The first NFL Sunday of the 2023 season begins tomorrow! Let’s take a look at the weather forecasts for Week 1 and determine if it will have an impact on any of your fantasy football players in your first matchup of the season.
How Will the Weather Impact Fantasy Football in Week 1?
All times listed are Eastern Time zone. Forecasts for Week 1 are supplied by reports from the National Weather Service. All betting lines are from the NFL’s official website. The NFL Week 1 weather report will be updated with changes that may break before kickoff.
Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens (-10), O/U 43.5 | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
The line in this game should tell you everything you need to know. The Baltimore Ravens are set to be one of the top competitors for the AFC North crown this year. The Houston Texans may be competing for the top pick in the draft once again.
With a lopsided matchup in Week 1, I expect the Ravens to come out victorious. But -10 is some big points to cover: hard to want to put any major money on that this week.
As for the weather, it is going to be a wet one in Baltimore. The chance of precipitation is 80%, with thunderstorms in the forecast from late morning through the afternoon. This game could get muddy. Winds around 6 to 11 mph with possible gusts during storms.
This forecast certainly favors the ground game in this matchup. The unleashing of the new Todd Monken passing offense in Baltimore may need to wait a week for the full impact.
Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) at Cleveland Browns, O/U 48 | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
An AFC North clash to start off the 2023 season. Joe Burrow returns after a calf injury hobbled him most of the preseason, and the Cincinnati Bengals look to start the road to a third straight AFC Championship Game with a win.
Standing in their way is a Cleveland Browns team that is tough to predict heading into 2023. Will Deshaun Watson return to form from his incredible Texans years? Can the Browns offense, as a whole, take the next step? Is Myles Garrett a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate? We will have to watch and find out.
There is a 30% chance of rain in the forecast for this one, with thunderstorms also a possibility as the game goes on. Winds are predicted to be 9 to 13 mph. The chances are lower for precipitation in this one, so I wouldn’t shy away from Burrow, Watson, or either passing game.
San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers, O/U 41 | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
An NFC versus AFC matchup with two storied franchises is set for Week 1. The San Francisco 49ers look to put their rough loss in the NFC Championship Game for the second year in a row behind them and start 2023 on the right foot.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers would love to return to the playoffs after missing them for the first time in three years last season. Kenny Pickett and the Steelers’ offense will need to make big strides to find themselves in postseason play in the tough AFC.
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As far as the weather, we have another potentially soggy game. Showers are forecasted, and thunderstorms are possible during this game. The chance of precipitation is 80%. Winds should be calmer, however, at about 5 mph.
49ers fans are having flashbacks to the monsoon they saw in Week 1 last year in Chicago and can only hope for a better result this year.
Arizona Cardinals at Washington Commanders (-7), O/U 38 | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
This is a tale of two very different teams. The Arizona Cardinals bring one of the worst rosters on paper coming into 2023. Many expect them to be in the top running for the first overall pick next season. It could be a long year for the Cardinals.
The Washington Commanders, on the other hand, have a lot of optimism. They have a new ownership group, a new starting quarterback, and a new assistant coach and offensive coordinator. They play in a tough division in the NFC East, but the Commanders hope to make some noise in 2023.
The weather forecast for this one is a lot of the same that we have been listing so far; rain, rain, and rain. The chance of precipitation is 70%, with thunderstorms possible. Winds 6 to 9 mph.
This could be another soggy slugfest, so invest higher in the ground game than the passing game in this matchup.
Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (-1), O/U 42 | Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
The oldest rivalry in the NFL takes center stage in Week 1 of the 2023 season. The Packers enter the year without Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers rostered on the team for the first time in 31 years. Jordan Love now takes over with some giant shoes to fill.
Meanwhile, the Bears (who owned the top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft) can only go up from the worst record in the NFL last year. They will hope Justin Fields can take the next step, especially with a new weapon in DJ Moore on the roster.
The weather finally looks good in one of these games! Mostly sunny skies and a high temperature near 75 is perfect football weather in Week 1. Wind will gust between 5 and 10 mph and should be a limited factor in the Windy City.
Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos (-3.5), O/U 44 | Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
The latest matchup in this AFC West rivalry feels different than recent years. The Las Vegas Raiders are retooling a bit with a new quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo and come off a 6-11 season where they finished third in the division.
The Denver Broncos, meanwhile, had an even tougher year, finishing fourth at 5-12. The team hired Sean Payton to take over as head coach and hope he can fix their offense and quarterback Russell Wilson.
Back to rainy skies in our forecast in this one. There is a 60% chance of precipitation in the forecast. Thunderstorms are even possible. Wind will be 5 to 11 mph., but could gust up to 18 mph during the game. The kicking game could be difficult in this contest.
Philadelphia Eagles (-4) at New England Patriots, O/U 45 | Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
The reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles start 2023 on the road in an out-of-conference matchup. Returning a stellar roster, the Eagles will look to follow the same path as a season ago, but this time to end with a W in the last game of the season.
The New England Patriots are trying to get back to their winning ways of old. New offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will attempt to fix Mac Jones and the Pats offense and get this team humming again in 2023.
We have another rainy forecast with the chance of precipitation at 40% in this game. The high will be near 81. There could be some dry patches throughout the contest.
With most of our games, this week showing up with rain in the forecast, the lower precipitation percentage and winds around 3 to 7 mph qualify this as one of the better weather games in Week 1.
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (-5.5), O/U 46 | Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET
The Los Angeles Rams are ways away from where they sat a year and a half ago. Super Bowl Champions in February of 2022, the Rams are now projected to be one of the bottom teams in 2023. And an injury to their superstar WR Cooper Kupp to begin the year doesn’t help.
They head to one of the toughest places in the league to play as the Seattle Seahawks kick off their 2023 season at home with the “12th Man” in attendance. Trying to return to the playoffs after a 9-8 season a year ago, we will see if Geno Smith can continue his renaissance in a second straight season.
Leave it to one of the rainiest cities in America to have a clear forecast! 77 degrees and partly sunny for this one. Having perfect football weather like that shouldn’t hold any of your fantasy players back.
Dallas Cowboys (-3.5) at New York Giants, O/U 45.5 | Sunday 8:20 p.m. ET
Back on the East Coast for another outdoor game, the Dallas Cowboys travel to New Jersey for an NFC East clash with their division rivals. The Cowboys have high aspirations in 2023 and hope to get over the playoff hump that has plagued them for decades. Could 2023 be the year they finally get back to an NFC Championship Game?
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The New York Giants will try to return to the playoffs again in 2023 themselves. By re-signing both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley this offseason, the Giants want to start 2023 on the right foot. They will be hoping their new tight end, Darren Waller, will be cleared from injury and able to help Sunday night.
It’s another tough weather game with rain and storms in the forecast. The storms could produce heavy rain as well. Precipitation chances during the game are 70%, and it may rain all day before the game. This will be a wet and muddy surface for these players.
Buffalo Bills (-2.5) at New York Jets, O/U 46 | Monday 8:15 p.m. ET
The Buffalo Bills 2022 season started with a bang and ended with a dud. Predicted by many to make it to the Super Bowl a season ago, Buffalo lost at home to the Bengals in the AFC Divisional Round. They will try to regroup, stay healthy, and get further in 2023.
The New York Jets, meanwhile, have more hype than they have had in many years. That kind of thing will happen when you trade for a legendary quarterback like Aaron Rodgers. A solid team with an upstart defense a year ago, the Jets will look to take that next step this season.
After the Sunday night game clears out of MetLife Stadium, the rain clears with it as the Bills and Jets will have a much dryer night than the Cowboys and Giants before them. With partly cloudy skies and no precipitation in the forecast, the only question will be the state of the field after a rainy Sunday night football game.
Indoor Games in Week 1
The following NFL games are indoors, where the weather will not play a factor. The passing, rushing, and kicking games will not be affected in the following matchups:
- Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (-3.5), O/U 39.5 | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
- Jacksonville Jaguars (-5) at Indianapolis Colts, O/U 45.5 | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Minnesota Vikings (-5.5), O/U 45 | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
- Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints (-3), O/U 41 | Sunday 1 p.m. ET
- Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers (-3), O/U 51 | Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET