NFL Preseason Picks Today: Cardinals vs Panthers Prediction, Best Bets (Hall of Fame Game)

Best Bets at a Glance

• Under 35.5 Points (-114)
• Panthers Moneyline (-120)

Even within a single NFL game, betting markets are abundant — although that’s slightly different in the preseason.

You've usually got everything from spreads and totals to touchdown scorers and player props at your disposal. It can be a lot to sort through.

Using the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as a guide, here are the best bets for today’s Carolina Panthers vs. Arizona Cardinals matchup.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

Hall of Fame Game Picks, Predictions (Cardinals vs. Panthers)

Under 35.5 Points (-114)

Preseason football can sometimes be ugly, and the Hall of Fame Game is typically no exception.

Offenses are often vanilla, teams rotate through multiple quarterbacks, and coaches prioritize evaluating young players over winning — with sometimes a lot of the second-half snaps played by guys who are longshots to make the roster.

This early in the year, I expect the defenses to be ahead of the offenses, and unless turnovers create short fields, sustained drives should be difficult to come by.

Panthers Moneyline (-120)

While a lot of the attention will be on Arizona rookie QB Carson Beck, I’m expecting the Panthers to have the edge under center, which pushes me to back Carolina.

With neither team expected to play established pieces for long, if at all, whichever roster has the better quarterback depth should have an advantage. Pickett, while far from perfect, has — at times — shown he can be a capable NFL signal-caller. Beck hasn’t had the opportunity to show that, but with him sliding to the third round of the NFL Draft last spring, NFL personnel clearly had plenty of reservations about Beck’s ability to be a good NFL QB.

After Beck and Pickett, Carolina is expected to roll with a lot of Haynes King while the Cards turn it over to Kedon Slovis. King was a very productive player at Georgia Tech, and his dual-threat ability may prove to be valuable tonight.

All in all, I think the Panthers have the better QB situation, and that puts me on Carolina.

NFL Betting Frequently Asked Questions

When does the 2026 NFL regular season begin?
The 2026 NFL regular season kicks off Wednesday, September 9th at 8:20 p.m. ET with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seahawks and Patriots.

Who are the Super Bowl favorites?
Per FanDuel Sportsbook’s Super Bowl odds, the Rams have the shortest Super Bowl odds at +550, followed by the Seahawks (+1100) and Bills (+1100).

What is an NFL point spread?
A point spread is designed to level the playing field between two teams. Favorites must win by more than the spread, while underdogs can either win outright or lose by fewer points than the spread.

What is an NFL moneyline bet?
A moneyline bet is simply picking which team will win the game. Favorites have negative odds, while underdogs have positive odds.

What are NFL player props?
Player prop bets focus on an individual player's performance, such as passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, touchdowns, or receptions, rather than the outcome of the game.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.