
Week 1 Upset Watch: Five Favorites Poised for Shocks in 2026 Kickoff
CBS Sports flags five Week 1 favorites that could stumble in the 2026 NFL opener: the San Francisco 49ers in Australia against the Rams, the Buffalo Bills at the Houston Texans, the Chicago Bears at the Carolina Panthers, the New York Jets at the Tennessee Titans, and the Denver Broncos at the Kansas City Chiefs. The piece cites travel challenges and key returns for San Francisco, Houston’s stout defense and improved ground game, Carolina’s home-underdog edge and defensive upgrades, New York’s revamped offense and defense, and Denver’s disruptive defense and potential issues for Kansas City’s offensive line as reasons these matchups could produce upsets.





