NFL Week 3 Preview 2026
September 25, 20269 min readUpdated October 8, 2026
Atlanta entered Thursday night as the market's underdog at 31% and beat Green Bay 35-14. The 15 games still to play are ordered below by how close their markets are, tightest first.
The table lists the full slate in kickoff order, with each game's closeness rank alongside it. The Toss-up, Lean, Clear favorite and Lopsided labels are this article's own characterizations of how close each market is, based on the implied probability shown.
The slate at a glance
| Rank | Matchup | Market favorite | Editorial label | Kickoff (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Packers at Falcons | Falcons won 35-14 | Final | Thu |
| 12 | Commanders at Seahawks | Seahawks 76% | Clear favorite | Sun 1:00p |
| 9 | Steelers at Bengals | Bengals 63% | Lean | Sun 1:00p |
| 3 | Giants at Titans | Giants 56% | Toss-up | Sun 1:00p |
| 15 | Dolphins at Chiefs | Chiefs 85% | Lopsided | Sun 1:00p |
Records and points below are through Week 2, as of September 24, plus Thursday's result, and are sourced from the NFL's official standings.
Buccaneers at Vikings
Minnesota is the market's narrowest favorite of the week at 53%, with Tampa Bay at 48%, one of the tightest markets on the slate and a toss-up. The quirk is the records behind it, since the Vikings are 2-0 and the Buccaneers are 0-2, yet the market separates them by a handful of points.
The numbers
Minnesota has scored 48 points and allowed 25 across two games, a +23 differential that leads the NFC North, and arrives on a two-game winning streak. Tampa Bay has scored 46 and allowed 56 and has lost both starts.
See the Buccaneers at Vikings market.
Texans at Colts
Houston is a 54% road favorite over Indianapolis, a toss-up, and the second-closest market of the week. Both teams are 0-2, so one AFC South side leaves Sunday with its first win. Houston has scored 37 and allowed 56; Indianapolis has scored 53 and allowed 74, the most points allowed by any team still to play this week.
View the Texans at Colts market.
Giants at Titans
New York is a 56% favorite on the road, with Tennessee at 44% — a toss-up, and the third-tightest market on the slate. The Giants are 1-1 and the Titans are 0-2, and the market gives the visiting team the narrower edge rather than the clearer one.
The numbers
New York has scored 34 points across two games and allowed 48, a -14 differential, and comes in off a loss, as well as losing their starting quarterback for the rest of the regular season. Tennessee has scored 30 and allowed 47 and has dropped both starts. Neither offense has cleared 20 points a game yet, which is the shape of a low-scoring market.
See the Giants at Titans market.
Broncos at Rams
Los Angeles is a 56% home favorite in Sunday night's game, a toss-up, with Denver at 45%. Both teams are 1-1 and both won last week. The Rams have scored 35 and allowed 33, a +2 differential; the Broncos have scored 30 and allowed 44. Denver's 30 points across two games is among the lowest of the teams playing this week.
Follow the Broncos at Rams market.
Browns at Panthers
Carolina is a 58% home favorite over Cleveland, the outer edge of a toss-up. Both teams are 1-1 and both won last week. The Panthers have scored 71 points across two games, the highest total of any 1-1 team on this slate, though they have also allowed 62. Cleveland has scored 33 and allowed 53.
See the Browns at Panthers market.
Jaguars at Patriots
Jacksonville is a 60% favorite in Foxborough, with New England at 41%. This is a lean, and one of the few markets this week that favors the visiting team by a clear margin. Both teams are 1-1, so the market is reading something other than the standings.
The numbers
New England has allowed just 16 points across two games, the fewest of any team in the league, and won last week. Jacksonville has scored 47 and allowed 30, a +17 differential, and comes in off a loss. So the market is favoring the road team despite the home team owning the better defensive number across two games.
View the Jaguars at Patriots market.
Raiders at Saints
New Orleans is a 62% home favorite, a lean. Las Vegas is 2-0 with a +26 differential (53 points scored, 27 allowed) and is still the 39% underdog on the road against a 1-1 Saints team that has scored 54 and allowed 48. The market's current pricing differs from what the two teams' records alone would suggest.
