The Sportsletter - The NFL Kickoff Primer 🏈

BY JEFF YODER

SEPT. 7, 2023 |  SUBSCRIBE  |  WEB VIEW

Good Morning 👋

No, no -- a GREAT morning. It’s time. Your draft is complete. Your fantasy lineup is set. Your favorite team is preparing for Week 1. We’ve operated without the NFL for seven months, but that changes today. It's the NFL Kickoff Primer. Here. We. Go.

🚨 Breaking: 49ers & DE Nick Bosa Agree to 5-Year, $170 Million Extension (Highest-Paid Defensive Player in NFL History)

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  PICKS  

The Sportsletter's NFL Pick 'Em (Week 1)

The Sportsletter’s weekly NFL Pick ‘Em contest is back for 2023. Our community-wide fantasy football competition is free and easy with zero strings attached. There's no entry fee and no additional info required to play. Make your picks and join the fun!

🏈 Play The Sportsletter’s NFL Pick ‘Em (Week 1)

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  NFL   

The 2023 NFL Kickoff Primer 🏈

Image via Giphy

The 2023 NFL Season Kicks Off Tonight With Lions @ Chiefs (8:20 pm ET, NBC)

Hello again, football fans! Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re likely aware that the 2023 NFL season is just hours away. The Thursday Night Football opener will welcome back America's most popular sport at Arrowhead Stadium where the reigning Super Bowl winners host the Detroit Lions. The Chiefs are the champs, but the Lions ended last season on a 6-2 run and nearly made the postseason. Two blue-collar coaches with high-powered offenses clash in a must-see kickoff night. It’s Big Red (Andy Reid) vs. Dan the Man (Dan Campbell). Kansas City is likely without a pair of star players (TE Travis Kelce and DL Chris Jones), so the Lions are only 5-point underdogs.

It’s Game 1 of 285. Football time… Finally.

NFL Season-Opener

Lions at Chiefs (Tonight, 8:20 pm ET, NBC)

Lions-Chiefs Week 1 Preview Trailer (Video)

🗓️ Full NFL Week 1 Schedule

Read More

CBS Sports: Chiefs TE Travis Kelce Has ‘Chance to Go’ in Week 1 With Bruised Knee

ESPN: Chiefs’ Holdout Chris Jones Says He’s Still Hopeful for New Deal, Could Play Opener

Offseason Rewind: New Guys in Town 😏

Image via Giphy

Recapping the Offseason's Biggest Trades, Rookies & New Additions to Watch in 2023

It’s been 207 days since Super Bowl LVII, and a lot has happened since then. Here's a refresher of some of the biggest moves, roster transactions and rookie draft picks to recap the offseason before the kickoff of Week 1.

Players in New Places

QB Aaron Rodgers → Jets

QB Derek Carr → Saints

QB Jimmy Garoppolo → Raiders

QB Baker Mayfield → Buccaneers

WR Adam Thielen → Panthers

WR Odell Beckham Jr. → Ravens

WR D.J. Moore → Bears

TE Darren Waller → Giants

RB Miles Sanders → Panthers

RB Dalvin Cook → Jets

RB Ezekiel Elliot → Patriots

DE Za’Darius Smith → Browns

DT Javon Hargrave → 49ers

CB Jalen Ramsey → Dolphins

Coaches With New Teams

Sean Payton → Broncos

Frank Reich → Panthers

DeMeco Ryans → Texans

Shane Steichen → Colts

Jonathan Gannon → Cardinals

Eric Bienemy (Assistant) → Commanders

The Draft Class (Star Rookies to Watch)

QB Bryce Young → Panthers (QB1)

QB CJ Stroud → Texans (QB1)

QB Anthony Richardson → Colts (QB1)

RB Bijan Robinson → Falcons (Starter)

RB Jahmyr Gibbs → Lions (Starter)

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba → Seahawks (Starter)

WR Zay Flowers → Ravens (Starter)

DE Tyree Wilson → Raiders (Starter)

OLB Will Anderson Jr. → Texans (Starter)

DT Jalen Carter → Eagles (Starter)

Week 1 Power Rankings 💪

Image via Giphy

Power Rankings & Super Bowl LVIII Odds Before Week 1 Kickoff

There are few things sportswriters enjoy more than some good ol’ fashion power rankings, and the NFL is the top dog of weekly rankings reveals. Each Wednesday (in between weeks) we’ll reload and reveal our NFL power rankings as the season progresses. They’re slightly subjective (as are all power rankings), so feel free to reply to the newsletter and let us know where you disagree. Before we kick things off, here’s how we see the field, along with odds to win SBLVIII and each team's mathematical chances of making the postseason.

Top-10 (SBLVII Odds & Playoff %)

1. Chiefs | (+600) — 76.8%

2. Eagles | (+800) — 81.6%

3. Bengals | (+1100) — 73.1%

4. 49ers | (+1000) — 81.5%

5. Bills | (+900) — 73.8%

6. Cowboys | (+1500) — 68%

7. Jets | (+1800) — 47.2%

8. Ravens | (+1800) — 59.8%

9. Dolphins | (+2500) — 51.6%

10. Lions | (+2200) — 64.8%

Teams 11-20

11. Chargers | (+2500) — 52.4%

12. Jaguars | (+3000) — 61.6%

13. Seahawks | (+3500) — 53.7%

14. Browns | (+3500) — 44.1%

15. Vikings | (+4000) — 48.7%

16. Saints | (+4000) — 57.6%

17. Giants | (+6600) — 36.2%

18. Bears | (+6000) — 37.2%

19. Broncos | (+4500) — 32.5%

20. Patriots | (+6600) — 19.1%

Teams 21-32

21. Falcons | (+8000) — 50.5%

22. Steelers | (+6600) — 34%

23. Commanders | (+8000) — 18%

24. Titans | (+10000) — 31%

25. Packers | (+6600) — 30.2%

26. Raiders | (+8000) — 11%

27. Buccaneers | (+10000) — 15.7%

28. Panthers | (+8000) — 30.2%

29. Rams | (+8000) — 19.4%

30. Colts | (+15000) — 17.1%

31. Texans | (+20000) — 15%

32. Cardinals | (+40000) — 4.4%

*SBLVII Odds from BetMGM. Playoff % from ESPN Analytics.

More NFL Power Rankings

NBC: PFT’s Week 1 NFL Power Rankings

NFL: Power Rankings Week 1: Steelers Rising, Jets, Patriots Falling

B/R: 2023 B/R Staff Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand in Week 1?

CBS Sports: 2023 NFL QB Power Rankings: Assessing Every Team’s Starting QB

  NFL STORYLINES   🏈

🏈 2023 Offseason Superlatives

Before we dive into the legit action, let's take a final look at the twists and turns of a memorable offseason with superlatives that could impact 2023. (Bleacher Report)

🏈 Predicting All 32 Team Records

Is your favorite team going to make it to Super Bowl LVIII? Let’s predict the final records and playoff potential for all 32 NFL teams. (CBS Sports)

🏈 How Every Team Can Win Super Bowl 58

At the end of a long summer, when we've all spent months thinking about who will win Super Bowl LVIII, let’s look at the road to SBLVIII for all 32 teams. (ESPN+)

  HIGHLIGHTS   🎥

🎾 U.S. Open (Quarterfinals)

M: #1 C. Alcaraz def. #12 A. Zverev (6-3, 6-2, 6-4)

M: #3 D. Medvedev def. #8 A. Rublev (6-4, 6-3, 6-4)

W: #2 A. Sabalenka def. #23 Q. Zheng (6-1, 6-4)

W: #17 M. Keys def. #9 M. Vondrousova (6-1, 6-4)

⚾️ MLB

Marlins Top Dodgers (11-4) for 6th Straight Win

Guardians Clip Twins (2-1) to Keep Pace in AL Central

Astros Sweep Rangers With Another Offensive Outburst (12-3)

Cubs Dismantle Giants (8-2) for 4th Straight

🏀 FIBA World Cup

Canada Beats Slovenia (100-89) to Reach FIBA Semifinals

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 pts) Outshines Luka Doncic (26 pts)

*Luka Doncic & Dillon Brooks Both Ejected

  NEWS   📰 

• 49ers & DE Nick Bosa Agree to 5-Year, $170 Million Deal That Makes Him Highest-Paid Defender in NFL History (NFL)

• Christian Wood Agrees to 2-Year, Veteran Minimum to Join Lakers (CBS Sports)

• 11,000 Runners Disqualified for Cheating at Mexico City Marathon (Reuters)
• Pirates’ Andrew McCutcheon Out for Season With Achilles Tear (ESPN)
• USC QB Caleb Williams’ Father Says Son Could Return to School if 2024 Draft Doesn’t Fall in His Favor (B/R)
• Messi, Haaland & Mbappe Among 30 Ballon d’Or Finalists Revealed for 2023 Award (Sporting News)
• Deion Sanders’ Colorado Debut Drew $7 Million Viewers on FOX (Yahoo! Sports)
• Carl Nassib, NFL’s First Openly Gay Active Player, Announces Retirement After 7 Seasons (SI)

• Saints’ Rookie QB Jake Haener Suspended 6 Games for PEDs (CBS Sports)

  PARTNER  

Consumer Con

Media Mobilize is hosting the Consumer Con: Consumer Commerce Conference (C3) on Friday, September 15, 2023, from 9:00 am PT to 6:00 pm PT at The Marines Memorial Club in San Francisco. With over 100 founders, investors, & executives attending, here are a few topics that will be covered at the event:

• Founder & Investor Perspective: Raising Capital
• Customer Acquisition
• Investor Perspective: Investing in Consumer Brands
• Content, Community, & Owned Media: Email, SMS, Blogs/Content, & Events
• Founder & Investor Perspective: Consumer Commerce Trends

Learn more about this event and register here.

  SCHEDULE   🗓️ 

The Must-Watch List

🏈 NFL (Thursday Night Football)

Lions at Chiefs (8:20 pm ET)

🎾 U.S. Open (Women’s Semifinals)

W: #6 C. Gauff vs. #10 K. Muchova (7:00 pm ET)

W: #2 A. Sabalenka vs. #17 M. Keys (8:15 pm ET)

⚾️ MLB

Dodgers at Marlins (6:40 pm ET)

Mariners at Rays (6:40 pm ET)

Diamondbacks at Cubs (7:40 pm ET)

Download The Sportsletter's Must-Watch Calendar

  THE TEAM  

Writer & Editor: Jeff Yoder

Product Manager: Matthew Cahill

Lead Designer: Joe Stella

Assistant Writer: Marissa Kasch

Social Media: Aaron Yorke

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