Preseason football is better than no football. That, we can all agree on.
And on Thursday the NFL preseason ramps up with six Week 1 games. The slate concludes with a matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Tennessee Titans at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
The game features Robert Saleh making his debut as Titans coach. He will be facing the team for which he served two stints as defensive coordinator (2017-20 and 2025). Meanwhile, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is scheduled to be on the sideline while he recovers from a concussion stemming from a car crash.
As with most Week 1 preseason games, key starters are expected to sit out on Thursday. Tennessee is a 6-point favorite over San Francisco.
While 49ers vs. Titans is the marquee attraction on Thursday, there are other sports betting options on a sporting landscape that includes five other NFL games and a nine-game MLB slate. Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet at the best sports betting apps, for Thursday, Aug. 13. All times Eastern.
Claim the Caesars Sportsbook promo code CBSDYW here to bet on Thursday and double your winnings on 10 bets:
NFL best bets, where to watch
Titans at 49ers
Time: 9 p.m. | Location: Santa Clara, Calif. | TV: NFL Network | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick -- Expert: Titans -2.5 (Larry Hartstein)
These are two teams coming off vastly different seasons. San Francisco went 12-5 last year and reached the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, while Tennessee went 3-14, which tied for the worst record in the league. So why are the Titans favored? Saleh went 10-2-1 straight-up in the preseason, including 10-3 against the spread, when he was head coach of the Jets. Also, Hartstein notes that San Francisco scheduled practices for Saturday and Sunday while Tennessee won't practice again until Monday, which suggests that the Titans will emphasize Thursday's game more than the 49ers. For example, starting quarterback Cam Ward is slated to play for the Titans. "Tennessee opened as the only road team favored Thursday for a reason," he told SportsLine.
MLB best bets, where to watch
Cubs at Nationals
Time: 4:05 p.m. | Location: Washington D.C. | TV: MLB.TV | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick -- Model: Nationals +1.5 (-135)
Washington arguably has the edge in starting pitching entering the final game of this three-game series. Over his last six starts, Nationals starter Cade Cavalli (9-5, 3.57 ERA) is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA. Meanwhile, over his last nine starts Cubs starter Kevin Gausman (6-10, 4.29) is 2-6 with a 5.89 ERA (though he has pitched better recently). The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every MLB 10,000 times, says there's a 61.0% chance Washington covers and assigns a B grade to the Nationals run line of +1.5 (-135).
Bet on Thursday's MLB slate with the FanDuel promo code and get up to $1,000 in Bet Reset Tokens:
Phillies at Twins
Time: 7:30 p.m. | Location: Dyersville, Iowa | TV: Netflix | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick -- Model: Twins +1.5 (-188) | Expert: Taj Bradley Under 5.5 total hits allowed -150 (Prop Bet Guy)
Philadelphia and Minnesota collide in this year's Field of Dreams Game in the famous Iowa cornfield. Bradley (9-4, 3.76) takes the mound for the Twins, and he has gone Under this line in 16 of 23 starts this season. Over the last two weeks, the Phillies have struggled at the plate, with a hit every 4.6 plate appearances. "Bradley, who has a 10% walk rate as well, is especially tough on lefties, with a .206 average against and a .214 xBA," Prop Bet Guy tells SportsLine. Meanwhile, the SportsLine Projection Model says Minnesota has a 68.0% chance to cover and gives a B grade to the Twins run line of +1.5 (-188).
Rangers at Angels
Time: 10:07 p.m. | Location: Anaheim, Calif. | TV: MLB.TV | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick -- Model: Angels +1.5 (-131) | Expert: Walbert Urena Over 4.5 total pitcher strikeouts -132 (Prop Bet Guy)
Los Angeles has been a train wreck all season, owning the worst record (47-74) in all of baseball. One of the few bright spots has been Urena (7-8, 2.83), a 22-year-old rookie. At home, he has pitched particularly well, with a 2.49 ERA and a 25% strikeout percentage. He has gone Over 4.5 strikeouts in nine of 10 home starts with at least 70 pitches. Prop Bet Guy notes that Texas has really struggled at the plate since the All-Star break, with a 24.5% strikeout percentage and a .690 OPS. "Five Rangers in today's projected lineup have a strikeout rate of 25% or worse against righties over the last 20 games, with seven being worse than league average," he tells SportsLine. The SportsLine Projection Model says the Angels have a 65.0% chance to cover and assigns a strong A grade to the Los Angeles run line of +1.5 (-131).
Brewers at Dodgers
Time: 10:10 p.m. | Location: Los Angeles | TV: MLB.TV | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine pick -- Model: Brewers +129 | Expert: Roki Sasaki Under 16.5 total pitcher outs -134 (Prop Bet Guy)
Milwaukee and Los Angeles begin a four-game series that could be a preview of the National League Championship Series. The Brewers (74-47) own the best record in the NL, with the Dodgers (73-48) and Braves (73-48) one game behind. Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.54) is set to get the ball for Los Angeles. Prop Bet Guy notes that Sasaki has struggled with his command this season, with a 9% walk rate and 4.0 pitches per plate appearance. "He'll face a Brewers lineup that has the lowest team chase rate and sees the second-most pitches per plate appearance," Prop Bet Guy says. Meanwhile, the SportsLine Projection Model says that Milwaukee has a 50.0% chance to win and gives a C grade to the Brewers money line (+129).
Sign up with BetMGM using bonus code CBSSPORTS and earn up to $1,500 in bonus bets on Thursday:
