NFL Betting Predictions: Week 7 Opening Line Report and Picks

There are a variety of strategies you can use to stay ahead when betting on the NFL, but there aren’t many more effective than taking advantage of the opening lines. Securing a favorable price early in the week can be the difference between staying profitable and falling behind over the course of an NFL season. An extra point in your favor is incredibly impactful. Before we jump into Week 7’s picks, here are the biggest storylines from around the league from Week 6.
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- The Giants are back? New York handed the Eagles their second consecutive loss on Thursday night, as Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo have brought life back into this offense. If New York can work out their defensive issues, it may be able to sneak into a Wild Card spot.
- Bye Bye Baltimore: Only four teams have made the playoffs after starting 1-5. Baltimore may be getting Lamar Jackson back, but a 17-3 loss against the Rams all but ends their season. Their defense has yet to improve, and Baltimore needs nothing short of a miracle to chase down a playoff spot.
- The Colts are legit: It wasn’t their most dominant win, but Indianapolis secured another victory over the Arizona Cardinals last week. Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor have looked unstoppable, with Taylor posting 123 rushing yards in their victory.
- Mayfield for MVP: Baker Mayfield put on another spectacular showing against the 49ers. He led an efficient offense that was without Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Bucky Irving, and Emeka Egbuka. Mayfield simply refuses to lose in tight situations, and is a legitimate MVP contender 33% through the season.
- Chiefs aren’t dead yet: Kansas City clawed its way back to 3-3 with a crucial victory over the Lions on Sunday Night. Patrick Mahomes is looking like his usual self as the Kansas City defense gradually improves.
- Williams gets revenge: Caleb Williams got his first career victory over Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders, getting some revenge for their Hail Mary from last season. Three turnovers from the Commanders, including a late fumble from Jayden Daniels, sealed their fate.
- Time to panic in Buffalo? The Bills' easy schedule will make throwing away the division next to impossible, but they currently trail the Patriots after six weeks. Two straight losses where their defense fell apart will be worrying, but Josh Allen and company have plenty of time to steady the ship before the playoffs.
Now that Week 6 is behind us, it is time to look ahead at Week 7. Three picks stand out at first glance, and securing these prices now could be the difference between winning and losing this season.
Game 1: Carolina Panthers at New York Jets
Opening Line: Carolina Panthers (-1.5)
Laying points with the Panthers on the road is not at the top of my bucket list, but this is a line we must scoop up immediately. The Jets are still winless on the season, and frankly, most of their games haven’t even been close. Their defense finally stepped up against the Broncos in London, but their offense fell flat last week. Justin Fields has been playing good football through the first six weeks, but we can’t trust the Jets' defense to step up in this situation. New York is the only winless team remaining this season, and while a home game against the Panthers is a great chance for a win, the Jets will have to wait another week.
Bryce Young was quickly written off as a bust early in his career, but he has had a mini-resurgence this season. Young has led his team to 27+ points in three of his last four starts, winning all three of those contests. Carolina is no longer the joke of the league, but this line isn’t giving them any respect against the Jets. The Panthers have the better offense, the better defense, and all the momentum heading into Week 7. This line opened at a pick ‘em before shifting in favor of Carolina, and it is time to lock this one in before it approaches a field goal. Until the Jets win a game, a short spread against anyone in the league is hard to overlook.
Pick: Carolina Panthers (-1.5)
Game 2: Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Chargers
Opening Line: Los Angeles Chargers (-1.5)
This will be one of the best games of the week. Both of these teams have legitimate playoff aspirations and find themselves in tight divisional races. It is safe to say the Colts have blown any preseason expectations out of the water, but a road game against the Chargers could be their toughest one yet. Daniel Jones has led a very efficient offense so far, but Los Angeles is no slouch on the defensive side of the ball. Indianapolis will need to play perfect football if it expects to win this one, and they have truthfully done that so far this season. Will it be able to continue? I will be banking on a few bounces to go in favor of the Chargers.
Justin Herbert has the potential to be the best quarterback in the league. But a poor offensive line and a lack of elite receivers have limited his ceiling. Herbert is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the league when he has time to set his feet, and a lackluster Colts pass rush will allow him to do just that. I am starting to believe in the Colts' offense, but their defense has still not been up to par. They have had an incredibly easy schedule so far this season, and they lost their only game against a competent quarterback (Matthew Stafford). Herbert is undoubtedly on Stafford’s level, and a soft line for the home team against Indianapolis is too good to pass up.
Pick: Los Angeles Chargers (-1.5)
Game 3: Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers
Opening Line: Atlanta Falcons (+3)
The Falcons are coming off a dominant win over the Bills, and there is no reason to expect anything less against San Francisco. The Falcons' run game is unstoppable, and they have proven to be a legitimate playoff threat when they keep the ball on the ground. Michael Penix Jr. is still a raw talent in the pocket, but the Falcons don’t need him to pull off miracles with a talented roster around him. They just need Penix to stick to the game plan and let their run game take care of the rest.
Across the field, the 49ers are incredibly banged up and should not be favorites by a key number against the surging Falcons. Brock Purdy may be back, but he isn’t a massive upgrade over Mac Jones, given how the latter has been playing. The 49ers are too hurt on both sides of the ball to be trusted, and a line like this is truly hard to explain. Atlanta is the hotter, healthier team right now, while the 49ers have been lucky to scrape out close wins throughout the season. I double and triple-checked that it is indeed Atlanta in the underdog role, and we will happily scoop up the field goal against the spread.
Pick: Atlanta Falcons (+3)
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