Docs Website

54 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

Best NFL Teaser Bets Week 1: Basic Strategy Teasers

by Jeremy Block - 9/10/2026

Best NFL teaser bets Week 1 Bo Nix Denver Broncos

Sportsbooks spend all week tweaking spreads until bettors are doubting themselves and sweating every pick they add to their slip. This means by the time most people get a bet down, whatever edge they thought they found is already gone. Anybody who has lost a game by that half a hook knows exactly how that feels.

There is a way around it though, and it is called a teaser. Used the right way, it hands bettors that extra cushion the books don’t want to give up. 

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

What is a Teaser?

A teaser is just like any other parlay, where the bet needs a minimum of two legs and both have to hit or the whole thing is dead. The difference is a teaser lets you tweak the spread yourself. Things like this actually exist, and they can be a savior in the sports gambling world.

The next question you are already asking, I am sure, is “Well Jeremy, how many points do I get to move?” The options pile up fast, and most bettors end up teasing six games and wondering where their money went. That’s where a basic strategy comes into play. 

What is a Basic Strategy Teaser?

The whole concept of a basic strategy teaser boils down to two numbers. As any football fan knows, three points is the most common margin of victory in football, seven is second, and six is third. Basic strategy means moving your line not just up to those key NFL betting numbers, but straight through them.

It sounds like a lot, but it really is not. Here is how it works. Say you take a 6-point, two-leg teaser. If you are backing an underdog, you want one sitting between +1.5 and +2.5, so a team getting +2 becomes +8 once you add your six points, which now clears both three and seven. If you are backing a favorite, you need to find one laying -7.5 to -8.5, so a team giving up 8 drops to -2, meaning it only has to win by a field goal instead of more than a touchdown.

One thing to always note: Check the price. A two-team, six-point teaser should sit right around -110, and anything worse than -120 means you are paying too much for those extra points.

Having stated that, Week 1 has a stack of games that qualify, so let’s see where things are currently standing.

Potential Week 1 NFL Teaser Games

Jets (+1.5) at Titans (-1.5) Total: 38.5

With the lowest total on the board, which makes sense for how weak these offenses look heading into the season, teasing New York to +7.5 means the Jets can drop this by a touchdown and still win. Both teams finished 29th and 31st last season in fewest yards per game, so this one could turn into a slopfest where trusting either side in Week 1 is asking a lot. 

Packers (+1.5) at Vikings (-1.5) Total: 46

Green Bay at +7.5 sounds nice and all, but this line already took a massive flip earlier in the week once the Packers' injury report got released. Offensive line issues plus running back Josh Jacobs sidelined with legal trouble is not a good look heading into a road game. Look, when a number moves that drastically in such little time, there is usually a good reason behind it. 

Browns (+8.5) at Jaguars (-8.5) Total: 40.5

The Browns have their work cut out for them against the Jaguars, and teasing Jacksonville to -2.5 means Jacksonville just has to win by a field goal. With the total sitting at 40.5, those six points go a long way in a game that is not going to be a shootout. Deshaun Watson gets the start for Cleveland after not taking a live snap since 2024, and he is doing it behind a banged-up offensive line. Enough said. 

Bills (+1.5) at Texans (-1.5) Total: 44.5

Seeing the Buffalo Bills getting points anywhere is not something you see often, and teasing them up to +7.5 means Josh Allen can have a rough opener and still get the job done for your wager. Even though Houston had a top-tier defense last season, finishing first in fewest yards allowed per game at 277.2, asking C.J. Stroud to beat Allen by more than a touchdown is a stretch.

Broncos (+2.5) at Chiefs (-2.5) Total: 43.5

The fact that Kansas City is only giving 2.5 at home tells you exactly how Vegas feels about Patrick Mahomes coming back from a torn ACL. Teasing Denver up to +8.5 gives you a touchdown and change worth of breathing room for a team that went 5-1 in divisional matchups last season, paired with a solid offense and defense that led the NFL with 68 sacks. Kansas City may need a few weeks before they get rolling.

Week 1 NFL Basic Strategy Teaser Pick

Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars (-2.5) and Denver Broncos (+8.5)

Get NFL picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

Most Recent NFL Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers