NFL Week 1 Sunday Slate: Lions Home Opener, Cowboys-Giants SNF, Eagles-Commanders and Packers-Vikings Previews

Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is finally here, and Sunday’s slate is loaded with the kind of matchups casual fans actually want to watch. There’s a home opener in Detroit with the Lions installed as heavy favorites, an NFC North rivalry game in Minnesota that could set an early tone up north, a Philadelphia team trying to prove its new offense works against a healthy Jayden Daniels, and a Sunday Night Football rematch between the Cowboys and Giants that always seems to bring a little extra drama. Here’s what to know before you settle in for a full day of football.

Saints at Lions: Detroit’s Home Opener Comes With High Expectations

The Lions host the Saints at Ford Field at 1 p.m. ET as roughly a touchdown favorite, with the total sitting in the high 40s. Detroit is treating this as a statement opener in front of its home crowd, and the health picture backs that up — Sam LaPorta cleared the injury report completely after being questionable with a hip issue, and the only real Lions concern is defensive back Christian Izien, who’s questionable with a groin injury after being limited in practice all week.

New Orleans, meanwhile, is banged up on both sides of the ball. The Saints will be without tight end Oscar Delp (hamstring), running back Audric Estimé (thigh), and edge rusher Cameron Jordan (hamstring), all ruled out for the opener. Running back Alvin Kamara is questionable after logging a limited practice Friday, and if he’s not right, New Orleans’ backfield gets thin in a hurry against a Lions defense that will be fresh and motivated in its first game of the year.

Cowboys at Giants: Sunday Night Football Kicks Off the Rivalry Again

The night cap of Week 1 sends Dallas into MetLife Stadium for an 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC, with the Cowboys favored by a field goal or so and the total near 48.5. Dak Prescott is back for his 11th season under center, throwing to a receiving duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens that should give Dallas plenty of firepower even before considering the numbers: Prescott is 14-3 as a starter against the Giants, and Dallas has won 16 of the last 20 meetings between these two NFC East rivals.

New York enters with a different look entirely. New head coach John Harbaugh, hired away from Baltimore in the offseason, brought in Matt Nagy to run the offense and hand the keys full-time to second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart. It’s Dart’s first true test as a starter, and whether star receiver Malik Nabers is able to go is one of the bigger question marks heading into kickoff. If Nabers plays, New York’s offense gets considerably more dangerous against a Dallas defense still finding its footing.

Commanders at Eagles: A Healthy Jayden Daniels Changes Everything

Philadelphia hosts Washington at Lincoln Financial Field at 4:25 p.m. ET as the clear favorite, with the spread in the 5.5-to-6-point range and the total in the mid-40s. The headline for the Eagles is new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion installing a more under-center, timing-based scheme for Jalen Hurts, who threw for 3,224 yards and 25 touchdowns last season but is adjusting to real scheme changes for a sixth straight year under head coach Nick Sirianni. Saquon Barkley remains the engine of this offense and has been brutally effective against Washington specifically, racking up over 1,200 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns across his career in this rivalry.

The bigger story for Washington is that Jayden Daniels is finally healthy again after an uneven 2025. The Eagles avoided facing him in both matchups last season, so this will be the first look at Daniels against Philadelphia’s defensive front, headlined by Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis up front and Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean in coverage. Washington added Stefon Diggs to pair with Terry McLaurin, but a rebuilt offensive line — now without former left tackle Laremy Tunsil — is a real concern against a defense this talented.

Packers at Vikings: The NFC North Race Starts Early

Minnesota hosts Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium at 4:25 p.m. ET in a matchup close enough that the spread has hovered around just a point and a half either way, with the total in the mid-40s. Both teams were solid but unspectacular last season — Green Bay finished 9-7-1, Minnesota went 9-8 — and neither wants to fall behind early in what’s expected to be one of the league’s tightest divisions.

Jordan Love takes the field for Green Bay already familiar with the challenge in front of him: Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is one of the most aggressive play-callers in football, and his disguised pressure looks have given Love trouble before. Minnesota enters the opener with a fully healthy 53-man roster, which is a real advantage in Week 1, while Carson Wentz backs up starter J.J. McCarthy — who was actually moved down to third on the depth chart for this opener. Whichever quarterback handles pressure better on early downs is likely to decide this one.

This Week’s Best Bets

Across these four featured games, a few angles stand out heading into Sunday. Here’s how to think about each one if you’re getting involved with a sportsbook promo this week.

• Saints at Lions: Detroit -7, with New Orleans’ banged-up skill positions making the home team the safer side
• Cowboys at Giants: Dallas moneyline, leaning on Prescott’s strong track record in this rivalry
• Commanders at Eagles: Philadelphia -5.5, with the home defense favored to control a healthy but underprotected Daniels
• Packers at Vikings: lean under, with two defenses that could bog down an early-season passing game

Week 1 always comes with more variance than usual as teams shake off rust, so treat these as directional plays rather than locks. Check the latest NFL odds before kickoff, since lines can move throughout the day as more injury news comes in.