College Football Week 3 Picks 2026 (Saturday 19th September)

The start of Conference play gets earlier and earlier every season and the expansion from eight to nine games in the SEC means that is another that will pit together teams very early in the season.

Revenge games are also on deck in Week 3 of the College Football season, but it is the Conference game between the Mississippi Rebels and LSU Tigers that ticks all the boxes and fireworks are expected.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Arkansas Razorbacks Pick: Beating up on non-Conference opponents, but especially those outside of the Power 4 Conferences, is not going to do anything for anyone when it comes to analysing how good a team like the Georgia Bulldogs (2-0) could be. Even concerns about the temperatures around those games are not going to matter, but all of that changes in Week 3 when the SEC gets underway.

Preseason expectations around the Bulldogs remain sky high, which is no surprise considering the successes they have had in recent years, and 2026 is seen as a year in which they will bounce back from a disappointing Quarter Final defeat in the Playoffs.

There is clearly a lot to like about the Bulldogs, but they will be well aware that every road game in the SEC can be very challenging and it does not matter what the preseason rankings may have stated.

With that in mind, Georgia have to travel to the Arkansas Razorbacks (1-1) with the right attitude and that is not expecting to turn up and win the game.

Instead they will have to put some hard work on the field to try and contain the crowd and then show the superiority of the roster constructed for the season.

The Razorbacks have another new Head Coach as they look to find the right formula to get back amongst the very best teams in the Conference, but Ryan Silverfield will be well aware of the challenges in front of him. Any first year Head Coach is going to have to suffer through some teething problems, especially when taking over at a struggling, underachieving school, and Ryan Silverfield got a first hand look at the issues in the blowout loss to the Utah Utes in Week 2.

It was a defeat on the road and playing an opening Conference game at home should mean playing in an intense atmosphere and one that could spook the road team.

Arkansas have to take advantage of that, although they are starting an inexperienced Quarter Back in KJ Jackson who had a very tough time throwing the ball against the Utah Secondary.

KJ Jackson can expect another tough afternoon, although he will be given the time and patience needed to build up experiences that will see him develop at the position. That does not mean the Razorbacks have nothing to lose, but it does allow Jackson to try and settle into the role he won over the summer and 2026 was always going to be something of a transitional season.

A bigger problem than the Quarter Back has been the Offensive Line play as Arkansas have struggled both to run the ball and to give KJ Jackson any time in the pocket. The early rushing numbers are very concerning ahead of the step up into the SEC level and the Razorbacks are unlikely to find a lot of room up front against this Bulldogs Defensive Line.

Not only does that make it very difficult for any Quarter Back to complete throws consistently out of obvious passing situations, but Jackson is likely to be faced with Georgia players flooding into the backfield and moving the ball is going to be very difficult for Arkansas throughout this game.

You can only expect things to be much more comfortable for Gunner Stockton, even if he is not expected to continue his early season success of scoring a Touchdown on every drive he has begun. Those previous drives have been against much weaker opponents than the one facing Stockton on Saturday, although he will still be pretty confident he can keep Georgia in positive situations throughout his time on the field.

The Bulldogs will be confident they can establish the run with a lot more consistency than the Arkansas Razorbacks and keeping Gunner Stockton in third and manageable spots should make life pretty comfortable for the Quarter Back. He will have noted that the Razorbacks Secondary are still learning what is expected from them and Gunner Stockton can put the Bulldogs in a position to cover a very big spread for any SEC road team in a Conference game.

Nothing will be easy for Georgia, but they will want to maintain the early season momentum and this may be the weakest opponent they will face in the SEC this season.

That means they will have an opportunity to lay down an early marker and the Bulldogs are capable of doing enough on both sides of the ball to do that.

Florida State Seminoles @ Alabama Crimson Tide Pick: Last year the Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0) were beaten by the Florida State Seminoles (1-1) on the road and it was a defeat that hung over their heads all season. They still snuck into the Playoff, although the Crimson Tide were beaten in the Quarter Final and the 2026 squad are going to do well to make the final twelve this time around.

Revenge is going to be a big motivator for the Alabama Crimson Tide as they prepare for to host the Florida State Seminoles and they will be heading into the game behind a big road win over the Kentucky Wildcats. It is a victory that will have given all associated with the Crimson Tide a huge boost in confidence, and that makes them dangerous added to the motivation to get one over the Seminoles.

Florida State have had two weeks to prepare for this game, which will help, but they were beaten by the SMU Mustangs in the last outing and the Head Coach Mike Norvell is sitting on an incredibly hot seat.

Having key supporters being removed from their positions only adds to the pressure on the Head Coach and another season with a losing record is not going to be accepted.

The Seminoles are going to be challenged when they have the ball in hand and that all begins at the Line of Scrimmage.

Florida State's Offensive Line have opened the season by putting some solid numbers on the board, but running the ball against the Alabama Defensive Line is going to be a different kind of test for them. There may be some successes, but the Crimson Tide should be able to force Florida State behind the chains and that gives the home team a big edge in the contest.

Ashton Daniels struggled in the loss to the Mustangs, and he is likely going to be put under pressure by the Alabama pass rush if the Quarter Back is operating from behind the chains. That could lead to mistakes, but it is very likely going to lead to stalled drives and that gives Alabama a big edge.

This is still a big line for the home team to cover and that means questioning whether Alabama can score enough points to clear the number set.

There are definitely some encouraging signs for the Crimson Tide as the Offensive Line have been able to at least keep the team in third and manageable spots, while Quarter Back Keelon Russell continues to grow into the role.

Keeping Russell in front of the chains is important, but Alabama have to be excited about the way the Quarter Back handled himself after a very difficult first half in the win over the Kentucky Wildcats last week. There have been some holes in the Florida State Secondary that have been exploited and the Alabama Crimson Tide can move the chains with confidence, which should see them placed in a position where a cover is very possible.

There is no escaping the fact that the Crimson Tide are unlikely to take their foot off the gas in this one after being upset by the Seminoles in 2025.

They have every chance of a statement performance in the revenge effort and Alabama can back up the big win over the Kentucky Wildcats by securing another here.

MY PICKS: Georgia Bulldogs - 24.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 20.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 23.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

LSU Tigers - 3 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

South Carolina Gamecocks - 3.5 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Week 2: 2-3, - 1.28 Units (5 Units Staked, - 25.60% Yield)

Week 0: 0-3, - 3 Units (3 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 3 Picks 2026 (Saturday 19th September)

The format moves into a best of nineteen Leg Second Round at the World Series of Darts Finals in Amsterdam and that means the eight matches to be played on Saturday are going to be split across two Sessions.

It is a busy day, but one that should produce plenty of high quality darts for fans to enjoy.

Josh Rock v Ryan Searle: This has been set as a pick 'em contest in the Second Round after the odds had opened up with Josh Rock as a narrow underdog.

That felt out of place after the opening performances of both players, while Ryan Searle has perhaps not kicked on from his run to the World Championship Semi Final as well as he would have hoped.

It has not been the ideal season for Josh Rock, but he looked in really sharp form in the win over Stephen Bunting and can outlast Heavy Metal.

Ross Smith - 2.5 legs v Daryl Gurney: Credit has to be given to Daryl Gurney for rallying and beating home favourite Michael van Gerwen in the First Round, but there is also little doubt that he was let off the hook when trailing 5-3 and having lost five consecutive Legs.

That is unlikely to be the case if he gives Ross Smith the same kind of momentum.

Daryl Gurney will have taken plenty of confidence from beating van Gerwen, but his recent form has been very disappointing and in sharp contrast to the kind of darts that Ross Smith has been throwing.

It will need a real off-day from Smudger for things to change in this Second Round match and the top player on the European Tour in 2026 can win another match on the continent to take his place in the Sunday Quarter Finals.

Dirk van Duijvenbode most 180s v Luke Humphries: The Afternoon Session will conclude with a big match between a home player and the World Number 2 and Dirk van Duijvenbode will not be intimidated by the challenge in front of him.

He has beaten Luke Humphries on the European Tour already this season and the crowd are going to push van Duijvenbode all the way in this Second Round match.

Of course it is no surprise that Humphries is the strong favourite, especially over the best of nineteen Leg format, which will allow him to fight back even if the Dutchman makes a very fast start.

Dirk van Duijvenbode could be lining up the upset if he can get his powerful scoring going and he has had more maximums than Luke Humphries in the last two meetings on the Tour. That is a big part of his game and van Duijvenbode may at least win in that column, even if he is not quite able to cross the line for the victory to take his place on Finals Day.

James Wade-Wessel Nijman over 9.5 180s: This is the penultimate Second Round match to be played in the Evening Session and looks a very good one on paper.

After a blistering start to the 2026 season, Wessel Nijman has come off the boil in recent weeks and that, coupled with the form James Wade has been putting together, means he will be entering this match as a narrow underdog.

However, Nijman is going to be given plenty of support and he looked to be in good form in his First Round win.

James Wade had to overcome a barrage of maximums in his win over Damon Heta, but continues to show how much he wants things on the oche by refusing to wilt under such pressure. His maximum hitting deserted him a little bit on Friday, but this longer format should give Wade and Wessel Nijman plenty of opportunities to pile up the big scores and they can surpass this total set.

Luke Littler to win & over 7.5 180s v Nathan Aspinall: While there have been times when Nathan Aspinall has been able to push Luke Littler, it is hard to say that he has ever looked confident in beating the World Number 1.

Something will have to change drastically for Nathan Aspinall to find that belief, but he is capable of avoiding a complete blowout and that should mean Luke Littler has time to bang in plenty more maximums.

He may be the younger player on the stage, but Luke Littler almost 'big brother's' Nathan Aspinall and the dominant head to head underlines the point.

Getting up to eight maximums in a best of nineteen Leg format is not going to be easy, but Nathan Aspinall can win at least five Legs here and that Littler's maximum hitting rate should mean he has the time to complete both parts of this selection to take his place in the Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Josh Rock @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith - 2.5 Legs @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Dirk van Duijvenbode Most 180s @ 2.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

James Wade-Wessel Nijman Over 9.5 180s @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Littler to Win & Over 7.5 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Series Finals: 4-4, + 0.08 Units (8 Units Staked, + 1% Yield)

English Premier League Football Picks Game Week 5 2026/27 (Friday 18th September 2026-Sunday 20th September 2026)

It has been a tough couple of weeks in the real world and that has meant something had to give on these pages.

With the US Open being played across that time, that tournament was the focus and did mean the Football Picks had to take a backseat for a couple of weeks.

Things are expected to be much clearer by the time the three week international break is completed and that should help in bringing some consistency to the threads being posted.

There are a number of Premier League clubs who will be looking for big results ahead of the upcoming international break- this has always been a time when teams will reassess managers, but a three week break could have some boardrooms feeling that much more tense than they would be in a usual two week gap between fixtures.

Managers like Roberto De Zerbi and Michael Carrick stand out as those needing big performances and both are going to be taking teams into standalone broadcast spots, which can add to the pressure.

Others will be simply looking to round out a positive start to the campaign with another good result as the season is broken up into pieces and it is another big weekend of top flight football coming up.

Brentford vs Chelsea: The opening fixture of the Premier League weekend is a West London derby and there has been a real drift in the Chelsea pricing after news that Joao Pedro is expected to miss out.

He has been a part of a very strong trio of attackers that have given Chelsea fans a lot of confidence, but the team have not defended well enough and that has proven to be costly in the last couple of Premier League games.

Brentford can expose that, although will respect the capabilities of Danny Welbeck coming in to lead the line for Chelsea, and Keith Andrews has to be very pleased with the opening month of the season produced by his team.

