NFL Preseason Best Bets: Week 3 Predictions & Picks (2026)
The 2026 NFL regular season is only a few weeks away. For now, our football fix focuses on the preseason, with Week 3 now upon us. All 32 teams will take the field; there are 16 games spanning three days – Thursday (four), Friday (10) and Saturday (two). Yes, we have three straight days of action on the gridiron to wrap up the preseason.
Here are my three best bets for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL preseason. Additionally, our experts have combed through all the major NFL futures betting markets to deliver their NFL predictions and NFL best bets — including the Super Bowl winner, MVP winner and EVERY player award!
NFL Preseason Best Bet: Buffalo Bills -2.5 over Pittsburgh Steelers (-120)
Buffalo has been cruising so far as they prepare to host Pittsburgh in the opening game of the week. Head coach Joe Brady’s squad beat the Panthers 29-14 before clobbering the Browns 31-7. Meanwhile, the Steelers took care of Green Bay 28-9 but then got erased 17-0 by the lowly Jets. There is no indication that either team will put its starters on the field for this one. That means Kyle Allen and Shane Buechele will handle quarterback duties for Buffalo. Allen has a lot of NFL experience. Not much of it is good – but...hey...any experienced quarterback is usually above-average by preseason standards. Both Allen and Buechele played well in the blowout of Cleveland. Will Howard and Drew Allar will be under center for Pittsburgh as they battle for the third and final QB roster spot. Neither is great -- and that's an understatement. The Bills are looking good and playing at home in a new stadium, so there should be at least some motivation, even in an entirely meaningless game.
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NFL Preseason Best Bet: Atlanta Falcons vs Miami Dolphins Under 36.5 (-110)
The Dolphins very well could be the worst team in the NFL this year. Although the preseason means very little, their effort so far – especially on the offensive side of the ball – could be a harbinger of things to come. Miami has scored a grand total of 10 points through two games. Each of their first two outings against the Commanders and Giants failed to reach the 30-point mark. Now the Fins have to face a Falcons squad that just held the Colts to six points last weekend. As for Atlanta’s offense, both Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa could suit up on Friday. Penix was finally cleared for 11-on-11 action only a few days ago, while Tagovailoa has struggled mightily throughout training camp and the preseason. This could be an all-around ugly affair.
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NFL Preseason Best Bet: Cincinnati Bengals +3 over Philadelphia Eagles (-110)
The Bengals are looking to finish off an undefeated preseason. They opened with a 16-14 victory over Detroit and then blew out Chicago 27-9. In the preseason, the value is generally on the team getting points -- at least when the spread is a field goal or more. I don't think this matchup is any exception. None of Cincinnati's starters are playing, which means Joe Burrow is obviously relegated to the sideline. Fortunately for the Bengals, Josh Johnson has a ton -- and I mean a TON -- of NFL experience, and he has played pretty well in the preseason. There is also no indication that any of Philadelphia's starters will take the field. For me, a quarterback crew consisting of Tanner McKee and Cole Payton does not inspire much confidence. McKee had one good performance earlier in the preseason, but for the most part it has been unspectacular stuff on the part of the Eagles' offense.
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