With the 2025/2026 NFL season over a month away, it is soon time to get started with the preseason action and watch all 32 teams compete in three games each. The following four weeks will feature the fan favorite Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, followed by three weekends full of the best football action on the planet.
While it is not competitive, nor will we get to see all the major stars doing their thing, it is the next best thing and a chance to see the players fight for a roster spot and the coaches and staff trying out new offensive, defensive, and special teams schemes.
With that in mind, join us as we attempt to pick out the early NFL preseason standouts who could shock the league once the regular season starts. If you enjoy betting on football, take a look at expert betting picks and predictions for NFL Pre-season and make sure to come back each of the following weekends for more.
The 2025 Preseason Predictions
Trying to predict the results of NFL games at any stage is difficult because of how many implications each of them has. It is all very tricky because the best teams do not always win. The preseason is even more challenging to figure out because the teams, best or not, do not give their established starters and main players a lot of playing time.
On the contrary, they allow them to warm up and play some minutes, only to pull them back to the bench and make sure no injuries happen during the game. This means the injury prone players, especially quarterbacks like Joe Burrow, are held out of action. The head coach does not and cannot trust the offensive line made up of backups and rookies to protect him.
Looking back at last year can give us a rough estimate as to who will play their main guys. In last year’s preseason, the Bears went a perfect 4-0, giving rookie QB Caleb Williams a ton of playing time.
The Jaguars, Jets, and Titans went unbeaten, too, but the Chiefs were one of the 0-3 teams. The best teams in each NFL preseason, including the 2025, are always those with young guys at crucial positions like the quarterback.
Rebuilding teams also shine in these games, similarly to the NBA, as the young guys entering the league want to prove themselves, but the teams are also very young overall, and the players are hungry for playing time.
The Best Rookies and Young Stars to Watch For
The preseason is the best chance for the fans, but also the teams, to see what their new guys are capable of at the big stage. Playing grown men and established players is nothing like college ball, and the first taste of the pros for most of these guys comes during the weeks of the preseason in August.
This time around, there is a great selection of up and coming stars to look for on the field once the games start.
We start with Caleb Williams, the QB for the Chicago Bears. There was so much expected of him in his rookie season, and not a lot was great. He had impressive flashes and threw 3541 yards with 20 TDs and 6 interceptions, rushing for 489 yards.
It was not bad, but the problem was that the top pick last year was that he was supposed to be a generational talent. But the Bears were 5-12 and imploded. Heading into Year 2, there are plenty of reasons to believe that he will break out, and the glimpses of that are sure to take place in the preseason.
J.J. McCarthy, the QB for the Minnesota Vikings, is another player with a lot of buzz coming into last year. However, a preseason knee injury prevented him from becoming the starter, with Sam Darnold stepping in. McCarthy impressed everyone, and the expectations are sky high, but he took the redshirt year to further his development.
The 10th overall selection last year, a rookie year on the sidelines, and practicing and recovering to become the leader of the team, it is finally time. He watched the team win 14 games from the bench, and now, at the very least, he should be able to get them to the postseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ WR was another first round pick in the 2024 draft, and he will need to take the next step this year. Continuing his development is prevalent for the team that must fix its offensive line issues.
He displayed a lot in the postseason and helped the team during setbacks. With Travis Kelce turning 36 and potential suspensions in sight for Rashee Rice, combined with knee surgery recovery, Worthy is next up. The team’s third receiver, Marquise Brown, is uncertain, missing 14 games last year with injuries.
Everything points to Worthy having an incredible chance to stick with the team and become the first choice by the end of the year. He proved to be more than a speedster that stretches defenses, and finished 2024 with 59 interceptions, 638 yards, and 6 TDs.
Other notable young guns include Nolam Smith (Eagles OLB), Dalton Kincaid (Bills TE), Lukas Van Ness (Packers DE), Michael Penix Jr. (Falcons QB), and Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals WR). However, these are the top names everyone will be looking for.
There are always players who break out and show flashes that nobody thought to focus on, and that is the beauty and the importance of the preseason games. Make sure to tune in and root for these guys as they could be the future of the NFL, meaning we will be seeing them for years to come.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
Before the official preseason starts, on July 31 at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, a special game is going to be played between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Complete with the Sunday Night Football crew presenting the game, it will be the first NFL action since February’s Super Bowl LIX. But what is this game, really, and why is it different from the rest of the preseason matchups?
Canton, Ohio, has held the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game since the year 1962. It is a yearly exhibition game that ushers in the subsequent preseason, where the teams get to truly test their form and start preparing for the demanding regular season.
