The NFL preseason and the regular season have vast differences between the two, but both are excellent for making your free NFL predictions. Whether regular season play or preseason football is scheduled, Sportzino offers the best lines and odds for your preseason NFL predictions.
What is the Point?
It is no secret that preseason games have little impact on the success of an NFL franchise, but they are still very important. Preseason games are used to better understand the fringe roster of players for NFL teams. The crucial snaps can go a long way in determining the final NFL roster cuts, with the preseason being the perfect time to give field time to players who wouldn’t otherwise get an opportunity to shine.
How the NFL Preseason Schedule Is Organized
The NFL’s preseason schedule is structured for flexibility while maintaining fairness. Each team plays three games—except for those in the Hall of Fame Game, who get a fourth.
Key facts:
- Matchups are loosely based on conference rotation and geography
- Teams alternate between home and away games
- Starters rarely play more than one or two quarters per game
The schedule emphasizes evaluation over results. Coaches use this window to assess depth, test special teams, and see how rookies respond under pressure, especially when comparing NFL preseason vs regular season dynamics.
Player Participation
One of the big differences between preseason and standard NFL football is player participation. The eventual starters for NFL teams rarely participate in preseason football, as the risk of injury is too high to play the star players. Instead, it is used to get snaps for the rotation and practice squad players, as teams do not want to take the risk of playing unproven talents in the regular season.
This is the first NFL offseason without graduated cuts, as teams can carry up to 90 players in the preseason before cutting the roster down to 53 by Tuesday, August 27th. In the past, each week would see roster sizes gradually shrink, and most NFL teams have been making cuts throughout the past three weeks. Generally, the preseason is for lower-tier players to get meaningful NFL minutes, with the starters usually only suiting up for a drive or two in the opening quarter.
Outcomes
The outcomes of preseason games are vastly different from regular season play, as teams are more focused on developing and evaluating their players rather than the final score. As a result, the preseason sees much lower scoring games, with the Over/Unders in the 35 point range compared to the 45 point average in the regular season. Additionally, the games are much closer in score and have little to no correlation with regular season results.
| Year | Preseason PPG | Regular Season PPG |
| 2024 | 28.1 | 43.6 |
| 2023 | 40.6 | 43.8 |
| 2022 | 38.9 | 46 |
| 2021 | 36.6 | 49.6 |
Fan Interest
Fan Interest is much lower in the preseason compared to the regular season, as a lack of standings and will to win for teams cause fans to wait for the regular season. Diehard NFL football fans will still watch their teams compete, while casual fans will wait for the roster cuts and hop on the bandwagon when the regular season begins. As the preseason weeks roll on, teams elect to play the players they expect to have a real chance at making the roster, with pre-week three rosters featuring many of the starters.
Is There a Correlation Between Preseason and Regular Season?
There is absolutely no correlation between preseason and regular season games in the NFL. In the 2023 preseason, three teams went a perfect 3-0, the Washington Commanders, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Pittsburgh Steelers, but none of them qualified for the playoffs in the regular season. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams both went 0-3 in the warm-up games, but both made the playoffs in 2024.
What is the Best?
The best NFL football is regular season play. Preseason play can certainly whet the appetite for the upcoming season, but nothing compares to the thrill of regular season play. The star players have very limited snaps, as it is primarily used for player development. However, in the regular season, the wins are all that matters, and teams will go all-out to secure the victory.
Why the NFL Preseason Still Matters
Despite being non-competitive by scoreboard standards, the NFL preseason serves several important functions:
- Talent evaluation: Bubble players get a final shot to make the team
- Game-speed reps: Helps starters ease into full-contact intensity
- Injury recovery: Veterans returning from rehab ease back into gameplay
- Coaching adjustments: New coordinators can test systems in real time
It also gives fans a preview of breakout players and coaching styles before the official games begin. For fantasy football managers and sports analysts, these matchups provide early clues into a team’s direction and depth.