They have regularly made it difficult for Chelsea when hosting them and this has the makings of a fixture that could see both teams have plenty of shots on goal.

Fantasy: With the doubts around Joao Pedro, Danny Welbeck could be the player that benefits and has shown his Premier League qualities for many a season. Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers can still supply the passes and Welbeck could be benefit, while Kevin Schade can keep a strong start to his own season moving through to the September international break.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa: The opening set of results produced by Tottenham Hotspur makes it very difficult to accept them as a strong favourite to win any football match.

They have really been struggling at home for a long time, where the pressure is that much more intense, and Roberto De Zerbi's men have not found the right solutions in the final third.

Despite injuries at the back, Spurs have actually been pretty resolute in the last couple of Premier League games, which gives them a platform from which to build.

However, they are facing an Aston Villa team who have had a lot of success at this ground and who have scored six goals in winning consecutive away games in the Champions League and League Cup. Unai Emery will accept this will be a much tougher test for his team, who have also made a slow start to the campaign, but Aston Villa are capable of avoiding a defeat.

Fantasy: The expectation is that Aston Villa can get a result, but this does not look a great game for those looking for big fantasy points.

Brighton vs Arsenal: There was no love lost between the managers around a controversial League fixture played at the Amex Stadium last season, but both Fabian Hurzeler and Mikel Arteta insist they have moved forward.

Both managers have to be really happy with the early performances produced by Brighton and Arsenal and the results have also been there for both teams.

Arsenal look a short price to win, but that is a testament to how well they have been playing.

However, Brighton have shown they have goals in the team and they may have enough here to force something against the Champions and ultimately the home team can be backed with a full goal start on the Asian Handicap. That should be a push in the worst case scenario, but Brighton are more than capable of busting a few coupons this weekend.

Fantasy: Pascal Gross has had a big week for Brighton and is likely to be influential in any success the home team have in this fixture.

Everton vs Ipswich Town: A small squad is likely going to hit the wall at some point, but Everton have opened this season in confident mood and that may see them edge past Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Gary O'Neil's men will be extra motivated to perform for the manager after hearing the sad personal news O'Neil received, and Ipswich Town have found a way to goal regularly in the early part of this season.

They can play a part in this fixture, but Everton have started the season sharply in the final third and that may be the key to edging to a win at Hill Dickinson Stadium for the third time in four outings here in the 2026/27 season.

Fantasy: Thierno Barry will receive the majority of focus, but both Jack Grealish and/or Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall look capable of having a big impact in the outcome of this match.

Newcastle United vs Hull City: Like for many, Hull City have to be the surprise package through four games in the Premier League season and they have picked up points in different ways.

Initially it was through the stubborn defensive work, but Hull City showed a different side to their football in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea last weekend and this is a team that has to be respected.

At some point Hull City will hit a tough stretch and that is when they will really be able to show the character and whether they have what it takes to survive in the top flight, but a confident group can make things very tense in this part of the North East.

Newcastle United have been picking up better results than the performances have deserved, but that was not sustainable and they were punished 4-1 at Leeds United on Monday.

Matthias Jaissle will expect a reaction, but Newcastle United could be vulnerable to the counter attack in this one and Hull City can make a full goal start on the Asian Handicap look very valuable when all is said and done.

Fantasy: If The Magpies are going to be able to avoid a defeat, Harvey Barnes could be the player with the most to do with that. Lewis Hall is another shout for those who think Newcastle United will be too strong, while the Hull City defenders stand out for those who believe in The Tigers.

Nottingham Forest vs Coventry City: Frank Lampard is unlikely to be under any pressure from the board or from the stands, but it will be interesting to see how long he is willing to carry on as manager of Coventry City if results do not take a sharp upturn pretty soon.

This has been a really tough week for Coventry City who have conceded eight goals in losing consecutive home games and Lampard will want to take them back to basics.

Making life difficult for Nottingham Forest has to be the approach, but Oliver Glasner's men won for the first time under the new manager last weekend. Recent performances have been very encouraging and The Tricky Trees have the quality in the final third to eventually wear down Coventry City in this late afternoon kick off.

You would really begin to worry for Coventry City if they were to concede early again.

Fantasy: Morgan Gibbs-White continues to shine for Nottingham Forest, but the potential for points at both ends of the pitch makes Daniel Munoz the standout here.

Bournemouth vs Liverpool: Andoni Iraola will get a big response from all corners of the Vitality Stadium and there is every chance that this fixture between his former and current club ends in a draw.

Bournemouth under Iraola were something of a draw specialist last season and both club and manager have continued with that trend in the new season.

The only concern for Bournemouth fans is that the team have just travelled back from Spain on Thursday evening after winning the first every European tie. This is a learning curve for the club in dealing with Thursday-Sunday football and also having to cope with the travelling and this fixture is played in a week when the Champions League was on a break.

Liverpool have had that much more additional time to prepare having played in the League Cup on Tuesday and under Andoni Iraola they have been a team showing more threat in away games than at Anfield.

This could be the case on Sunday and Liverpool can rack up at least six shots on target as they have managed at Newcastle United and Ipswich Town already this season.

Fantasy: Alexander Isak scored twice in his last away game for Liverpool and is likely going to be needed to get on the end of some of the football they play here.

Cody Gakpo should also be back in the starting lineup as he looks to continue his fine start to the season.

Leeds United vs Crystal Palace: The opening fixtures under Pierre Sage has seen Crystal Palace create a lot of attacking opportunities, but the defence is a real work in progress.

With that said, this is a game in which Crystal Palace look very likely to score and concede and that has been a feature of the season so far. They have had a clean sheet in a couple of Cup competitions, but the Premier League has been much more punishing, while Crystal Palace have scored plenty of goals.

Leeds United are coming off a 4-1 win over Newcastle United and will certainly feel they can exploit the defensive issues shown by the visiting team, but keeping Crystal Palace out looks challenging and goals are expected.