The stadium in question lies adjacent to the main Hall of Fame building in the city, with the game technically not being an official preseason event. The result does not count towards either of the teams’ records, but serves as a celebration of the Hall of Fame inductees.
Teams selected to play in each year’s game have some historical connection to the current class of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees slated to join the Canton club the same year. In 2025, former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates leads the class of icons, including Eric Allen, Jared Allen, and Sterling Sharpe.
The game is but one piece of a week long celebration of the enshrinement activities at the Hall. It begins on July 31 with the game and lasts through August 3. The inductees will receive their gold jackets at a special ceremony on August 1, with the enshrinement the following day.
As a reminder, the league was first founded in Canton, Ohio, in September of 1920, which is why the city has the special game and the Hall of Fame. This year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game marks the 106th NFL season. Catch the game on NBC and Peacock at 8 PM ET, and check out the latest NFL betting odds for the game. The Lions get 1.84 odds to win it, with the Chargers at 1.86.
NFL Preseason Official Start
The official start of the 2026 NFL Preseason starts on the second weekend of August. Between Friday, August 8, and Sunday, August 10, there are 16 games featuring all 32 teams, plenty of action to get you started and excited for the 2025/2026 season proper.
The second week of the game is between Friday, August 16, and Monday, August 19, again with each team taking the field. The preseason concludes between August 22 and August 24 with the third slate of 32 games.
There is a long time between next month and the Super Bowl in February, but it is the sweetest and most fun part of the year for the fans of American football. So, who is playing whom, and what can we expect in the first of the three weeks of action?
On Friday, August 8, there are four games on the schedule. The Ravens play the Colts, the Eagles face the Bengals, the Seahawks go up against the Raiders, and the Panthers host the Browns.
Four more duels are planned for Saturday with Lions visiting Falcons, Commanders coming to Patriots, Bills welcoming the Giants, and the Vikings hosting the Texans. On football Sunday, the first of the preseason, there are eight games for a full day of NFL action.
The Jaguars and Steelers open the day, and at the same time, the Rams and Cowboys play in LA. Next up are the Buccaneers hosting the Titans, the Packers welcoming the Jets, and the Chiefs traveling to the Cardinals’ stadium. The 49ers play the Broncos, the Bears and Dolphins meet, and the Saints visit the Chargers.
Super Bowl 2026 Odds and Predictions
It is very early to attempt to predict something like this, but that hardly prevents us, and other fans, from predicting and checking the outright odds before the season even starts.
It is always fun to try to guess which teams will do well and who has the best chance for the title next year. There are enough changes in the league, news, rumors, and theories for us to have some educated picks and to theorise and speculate about the Super Bowl LX winner.
The Baltimore Ravens are the current leaders in odds with +650, followed by the Buffalo Bills at +700 and the Philadelphia Eagles with +750. It is then the Kansas City Chiefs with +800, the Detroit Lions with +110, and the LA Rams with +1700. Joe Burrow is the favorite for the most regular season passing yards with +550 odds, and for the most regular season passing Tds with +450 odds.
NFL Preseason FAQs
1. What is the purpose of the NFL preseason?
The preseason allows teams to evaluate players, especially rookies and backups, test new strategies, and get into game shape before the regular season begins.
2. How many games are in the NFL preseason?
Each team plays three preseason games, except the two teams playing in the Hall of Fame Game, which play four.
3. Do preseason games count toward the regular season standings?
No. Preseason games do not affect the regular season standings or playoff eligibility.
4. Why do star players rarely play in the preseason?
Coaches often rest starters to avoid injury and give playing time to fringe roster players fighting for a spot.
5. How are preseason opponents selected?
The NFL schedules preseason games based on conference rotation, regional rivalries, and team agreements. They do not use the regular season formula.
6. What is the Hall of Fame Game?
It is the first preseason game of the year, held in Canton, Ohio, during Hall of Fame induction weekend.
7. Can players be cut during the preseason?
Yes. Teams make multiple roster cuts and typically trim down from 90 players to 53 by the start of the regular season.
8. Do preseason stats count for player career records?
No. Stats from preseason games are not included in official career or season totals.
9. Can fans attend preseason games, and are they cheaper?
Yes, fans can attend. Tickets are usually cheaper. It is a more affordable way to see NFL action, albeit a much less competitive and ultimately meaningless one.
10. Do teams actually try to win preseason games?
Winning is not the priority. Teams focus more on evaluating talent, trying out tactics, and staying healthy than securing a preseason victory.
