Giants open as tight favorites over Vikings in Week 1 after NFL schedule release

The New York Giants have opened as slight favorites over the Minnesota Vikings for their Week 1 matchup at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants are currently sitting as a 1-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook for their season-opener, which will take place on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Oddsmakers have priced the game about as close as they could get it, with the Giants coming in as ever-so-slight -112 moneyline favorites over the Vikings, who are just behind them at -108. 

Neither offense is getting much respect as the total opened at just 41.5 points, which is the second-lowest Week 1 over/under at DraftKings, surpassing only Panthers-Saints, which is exactly 41 points. 

The line is bound to shift one way or the other as the clubs nail down their roster between now and the fall. 

After drafting J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 in April and signing Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, Minnesota has a quarterback competition brewing this offseason.

Daniel Jones is expected to be behind center for the Giants, but he could get pushed by backup Drew Lock if he doesn’t improve on his disappointing six-game 2023 campaign. 

Both teams enter the 2024 NFL season with relatively low expectations. 

They have identical preseason win totals of 6.5 wins, although the juice is on the Vikings to hit the Over and the Giants to go Under. 

Betting on the NFL?

The Giants are a +425 long shot to make the playoffs, the fourth-worst odds in the NFL, while the Vikings aren’t faring too much better at +260. 

These two teams last played during the 2023 NFC Wild Card Round when Brian Daboll and Co. traveled to Minnesota and won 31-24, the franchise’s first postseason victory since the 2011 Super Bowl.