Best Ways to Safely Handicap the 2019 NFL Preseason

There are some people who think that betting on the NFL’s preseason is a foolhardy enterprise. After all, there are some teams who only give their starters limited playing time, particularly in the first, second and fourth games, which means that you have a bunch of reserves out there playing — with your NFL betting cash on the line. There are others, though, who argue that it is not only possible to make successful bets in the NFL preseason, but that there are some consistent tips to follow to make this time of year profitable. Take a look at our suggestions, if you are thinking about putting down some money on NFL preseason games this year.

Best Ways to Safely Handicap the 2019 NFL Preseason

NFL preseason begins on Aug. 1, which only means one thing. FOOTBALL. SEASON. 🏈 pic.twitter.com/OuYVtl8EEM

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 29, 2019

Take a look at the depth chart for quarterbacks

Since you will be watching reserves play for much of the game, you need to familiarize yourself with the whole depth chart that teams will bring — particularly the quarterback. The name of the starter is not as important, because you may only see him for a series or two, or perhaps the whole first period. The real names to look for are the third- and fourth-string quarterbacks, because those are the guys who will lead the offense in crunch time. Teams that have a strong starting quarterback, as well as a veteran backup and a track record for teams that develop their new talent. It also helps if the backups have been on the team for a while, and if the coordinators are in at least their second season, so the teams aren’t learning new systems. A team that does not pass this test, for example, is the Dallas Cowboys. Their starting quarterback is Dak Prescott, who has made the Pro Bowl in two of the last three seasons. However, after Prescott comes woefully inexperienced Cooper Rush. After Rush? It’s Mike White, who played at Western Kentucky. The Cowboys drafted him last year in the fifth round, and he’s never seen a regular-season snap. Hmmm. Now what about the Cleveland Browns? The starter is Baker Mayfield. Behind him is Drew Stanton (who struggled but has won some games as an Arizona Cardinal). The third stringer is Garrett Gilbert, who has been a backup in such places as Oakland and Carolina — and who lit up opposing defenses as part of the Orlando Apollos in the short-lived Alliance of American Football. I would pick Cleveland to win close preseason games because they will have experienced arms running the offense the whole game, while Dallas has gone cheap on their depth chart, and their reserves are not reliable. In 2018, the Cowboys did not win a single preseason game, but they did go on to win the NFC East.

Figure out how long the starters will play

This requires you to go back and look at the games from last year (assuming the team still has the same head coach). You can also listen to the coaches’ press conferences, as they will often indicate how long the starters will stay in, or how they will split up quarterback play. Some coaches use starters for a drive or two in the first preseason game and then for the whole first period or the first half in the second game. They usually play the longest in the third game, and then they play little, if at all, in the preseason finale. But each coach can be slightly different.

Check out the schedule

For several of the weeks in the preseason, games are spread out across four days, Thursday to Sunday. This can lead to significant disparities in terms of preparation time. Also, if teams have to play on the road for the first two weeks of the preseason, they might not be as prepared for the third game. So take a look at differences in travel and in times between games for the teams that you are considering. West Coast teams playing in the Eastern time zone are particularly at risk for a groggy performance.