Fantasy: After his big performance on Monday, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the obvious choice, but someone like Yeremy Pino may be ready to steal some of the headlines as a key player in the Crystal Palace attack.

Manchester City vs Sunderland: Picking up points is very important at this stage of the season, but Manchester City still look a work in progress under Enzo Maresca.

That can be speeded up by players winning games and buying into the manager's philosophies and Manchester City have shown enough in defensive areas to believe that can give them every chance of winning football matches.

Like Arsenal, Manchester City will note clean sheets can be the foundation on which they can build with the attacking players likely to score at least once.

Manchester City have been looking more confident away from home, but Sunderland may feel there are going to be opportunities when playing at the Etihad Stadium.

However, the players are facing the first fixture after a Europa League outing and that can take time for things to settle, which may lead to a Manchester City win with another clean sheet attached to it.

Fantasy: Everyone will look at Erling Haaland as the standout Manchester City fantasy option and rightly so... However, Enzo Fernandez has begun the season in some very promising positions (even offside ones that officials look to ignore) and he can perhaps be the key player to help with the breakthrough.

Fulham vs Manchester United: Poor officiating put Michael Carrick in a tough spot after four Premier League games, but Manchester United's collapse against Brighton in the League Cup Third Round has intensified the pressure.

He needs his team to have a positive reaction and give him some breathing room into the international break, but Manchester United are likely going to feel the heat on the banks of the River Thames.

Fulham earned a first Premier League point under Alvaro Arbeloa last weekend as they battled for a draw at Anfield, but this is a team that has attacked with some real confidence in both games played at Craven Cottage. They have been punished for poor defensive efforts, but Fulham have scored twice against both Chelsea and Crystal Palace and this Manchester United defence will hold no fear for them.

Whether they can keep out what is a good looking attack on paper is another matter, but Fulham are likely going to test Senne Lammens throughout the ninety minutes and they will force the Belgian keeper into some kind of action at least four times.

Fantasy: You have to like the chances of all of the Manchester United attackers to have some kind of impact here, but Josh King is going to be a key for Fulham and has been piling up the points at Craven Cottage.

MY PICKS: Brentford-Chelsea Over 9.5 Shots on Target @ 1.83 William Hill (1 Unit)

Aston Villa + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.82 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Brighton + 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.70 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Everton to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 2.00 Bet365 (early payout if two goals up)

Hull City + 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.82 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nottingham Forest to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 1.83 Bet365 (early payout if two goals up)

Liverpool Over 5.5 Shots on Target @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Leeds-Crystal Palace Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Manchester City Win to Nil @ 2.15 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Fulham Over 3.5 Shots on Target @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Premier League 26/27: 9-11, - 0.38 Units (18 Units Staked, - 2.11% Yield)

2026 World Cup: 57-45-1, + 8.63 Units (103 Units Staked, + 8.38% Yield)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 2 Picks 2026 (Friday 18th September)

A couple of the Day 1 selections ended on the wrong side after beginning too slowly or blowing a healthy lead through missed Doubles, but it could have been a worse day and that keeps things ticking forward.

The First Round is going to be completed in Amsterdam on Friday and there are perhaps not as many good looking matches in this half as there are in the half that was completed on Thursday.

It is reflected by having a couple fewer Picks from the Session to be completed through the evening in the Netherlands, although there is still plenty of quality darts for the fans to enjoy.

Nathan Aspinall to win & most 180s v Raymond Smith: There have been some suggestion that Raymond Smith is playing with a concern about his arm, but you would never have guessed that from the performances produced in the New Zealand and Australian World Series tournaments played in August.

He reached the Semi Final in New Zealand having beaten the likes of Stephen Bunting and Adam Leek, while Raymond Smith gave Gian van Veen a scare in Australia.

This should narrow the focus for Nathan Aspinall who has not been as active as he would have liked in what has been a busy personal year for the former Premier League participant.

When he has arrived at tournaments, Aspinall has shown his qualities and can find a way to complete the Match Double in what could be a good First Round match.

James Wade to win & over 1.5 180s v Damon Heta: James Wade has won nine matches in a row since losing in the New Zealand World Series tournament in the Semi Final.

It is a run that saw him pick up the title in Australia and Wade followed up by winning a European Tour title as well.

He was very disappointed to have missed out on playing in the Premier League this season, but James Wade is putting another strong year in the books and might be much harder to ignore in 2027. Rounding out the season with a Ranking title may make it impossible for him to miss out on a tournament he clearly wants to play in, but this is a tough opening match for James Wade.

Damon Heta has not had the kind of 2026 that he may have hoped, but he remains a very tough player to beat and he reached the Semi Final in the European Tour event played last weekend. That run was ended by James Wade, but it was a very good match and this could be another.

It is James Wade who has won the last three between the players and he may just have enough to edge this one as well- Wade has been hitting the treble 20 mark with some regularity in recent weeks and can add two in any winning effort on Friday.

Luke Littler to win & over 3.5 180s v Danny Noppert: Two weeks ago, Luke Littler won a European Tour title and beat Danny Noppert without dropping a Leg in that success.

Last week Danny Noppert was beaten by eventual Winner James Wade without winning a Leg and the home crowd will be hoping to lift the World Number 10 to a more competitive effort.

It is a big ask against the top player in the world and Luke Littler continues to put so much pressure on opponents thanks to his scoring power.

He can find at least four maximums in another win over Danny Noppert and Luke Littler is capable of reaching that mark even in a blowout win.

MY PICKS: Nathan Aspinall to Win & Most 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Littler to Win & Over 3.5 180s @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Series Finals: 2-3, - 0.85 Units (5 Units Staked, - 17% Yield)

NFL Week 2 Picks 2026 (Thursday 17th September-Monday 21st September)

No one will be placing too much stock into a Week 1 performance, but there is no doubt that teams will be feeling much better at 1-0 rather than 0-1.

