a losing preseason record and who tend to sit starters obviously don’t care about the outcome of games. They’ll win a few matchups, but for the most part it’s a good idea to bet against those coaches.
• Pay attention to news from the team you’re looking to back. Not all coaches rest regulars and some announce their intentions ahead of time giving you a chance to throw down before the markets adjust.

NFL Preseason Standings and Team Trends

NFL preseason standings are meaningless and not even worth looking at if you’re planning to wager on games. Last year the Jacksonville Jaguars went 0-2 with a tie in the preseason then went on to win 13 games, the second-most in franchise history, and the AFC South title. On the other hand the Giants won all three NFL preseason games last year and proceeded to lose their first three regular season games and finished at 4-13.

Do NFL Preseason Standings Matter?

• We’ve established that NFL preseason standings don’t mean a thing and hold no value in regards to regular season success.
• Bettors should focus on historical franchise trends, the strategy and motivation of coaches, and roster news about playing time to spot NFL betting value.
• There are historical patterns that bettors can exploit in NFL preseason games. John Harbaugh got back in the win column last week improving his career preseason record to 49-17.