See the Raiders at Saints market.
Ravens at Cowboys
Baltimore is a 63% favorite in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with Dallas at 38%. This is a lean, and one of the biggest international audience draws of the week. Both teams are 1-1, and their point profiles are almost interchangeable.
The numbers
Baltimore has scored 58 points and allowed 47, a +11 differential, and arrives off a loss. Dallas has scored 57 and allowed 48, a +9 differential, and won last week. One point of scoring and one point of defense separate them over two games, yet the market prices Baltimore 25 points higher.
Follow the Ravens at Cowboys market.
Steelers at Bengals
Cincinnati is a 63% home favorite over Pittsburgh, a lean, in the week's first division market. The Bengals are 2-0, the Steelers 1-1, and the offensive gap between them is the widest part of the picture.
The numbers
Cincinnati has scored 53 points and allowed 33 across two games, a +20 differential, on a two-game winning streak. Pittsburgh has scored 23 points across two games, the fewest of any team playing this week, and allowed 33. The Steelers' defensive number matches Cincinnati's exactly, though the offensive output lags behind.
See the Steelers at Bengals market.
Bears at Eagles
Philadelphia is a 68% home favorite on Monday night, with Chicago at 32%. This is still a lean at the top of the range. The Eagles are 2-0 and the Bears 1-1.
The numbers
Philadelphia has scored 48 points and allowed 42, a +6 differential — the slimmest of any undefeated team in the league. Chicago has scored 62 and allowed 46, a +16 differential, and comes in off a loss. Chicago has the better point differential of the two teams across two games, and Philadelphia has the better record.
View the Bears at Eagles market.
New to event contracts?
Fanatics Markets provides access to event contracts on the outcome of future real-world events. A price is the market's implied probability; a contract at 63¢ reflects a 63% implied chance, and each contract returns $1 if the forecast is correct and nothing if it is not. Prices move as the market's view changes, and the full amount paid for a contract can be lost.
Jets at Lions
Detroit is a 73% home favorite, a clear favorite, with New York at 28%. Both teams are 1-1. The Lions have scored 62 points and allowed 71, a -9 differential and the second-highest points-allowed total among teams playing this week. The Jets have scored 40 and allowed 30, a +10 differential.
Follow the Jets at Lions market.
Commanders at Seahawks
Seattle is a 76% home favorite over Washington, a clear favorite. The Seahawks are 2-0 and have allowed 17 points across two games, the second-fewest in the league behind New England, while scoring 44 for a +27 differential. Washington is 0-2, has scored 42 and allowed 61, and has lost both starts.
See the Commanders at Seahawks market.
Chargers at Bills
Buffalo is a 76% home favorite, a clear favorite, with Los Angeles at 25%. The Bills are 2-0 and have scored 77 points across two games, the most in the league, though they have also allowed 62. The Chargers are 0-2, having scored 28 and allowed 52.
See the Chargers at Bills market.
Cardinals at 49ers
San Francisco is a 79% home favorite, a clear favorite, with Arizona at 22%. The 49ers are 2-0 with a +42 differential (62 points scored, 20 allowed), the best mark in the league. The Cardinals are 1-1, having scored 33 and allowed 45, and come in off a loss.
Follow the Cardinals at 49ers market.
Dolphins at Chiefs
Kansas City is an 85% home favorite over Miami, the only lopsided market on the slate. The Chiefs are 2-0 with a +24 differential on a two-game winning streak. The Dolphins are 0-2, have scored 26 and allowed 62 for a -36 differential, and have lost both starts.
View the Dolphins at Chiefs market.
Where to see the NFL Week 3 markets
Event contracts on every NFL Week 3 game are accessible through Fanatics Markets on the NFL markets page, from the kickoff in Brazil through the Monday night game. The implied probabilities in this article reflect prices at the time of writing and change as the market's view changes.
Not available in all states. 21+. Any trades shown are illustrations, not trade recommendations, and subject to change. Concerned about your trading? Get specialized support from Birches Health nationwide. Visit https://bircheshealth.com/fanatics-markets, call (833) 483-3838 or email [email protected].