Week 2 offers an opportunity to bounce back, but it is also a developing season and that means the key is to avoid falling too far behind those who are going to be pushing for the Playoff.

Thursday Night Football kicks off Week 2 with a big non-Conference game, but there are plenty of good looking games to be played across the weekend.

Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills Pick: Thursday Night Football is a feature of the NFL regular season and Week 2 of the 2026 season will see the Buffalo Bills (1-0) open their new home against the Detroit Lions (1-0).

Both teams earned wins in Week 1, although they came in very different fashion.

The Buffalo Bills won on the road against the Houston Texans who are another AFC team expected to push towards the Playoff and it is all the more impressive when you think of the issues Josh Allen has had when facing Houston in the past.

New Head Coach Joe Brady has to be really happy with what he saw from the Bills Offensively, but he will also be aware that there has to be some improvement Defensively if Buffalo are finally going to crack through and reach the Super Bowl.

The Detroit Lions were bigger favourites than the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, but they needed Overtime and then a stop on a two point play to earn the victory against the New Orleans Saints. This is a team that has played well under Head Coach Dan Campbell and one that steps up when they are set as the underdog, but a short week after an Overtime game to open the season places the Lions in a difficult spot.

However, they have to be happy with the way the Offensive Line played in opening up the running lanes and the Lions are going to look to keep the Bills quiet on the sidelines by handing the ball to Jahmyr Gibbs.

Last season the Bills Defensive Line struggled to stop the run, but they have made an encouraging start to the 2026 season. This is a big test for that Line to see where they stand, but failing to stop or slow the run would open up the Secondary to be attacked by Jared Goff and the Detroit passing game.

If the Bills can rush the Quarter Back as they did last week, that will help, but the Detroit Lions should feel they can have some success in Buffalo's new home.

Of course you have to expect plenty of success from Josh Allen and the Buffalo Offensive unit.

There was little wrong with the way the Lions Defensive Line played up front against the run in the win over New Orleans, but the Secondary were banged up last season and Detroit's Defensive Backs struggled in Week 1. Allowing the Saints to put up almost 400 passing yards is not ideal preparation for the Buffalo Bills, although the Lions will feel the pass rush can get into the backfield and at least force the Quarter Back to go through his reads that much quicker than he may want.

Even then, Josh Allen and company should be comfortable moving the ball and this could end up being another shootout as was the case when the teams met in December 2024.

That ended with both teams surpassing the 40 point mark in a game played in Detroit and both Offenses have to believe they can move the ball with confidence in this Week 2 clash in 2026.

The short week should make it that much more difficult for the Defensive units to make the adjustments needed after the issues in Week 1 and that should allow Jared Goff and Josh Allen to lead their team to plenty of successful drives and these two teams may end up surpassing the total points line set.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears Pick: Week 1 of the NFL season concluded with three NFC North teams opening at 1-0 and the Minnesota Vikings (1-0) are the reason that the Green Bay Packers were the only team that failed to open with a win.

Since then, the Detroit Lions have dropped to 1-1 and that does mean either the Vikings or the Chicago Bears (1-0) can finish up Week 2 leading the Division as the only unbeaten team (assuming this game will not finish in a tie).

The Vikings were perhaps a little fortunate that the Green Bay Packers capitulated as they did in Week 1 and they will be aware that they will need to be a lot better to beat a Chicago Bears team that have been speaking excitedly about the Offensive unit before the season had begun. An early statement was made by Caleb Williams and the Bears when scoring 59 points in a road win over 2025 NFC South Champions Carolina Panthers, while also putting up over 550 Offensive yards.

No one associated with the Bears can expect to see that kind of output every week, but the Quarter Back has been speaking confidently about the standards Chicago want to set.

They did whatever they wanted against the Carolina Panthers, but this should be a more challenging game against a Minnesota team that had focused on improving the Defensive personnel. Last week the Vikings Defensive Line were able to win at the Line of Scrimmage and prevent the Green Bay Packers from getting consistency from the run game and they will be looking to at least slow a Chicago team that were picking up huge yards on the ground.

However, Caleb Williams will have taken note of the holes that Jordan Love attacked in the Vikings Secondary and the Quarter Back can pick up from there.

Caleb Williams is likely going to be put under some pressure if the team are not able to keep him in third and manageable positions on the field, but he has shown he can move out of the pocket and continue to make plays down the field. Avoiding turnovers is key, but the Bears should be confident they can move the ball with some consistency and that will put the pressure on Minnesota to try and keep up on the scoreboard.

Brian Flores will have his Defensive unit make some plays, but they will need those turnovers to make things easier for an Offense that is going to be led by Carson Wentz rather than Kyler Murray.

A concussion has forced Murray out, but the Minnesota Vikings have an inexperienced Quarter Back coming into the lineup and one who had over 1200 passing yards with 6 Touchdown passes last season.

239 total yards were produced by the Vikings last week as they took advantage of the mistakes made by the Green Bay Packers, but that is asking a lot for that to happen again.

Carson Wentz did have a good game at Quarter Back and the Vikings have talented Receivers who will have seen the Chicago Secondary struggle to make plays last week and that will offer the road team encouragement. The Vikings can also expect a bit more balance in the Offensive play as they are expected to establish the run against a Bears Defensive Line that struggled last season and who have opened up the 2026 season by allowing the Panthers to pick up big yards on the ground.

The Bears will be playing with some revenge on their mind having lost the home opener at Soldier Field to the Minnesota Vikings last year, but they will have a lot of respect for this Divisional rival.

Nothing ever comes easy in the NFL and Chicago cannot expect to be as strong as they were in Week 1, but they may still do enough to force a couple of mistakes from this Vikings Offense and stall some drives. That may be enough to give the Bears the edge and they may just edge past this spread set to move to 2-0 in the Division.

Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: If you know anything about Baker Mayfield, you can guarantee that he has been looking forward to this Week 2 game as soon as the schedule came out in May.

He was the incumbent Quarter Back with the Cleveland Browns (0-1) when the team decided to make a huge trade to bring in Deshaun Watson and that led to Baker Mayfield leaving the team and then ultimately end up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1). The Quarter Back has led Tampa Bay to the Playoffs in 2023 and 2024, but injuries made it very tough for Baker Mayfield in 2025, although the decision made by the Browns continues to be one that has them on the wrong side of the trade.

Both teams are looking to bounce back and Baker Mayfield vs Deshaun Watson will be leading the headlines, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a lot more competitive in the Week 1 defeat than the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns Defense may have lost Myles Garrett, but they still have a lot of quality on that side of the field, although winning games will mean needing more from the Quarter Back.

Time definitely feels like it is ticking on the Watson era at Cleveland and it would not be a huge surprise if there is a Quarter Back change during this game if he continues to struggle. Poor decisions were made in the loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars and you do have to wonder if Deshaun Watson will ever reach the levels he had shown with the Houston Texans before the controversy from his personal life ended up impacting his play on the field.

Deshaun Watson has to be better, as he will admit, but he will need support after the Offensive Line struggled in Jacksonville- that was not solely the case in pass protection, but the Browns did not open up the running lanes like the Quarter Back would have wanted and that puts all the pressure on Watson.

Failing to hold onto the ball is on Deshaun Watson, as is the Interception thrown, but there will be some opportunities for him to make plays against this Secondary. However, that will also need his supporting cast to step up and it could be a tough day again on the road for the Cleveland Browns.

They can at least point to the Defensive unit as being able to keep them in this game, but a balanced Tampa Bay approach could still keep Cleveland on their toes.

Last week the Buccaneers showed that balance against the Cincinnati Bengals, although they made too many mistakes on this side of the ball and that ultimately cost them. Cleaning those up should make things easier for the home team, although they will also want to see improvement from the Offensive Line when it comes to protecting Baker Mayfield.

Piling up the points against this Browns team will not be easy, but creating short fields would help and you just know Baker Mayfield is not going to want his team to ease off the throttle if they are in a position to score.

Cleveland cannot really be expected to be as poor as they were in Week 1, but even some improvement may not be enough to keep this game much more competitive when all is said and done. The whole of the Buccaneers team should be motivated as they bid to bounce back from an opening defeat and led by a Quarter Back with a point to prove and that should give Tampa Bay a chance to cover this wide spread.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans Pick: The opening schedule for the Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) looks pretty testing, but this perhaps the game that looks 'easiest' on paper and it is really important for the team to find a way to motivate themselves.

After opening with a Divisional win, the Eagles will be facing the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams and then travel to London after Week 2 and that means playing in three high-profile spots. With that in mind, it can be easy for players to overlook a team like the Tennessee Titans (0-1) who finished with a 3-14 record in 2025 and who have already been beaten at home by the New York Jets.

A new Head Coach will be hoping he is going to be given some time to help turn things around for the Titans, but Robert Saleh will know he needs some positive signs to just ensure the team back him. In recent years, the Titans have not really been patient with the Head Coach employed, and back to back three win seasons will be hard to surpass considering the schedule and the Division in which they play.

Robert Saleh will need more from Cam Ward at Quarter Back if he is going to guide Tennessee to at least four wins to show some progress, but the sophomore player has to develop quickly. Last season saw some mixed performances from Ward in his rookie season, but there will be a real disappointment about the Week 1 performance from the Quarter Back who threw for just 140 yards against the Jets.

There had been some help offered by the Offensive Line when they set up to run block- the Titans will want to have more than the fourteen attempts from Week 1, but have to be encouraged by picking up almost 5 yards per game. Doing that against this Eagles Defensive Line will be challenging, especially if Cam Ward does not give Philadelphia something more to respect in the passing game.

Last week the Eagles Secondary began the season in good form and it may be difficult for Cam Ward to have a much stronger game than he managed in the loss to the Jets. One positive is that Ward may have more time in the pocket when he does step back to throw, but even that may not be enough reason to believe he can lead the Titans to a lot more successes than they had in the opening defeat.

Philadelphia will definitely be more confident in their ability to establish the run with consistency, although they have lost a key piece of the Line when Landon Dickerson was placed on IR. Those changes will perhaps take some time bedding in and that could allow the Titans to have success at the Line of Scrimmage having rebuilt that part of the Defense around Jeffery Simmons.

Despite that, the Jets were able to get things going on the ground and the Eagles will feel they still have enough about them to do the same.

Jalen Hurts can move the ball with his legs from the Quarter Back position and is still backed up by Saquon Barkley and that may keep the Eagles in front of the chains.

The Quarter Back will be aware that the passing game will be another work in progress after the Eagles traded away AJ Brown, although this whole part of the Offense can be opened up by establishing the run. DeVonta Smith is a very solid Receiver, but it is important for the Eagles to find a consistent performer opposite him if they are going to have a big season.

There should be opportunities for the Eagles to make plays in the passing game and that gives them the edge on the road.

Tennessee will be expecting a much stronger performance after the disappointing effort in Week 1, but they may not be able to get that burst from the Offensive side of the ball that will be needed to earn an upset.

Instead it is perhaps where the Titans will come up short again and that could allow the Philadelphia Eagles to win this one by around a Touchdown mark.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers Pick: If you were to say that one of these AFC West teams would be heading into the Week 2 Divisional clash at 1-0, most would have suggested the Los Angeles Chargers (0-1) would be that team. Instead it is the Las Vegas Raiders (1-0) who travel to the City of Angels unbeaten thanks to a comfortable success over the Miami Dolphins on the same day the Los Angeles Chargers were inexplicably losing at home against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Division is one of the most competitive in the NFL and so the defeat suffered by the Chargers will have really hurt.

