NFL Picks Today: 7 Sunday Matchups to Watch – September 13, 2026
The first full NFL Sunday of 2026 gives bettors a loaded board. ASA is focusing on seven matchups: Saints-Lions, Jets-Titans, Ravens-Colts, Bills-Texans, Dolphins-Raiders, Commanders-Eagles and Cardinals-Chargers.
Seven NFL Matchups on the ASA Radar
Four featured games kick off in the early window before three more take over at 4:25 PM ET.
Sunday's 1:00 PM ET Matchups
New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions
New Orleans opens its season on the road in Detroit, creating an immediate test against a Lions team playing inside Ford Field.
Week 1 makes roster continuity, offensive-line performance and red-zone execution especially important. Preseason impressions can influence public perception, but bettors need to determine whether those impressions have already been fully incorporated into Sunday's number.
Evaluate offensive-line matchups and the final spread rather than automatically paying a premium for Detroit at home.
New York Jets at Tennessee Titans
The Jets travel to Tennessee for an AFC matchup where early-down efficiency and quarterback play should have an outsized influence on the handicap.
Opening-week games often produce aggressive conclusions about offseason roster changes before there is enough regular-season evidence to support them. That makes the actual spread particularly important here.
Look for the team more capable of creating manageable third downs while protecting the football.
Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts
Baltimore opens the season in Indianapolis in a matchup where the Ravens' road price deserves as much attention as the team names themselves.
Mobile quarterback play, explosive rushing opportunities and third-down defense can quickly determine whether Baltimore controls the game or Indianapolis keeps the matchup inside the number.
Compare Baltimore's matchup advantages with the final road spread. The number determines whether an advantage becomes a bet.
Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans
Buffalo-Houston is one of the strongest games on ASA's early board. Both teams enter opening Sunday with expectations, making it a matchup where public perception can have a meaningful effect on the market.
Rather than simply deciding which roster looks better on paper, bettors should focus on pass protection, pressure rate, explosive-play prevention and each team's ability to finish possessions.
Watch the line through Sunday morning. In a competitive matchup, even a small move can materially change the preferred side.
Sunday's 4:25 PM ET Matchups
Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders
Miami travels to Las Vegas for a matchup featuring significant change on both sidelines. That makes this one of the games where bettors should be particularly cautious about assuming last season's identity carries directly into 2026.
Both organizations begin new chapters under different leadership, increasing the importance of personnel usage, offensive structure and in-game adjustments. The matchup will also be played indoors at Allegiant Stadium, removing weather as a major variable.
Be careful using 2025 statistics as if the teams and systems are unchanged. Sunday's personnel usage may tell us more than last season's averages.
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles
Washington-Philadelphia gives Sunday's ASA board a divisional matchup immediately in Week 1. Familiarity matters in the NFC East, but so does the market's tendency to attach premiums to teams carrying strong public expectations into a new season.
The trenches deserve particular attention. Protection, pressure without blitzing and short-yardage execution can determine whether either offense stays on schedule.
Do not handicap the matchup solely through reputation. Divisional familiarity and the final point spread can make the ATS question much different from the outright-winner question.
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers
Arizona travels to Southern California to face the Chargers at SoFi Stadium in the final matchup on ASA's featured Sunday board.
For an opening-week game, offensive-line continuity and defensive communication deserve extra weight. Both teams have had an entire offseason to prepare, but regular-season speed frequently exposes weaknesses that preseason football does not.
Compare Sunday's final market with offseason expectations and confirmed player availability before making a decision.
Seven Games Doesn't Mean Seven Bets
Opening Sunday creates one of the biggest betting boards of the season. That is exactly when discipline becomes most important.
ASA evaluates matchup advantages, injuries, offensive-line combinations, quarterback situations, market movement and the available price before a game earns premium consideration.
A team can be the likely winner and still be a poor ATS wager. Likewise, an underdog does not become valuable simply because it receives points. The number is part of the handicap.
Find the Strongest Play — Don't Force the Entire Board
Seven games are under the microscope, but ASA premium selections are reserved for the matchups where the handicapping edge and betting price line up. The objective is quality over volume.
Sports betting involves financial risk. Advanced Sports Advisors provides sports betting analysis, handicapping opinions and informational content. No pick or prediction guarantees future performance. Verify injuries, inactive lists and current betting markets before making any wagering decision.