It’s the first full week of the NFL preseason action, and the action doesn’t slow down on Saturday, Aug. 9, with an eight-game slate on tap.
We will see notable debuts today, whether it’s from rookies, veterans switching teams in the offseason, or even new coaches on the sidelines.
One intriguing rookie debut will be Travis Hunter, as the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at 7 p.m. ET. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft will start at wide receiver, and we’ll get to see if the two-way phenom gets snaps at cornerback as well.
The No. 1 overall pick in this past draft will also be getting his first preseason action, as Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 7:30 p.m. ET. Titans head coach Brian Callahan has said that he expects Tennessee’s starters to play in all three preseason games.
Other notable quarterbacks in action include Minnesota Vikings signal-caller J.J. McCarthy against the Houston Texans at 4 p.m. ET and New York Jets dual-threat Justin Fields vs. the Packers at 8 p.m. ET—with both of these contests on NFL Network. McCarthy is coming back from a torn meniscus that sidelined him his entire rookie campaign, while Fields gets a great chance to be the starting quarterback in New York after he was benched by the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.
In addition to the eight-game NFL preseason card, the Saturday sports calendar also includes a 16-game MLB slate (Marlins-Braves doubleheader) and two WNBA contests. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet at the top sportsbooks on Saturday, Aug. 9. All times Eastern.
NFL best bets today, where to watch
New York Jets at Green Bay Packers
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Green Bay | TV: NFL Network | Stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — | Expert: Jets +3 (Larry Hartstein)
SportsLine NFL expert Larry Hartstein is 38-17 (+1902) in his last 55 Packers spread picks, but he’s rolling with the underdog Jets on Saturday. Hartstein says he expects the Jets to play their starters a little longer than the Packers in Aaron Glenn’s debut as New York’s head coach. Hartstein also notes that the Jets have been having very physical practices with the intense Glenn at the helm, and he thinks that will translate well here.
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MLB best bets today, where to watch
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals
Time: 7:15 p.m. | Location: St. Louis | TV: FOX | Stream: Fubo (watch now, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — Model pick: Cubs ML -109
The Cubs were shut out 5-0 by the Cardinals on Friday, losing for the fourth time in six games. Chicago now trails the Milwaukee Brewers by five games in the National League Central, but the SportsLine Projection Model likes the Cubs to potentially gain some ground on Saturday. After 10,000 simulations, the Cubs come away with the victory in 58% of simulations to make this a B-graded selection, bringing value compared to Chicago’s -109 money line price. The model also has three top-rated player props for this contest, including Pete Crow-Armstrong Over 1.5 total bases (+115). Crow-Armstrong averages 2.1 total bases in the 10,000 simulations, making this Over a 5-star recommendation.
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WNBA best bets today, where to watch
Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Indianapolis | TV: CBS | Stream: Fubo (start watching, save $20!)
SportsLine pick — | Expert: Sky +11 (Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai)
The Fever look to bounce back from a two-game slide, and they face a Sky team that they’ve dominated so far this season. In all three of their previous matchups, Indiana has won by at least 15 points. But Wetzel and Barzilai are taking Chicago here, as Indiana is dealing with many injuries. Besides Caitlin Clark still being out with a groin injury, the Fever lost fellow point guards Aari McDonald and Sydney Colson for the season this week. Without a true floor general, they say that the value is with the Sky.
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Looking ahead: Dolphins at Bears
Time: 1 p.m., Sunday | Location: Chicago | TV: NFL Network | Stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
There is a lot of buzz surrounding the Bears after hiring Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach. While Johnson has already said that last year’s No. 1 pick Caleb Williams will not be playing against the Dolphins (Tyson Bagent gets the start under center), we could see the debuts for Chicago offensive rookies such as tight end Colston Loveland, wide receiver Luther Burden III and running back Kyle Monangai.