The next four games ahead of the Bye Week will see the Los Angeles Chargers face Buffalo, Seattle, Denver and Kansas City and so there is a real pressure on the team to bounce back immediately from the disappointment of Week 1. Back to back eleven win seasons meant the Chargers came into the 2026 season with big expectations on the shoulders of the players to take the next step and have a deep impact in the Playoffs, and that does mean the team need a response.

Las Vegas will make the short journey to Los Angeles in confident mood, but this is a team that is transitioning and that means avoiding throwing Fernando Mendoza straight into action in his rookie season. He was the top Pick in the NFL Draft, but the Raiders will begin the season with Kirk Cousins at Quarter Back and new Head Coach Klint Kubiak has to be really happy with the start made by his team.

This is a big step up for the Raiders who have won seven games across the last two seasons, but who will be looking to surpass the three wins secured in 2025.

Running the ball is going to be tough against this Chargers Defensive Line and that will put a bit more pressure on Kirk Cousins, who had a much more comfortable match up last week.

It is expected that Brock Bowers will miss another game, which is a significant blow for the Raiders passing game, while it is not being disrespectful to say the team are missing a lot of standout Receivers outside of the Tight End. This did not matter against the Dolphins, but Kirk Cousins did not have to do a lot from the Quarter Back position and the veteran may find it tough to exploit the Chargers Secondary without consistent players to throw to.

Kirk Cousins made a couple of mistakes in the win over Miami, and those could be much more costly in a game like this one.

The Raiders have to be prepared to be facing a Chargers team that will have had criticism ringing in their ears following the Week 1 defeat to the Cardinals, but the home fans will expect a reaction.

Justin Herbert leads the Offensive unit that has a new Co-Ordinator in Mike McDaniel, but they did not seem to be in sync in Week 1, which was a real disappointment.

Everything begins at the Offensive Line after the Chargers struggled to establish the run with any consistency in the opening game and that has to change to just open up the playbook for the new Offensive Co-Ordinator to get the best out of the Quarter Back. Much more will be expected of Omarion Hampton and the Offensive Line and they can show a lot more life in this game.

Doing so should make things pretty comfortable for Justin Herbert and the Quarter Back will be looking to take more care of the ball.

One concern for the home team has to be the performance of the Offensive Line to give Justin Herbert time to allow routes to develop down the field and that has to be improved. This is especially the case against the Raiders, who were able to break into the backfield relentlessly in the win over the Dolphins, although it should always be pointed out how poor Miami looked.

There should be some urgency about the Los Angeles Chargers performance and they have won the last four games against this AFC West rival.

It would be a huge surprise if Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has not gotten into his players and cannot extract a reaction from them, while the Las Vegas Raiders are missing the best Receiver and may struggle to move the ball with a lot of consistency. That could come together to see the Chargers secure a solid win and get themselves ready for a four game run that may determine how this season will shape up for them.

MY PICKS: Buffalo Bills-Detroit Lions Over 54.5 Points @ 1.87 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chicago Bears - 4.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 7.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 6.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Chargers - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Dallas Cowboys - 3.5 Points @ 1.87 Bet365 (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers - 13.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 1: 2-4-1, - 2.23 Units (7 Units Staked, - 31.86% Yield)

World Series of Darts Finals Day 1 Picks 2026 (Thursday 17th September)

We are entering that time of the PDC calendar when big tournaments come thick and fast and eyes begin to turn towards the World Championship.

Three months remain before it all gets underway at Ally Pally again, but the attention is focusing on the big events when you think only six floor Players Championship events remain.

Two more European Tour events will take place before the European Championship, while the World Grand Prix, Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals are other big events remaining in the build to the World Championship.

Luke Littler has put together a couple of years where his dominance is very much in line with the likes of Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen previously and every big event he enters, Littler will be a strong favourite to pick up the title.

He has yet to Qualify for the Players Championship Finals, but you would not rule out the World Number 1 from doing that even though he will finish the season with just four floor events attended. That may lead to some criticism from outsiders, but Luke Littler will care little about that if he does go on to sweep the 2026 big titles and then wins a third World Championship in a row to open 2027.

The World Series Finals brings together plenty of big names, but the challenge for all beyond the First Round is beating Luke Littler in a longer format match.

This has not happened very often at all since Littler lost the World Championship Final to Luke Humphries in January 2024 and something needs to change if only to give those chasing the World Number 1 the belief that they can beat this player. Most have lacked that confidence and Littler has also shown he can surge through the gears at key times to take matches away from opponents and so the youngster remains the player to beat any time he enters any tournament.

Dirk van Duijvenbode - 2.5 legs v Viktor Tingstrom: After reaching the World Matchplay Semi Final in July and looking like he was getting back to levels shown previously, Dirk van Duijvenbode has not really built on the momentum he had picked up.

He beat two former World Champions in his run to the last four, but was outclassed by Luke Littler like so many others have been.

Dirk van Duijvenbode reached the Quarter Final of the European Tour 11 event at the end of August, but has suffered opening defeats in the next two tournaments. However, this looks a very winnable First Round match in Amsterdam where the home fans are going to be behind him.

Viktor Tingstrom is very capable when at his best, as he showed in a win over Stephen Bunting at the Nordic Darts Masters, but he has suffered two comfortable defeats to Dirk van Duijvenbode on the floor this year.

With the scoring power that van Duijvenbode possesses, he should have enough to power past this opponent in the opening match at the World Series of Darts Finals.

Kevin Doets-Ross Smith over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: Two very strong scorers meet in a First Round match that the layers are struggling to favour one over the other.

It is a tough match to call and both Kevin Doets and Ross Smith should be confident, while the former is going to have the home support behind him.

Playing in Europe has been very positive for Ross Smith all season though and that will give him belief and confidence and both players are big time maximum hitters once they find their rhythm.

