Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season is underway after the Buccaneers defeated the Cowboys on Thursday night. But what will happen in the remaining 14 games? We have 15 predictions from our NFL experts.
First, betting analyst Pamela Maldonado picks two underdogs who could win outright. Then, analytics writer Seth Walder projects stat lines for three players. Fantasy football writer Eric Moody suggests three sleepers, and analyst Matt Bowen predicts three players who will find the end zone. Finally, analyst Ben Solak lays out four wild-card predictions.
Could the Giants pull off an upset? How many yards will Steelers running back Jaylen Warren record against the Colts? Is Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett a safe starter in fantasy? And which Bears receiver will find the end zone? Let's make 15 big predictions for the Sunday and Monday action.
Jump to: Upset picks | Projected stat lines Fantasy sleepers, surprises TD scorers | Other predictions
Maldonado predicts two upsets
Las Vegas Raiders +3.5 (+164 moneyline) at New England Patriots
Patriots QB Drake Maye's breakout against the Bills last week didn't solve New England's protection problems. He was still heavily pressured, while his receivers didn't create much yardage after the catch.
Meanwhile, Raiders QB Kirk Cousins has a useful answer against this defense: play-action. New England is much tougher when quarterbacks simply drop back, but it has allowed the fifth-highest QBR against play-action this season. That fits what Cousins does best, giving Las Vegas a way to manufacture enough offense to create tension.