Emory Hunt went a step further and recommended Giants moneyline in Week 1. He recalled last year’s meeting where Washington needed "about 25 field goals" to win, arguing New York’s defense matches up well against the Commanders’ new offensive line. Hunt also believes Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston will raise the Giants’ offensive floor, and he expects at least one Week 1 upset as the regular season remains an extension of preseason. Washington, in his view, is the favorite most likely to get caught.

Breaking down the Week 1 line (Washington ‑7, 46.5 total), Claudia Bellofatto said no team is good enough to cover a full touchdown in the opener. She would either take the Giants +7 or tease Washington down near a pick’em. Bellofatto expects New York’s front—Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and a healthy Dexter Lawrence—to provide a stiff first test for Washington’s revamped offensive line, making the underdog the bet in her eyes.

Chris Raybon recommended grabbing the Giants at +7.5 against Washington while the touchdown hook is still available. He believes the market is underrating an offseason that dramatically raised New York’s floor: the defensive depth chart added three starters, and the quarterback room of Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Jaxson Dart is vastly superior to last year’s version, eliminating the catastrophic downside baked into 2023 prices. Raybon pointed to a two-decade trend showing Week 1 divisional underdogs that missed the previous postseason cover 69 % of the time (71 % on the road). The Giants, infamously better ATS away from MetLife, played the Commanders to margins of 5 and 3 points last year despite a nine-win gap in records. With both rosters improving but New York enjoying a bigger talent leap, Raybon views anything above +6 as mispriced.