Matches like this can be swung by a big finish or two and that may be the case when Kevin Doets and Ross Smith meet for a third time in 2026 having split the previous two matches.

Josh Rock v Stephen Bunting: Both of these players were involved in the Premier League in 2026, but Josh Rock and Stephen Bunting may have work to do to compete again in 2027.

That would change if the format is expanded as rumoured, but if only eight players are selected, neither has done enough to believe they will earn a call up.

All of that changes in the next three months with some big runs at Ranking events and in spots like this one at the World Series of Darts Finals.

It should be said that neither can point to a lot of positive form of late, but Rocky is perhaps an underrated underdog considering he has won three of the four matches against Stephen Bunting this season.

The two Premier League matches were split with a win each in this format, but Josh Rock earned wins at the UK Open and World Matchplay and that may give him enough belief to power into the Second Round.

Luke Humphries to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Jermaine Wattimena: It is no surprise that there is a big Dutch contingent taking part in this tournament and the atmosphere by the time Luke Humphries and Jermaine Wattimena reach the stage should be approaching fever pitch.

The fans would love to see an upset, but Luke Humphries has enjoyed the tempo set by Wattimena and it has allowed him to play some of his best darts.

He was beaten by this opponent at the Dutch Masters in January last year, which is something that Luke Humphries is unlikely to have forgotten. It should also motivate him to be more prepared to deal with the hostile atmosphere and the World Number 2 looked in good form when reaching the European Tour 13 Final last week.

Jermaine Wattimena is very capable on his day and should contribute to the maximum total, but the form has been a little more mixed over the last couple of weeks and that gives Luke Humphries the edge to win the match.

Michael van Gerwen - 1.5 legs v Daryl Gurney: There is no doubt that Michael van Gerwen is still striving to close the gap to the top two players in the world, but on his day he can still be very, very good.

The consistency has been lacking, although van Gerwen can give the home fans something to celebrate by beating Daryl Gurney.

The Northern Irishman has lost four matches in a row, albeit in competitive fashion, but those defeats can knock the confidence out of many. Daryl Gurney does give off the impression that he would be less bothered and he will certainly be fired up to quieten the crowd, but nine losses in ten matches played makes it hard to see that happening.

When they met on the European Tour earlier in the season, Michael van Gerwen won a very high quality contest between the players.

It feels like Michael van Gerwen is still playing the superior darts in September and Daryl Gurney's recent drop in standards may result in an early exit in Amsterdam.

MY PICKS: Dirk van Duijvenbode - 2.5 Legs @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets-Ross Smith Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Josh Rock @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Micael van Gerwen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.70 William Hill (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 128-162, - 21.43 Units (289 Units Staked, - 7.42% Yield)

US Open Day 15 Tennis Pick- Men's Final 2026 (Sunday 13th September)

It proved to be a fitting conclusion to the Women's tournament at the US Open as Elena Rybakina overwhelmed Aryna Sabalenka in the third set meaning the new World Number 1 is holding two Grand Slams from a fruitful 2026 season.

Beating Sabalenka to end her runs of successes in both Melbourne and New York City means Elena Rybakina can move into the top spot in the World Rankings with the full belief that she is the best player in the world.

Three Grand Slams have now been secured and Elena Rybakina has the potential to win many more, although the finel margins of her tennis means she can be vulnerable to upsets as proved to be the case at Wimbledon.

Despite that, Elena Rybakina is likely to enter three of the four Grand Slams to be played in the 2027 season as the favourite and she will have gained a lot of confidence from her year.

Of course it is not quite over with the swing through Asia followed by the WTA Finals and so there are still big prizes to be won and the end of year World Number 1 spot to be decided.

Before all of that, the US Open has to be completed in the Men's Singles Final and it looks a good one on paper.

It would be really good for American Tennis if Ben Shelton can win, and he is definitely the more likeable of the two competing, but Alexander Zverev has won a Grand Slam to break his duck and looks to be the right favourite.

Alexander Zverev - 1.5 games v Ben Shelton: The top Seed in the draw is looking for a second Grand Slam title in 2026 and he will also be looking to close out home hopes of seeing a first American male player win a Major since Andy Roddick did it right here at the US Open in 2003.

The Big Three had dominated the Grand Slams in that time, but American tennis has missed having a top player competing with those players since Andy Roddick retired and so there is plenty of pressure on Ben Shelton to end that long wait.

He is playing well enough to believe he can win the title here on Sunday, but Ben Shelton is going to be tested by the occasion and also has a really poor record against Alexander Zverev.

Losing all five Tour matches against this opponent is one thing, but losing as convincingly as he has and as often as he has makes this even tougher for Ben Shelton.

So not only is he trying to snap a long barren run for American tennis in the men's tournament, but Ben Shelton has to show how much he has developed since the losses have piled up against Alexander Zverev. None of those defeats have been this year, which will at least give Shelton the belief that he has grown so far to close the gap, but four of the defeats were in matches played in 2025 and the last two were on the hard courts.

Ben Shelton has improved on his returning part of his tennis, and that is going to be tested on Sunday.

In the five previous matches against Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton has broken serve in less than 2% of return games played and that number becomes 3% when only factoring in the three previous hard court matches.

Not only has he only broken the Zverev serve once, but Ben Shelton has only forced a single Break Point in the last four matches and the top Seed has been moving through the Rounds thanks to the pressure exerted by the serve.

This could be key again in this US Open Final, especially as Alexander Zverev has found a way to get into return games against Ben Shelton and the French Open Champion looks the most likely winner in this match.

Alexander Zverev's overall performance in the Semi Final win over Karen Khachanov was not the most convincing, but he will feel relatively comfortable in the match up and it is all about managing the nerves.

If he can do that, Alexander Zverev can win another Grand Slam title, although a win for Ben Shelton may be great news for the sport as a whole.

MY PICK: Alexander Zverev - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 33-22, + 8.60 Units (110 Units Staked, + 7.82% Yield)