Commanders Game Saturday: Commanders vs Panthers odds and prediction for Week 1 of preseason

The Washington Commanders are smack in the middle of training camp, and players will (finally) get to put their skills to the test in a game setting this season.

While the preseason is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage — some fans wouldn’t even give it that much credit — it serves as a great opportunity for roster bubble players and rookies to continue to impress coaches.

The Commanders are no different, though it’ll be interesting to see how much projected starters play (if at all) this Saturday against the Carolina Panthers. As Carson Wentz continues to struggle with accuracy during camp, it wouldn’t be shocking if the new quarterback played a few series with the first-team offense.

That’ll become more clear as we get closer to kickoff. In the meantime, let’s break down the betting odds for Washington’s preseason opener.

Commanders vs Panthers betting odds for preseason Week 1

The NFL is king, so yes, there are betting odds for preseason games and you can expect thousands (if not more) wagers to be placed this weekend.

According to our friends at WynnBET, the Commanders are favored by three points on the spread. They have -125 odds to cover (bet $125 to win $100). Washington is also favored -160 on the moneyline (bet $160 to win $100) while the over/under sits at 37 points, which is one of the higher totals for Week 1.

Commanders vs Panthers predictions for preseason Week 1

It’s virtually impossible to make a score prediction for Week 1 of preseason. Not only do we haven’t a clue about how much starters are going to play, but it’s tough to predict the intensity level and state of the opposing team.

For the sake of fun, we’ll say Washington wins 21-17.

In terms of more realistic predictions, look for Brian Robinson Jr. to finish as the Commanders’ leading rusher, Sam Howell (if he plays) to lead the team in passing, perhaps targeting Dyami Brown, camp darling Marken Michel, 2021 seventh-round pick Dax Milne and undrafted tight ends Curtis Hodges and Armani Rogers.

On defense, we’re intrigued to see how rookies Phidarian Mathis, Percy Butler and Christian Holmes perform in their first game for the team. Elsewhere, look to see how the linebacker rotation shakes out. Will Jamin Davis see the field a lot? What about David Mayo, Khaleke Hudson and new signee Nathan Gerry?

These are all storylines we’ll be watching on Saturday.

How to watch Commanders vs Panthers preseason Week 1

Saturday’s preseason opener will be broadcast on FOX.