49ers vs. Raiders Predictions, Picks & Odds: Intriguing QB Battle in Preseason Week 1

Week 1 of the NFL preseason wraps up with the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Las Vegas Raiders. Sportsbook Review betting analyst Neil Parker has gone through the best sports betting apps for his best 49ers vs. Raiders picks and predictions based on the latest NFL odds.

There are cozy connections between the San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders, and they’ll participate in a pair of joint practices ahead of Sunday’s Preseason Week 1 finale.

The two storied franchises shared the San Francisco Bay Area for 45 years across two Raiders stints in Oakland, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo started 55 games for the Niners before signing a $67.5 million, three-year contract with Vegas in March.

Yet, there’s also plenty that separates the two teams heading into the 2023 season.

San Francisco holds championship aspirations and an athletic attack on both sides of the ball that has the team trading among the favorites in the Super Bowl odds across our best Super Bowl betting sites. The NFC powerhouse is poised for another strong season with a double-digit projected win total.

Las Vegas, meanwhile, is on Page 2 of a new chapter with Garoppolo set to start for the Silver and Black in head coach Josh McDaniels’ second season in Vegas. The Raiders will look to improve on last year’s 6-11 record in the daunting AFC West, but they're also a candidate to finish with the worst record in the NFL.

But first, the two teams will meet at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday to conclude Week 1 of the NFL preseason slate.

Here are our best 49ers vs. Raiders picks and predictions (odds via our best NFL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

49ers vs. Raiders predictions

49ers to win by 1-13 points (+140 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐

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San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan is 4-1 straight up in preseason openers through six seasons with the organization. And while I don’t value trends blindly, it’s evidence he fosters a competitive, in-house training camp and has his club prepared for exhibition play. 

I’m skeptical of the Vegas quarterback situation, too. Garoppolo is still working his way back from an offseason foot surgery in March, so projected backup Brian Hoyer might not have a long run behind center, either. 

There hasn’t been an announcement from McDaniels on how the playing time will be split up, but it’s worth noting 2022 starter Derek Carr didn’t take a single preseason snap despite being fully healthy during camp. As a result, I’m expecting rookie Aidan O’Connell and Chase Garbers to see the bulk of the action running the Vegas offense.

Shanahan has provided more clarity, and he noted quarterback Brock Purdy isn’t likely to play Sunday.

That leaves athletically gifted Trey Lance, 55-game NFL starter Sam Darnold and eight-year journeyman Brandon Allen to level up the roster-spot battle against the Raiders.

I’m relying on McDaniels playing it cautiously to ensure he has a veteran quarterback healthy for Week 1, while Shanahan has the luxury of continuing the quarterback competition between Lance, Darnold and Allen.

49ers vs. Raiders best odds

FanDuel (+140)

My colleagues Mike McClymont and Shane Jackson have already tipped off this unique FanDuel prop market, and I'm following suit. It's further encouraging that the game features a low total and short spread, and I don’t anticipate the 49ers running away from the Raiders.

I’d also recommend checking out Mike’s live-betting analysis in his recent Texans vs. Patriots predictions. A similar situation could arise in this game, with the more experienced San Fran quarterbacks playing against Vegas second- and third-stringers to create an opportunity to capitalize with an in-game wager through our best live betting sites.

Finally, for comparison, DraftKings also has the following winning-margin props available:

49ers vs. Raiders odds

49ers vs. Raiders odds analysis

There’s been limited line movement in this game. BetMGM remains on an island with San Francisco trading at -3.5 as of Friday morning, while the rest of our best sports betting sites have the number at -4.

It’s a similar story with the total. FanDuel has an outlier 35.5 available, while our other best sportsbooks are all hanging 36.

Until we know how the quarterback reps will be divvied up for the Raiders it’s difficult to handicap future line movement in this game. I’d expect there to be support for the San Fran side if it’s announced that Garoppolo won’t play.

49ers vs. Raiders game info

• Date: Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023, 4 p.m. ET
• TV: NFL Network
• Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
• Weather: 56 degrees F, 15% chance of precipitation, 10-mph W winds

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