2025 NFL Schedule: Best Rookie Matchups to Watch This Season

The NFL season is months away, but there's already been plenty of chatter about this rookie class, especially around the question of whether Travis Hunter could win both NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Well, with the NFL schedule now officially out, we're looking at the best rookie matchups to watch this season as the new blood of the NFL tries to help their teams bolster Super Bowl odds.

👉 As part of our NFL season predictions, we used ChatGPT to project all 272 games

🌟 The best rookie matchup of the season

 🐆 Titans vs. Jaguars (twice): Cam Ward vs. Travis Hunter

🏈 When: Week 13 (Sunday, Nov. 30)/Week 18 (TBD- flex game)
🏈 Kickoff: 1 p.m./TBD
🏈 How to watch: CBS/TBD
🏈 Betting favorite: Jaguars -1.5 (-108 via DraftKings)/Jaguars -4.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

Twice a year for the foreseeable future, we'll get to see the No. 1 and No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft square off. We might even get to see Hunter pick off Cam Ward if the Jaguars choose to deploy him consistently on both sides of the ball. 

The two games these two have against each other could come with a massive impact on the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds race, with the award traditionally going to a QB. But the Heisman-winning Hunter is a complete unicorn with his two-way ability.

Get your popcorn ready, Tennessee Titans-Jacksonville Jaguars games just became a whole lot more interesting.

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🎯 Must-watch rookie quarterback matchups

⚔️ Titans vs. Browns: Cam Ward vs. Shedeur Sanders/Dillon Gabriel

🏈 When: Week 14 (Sunday, Dec. 7)
🏈 Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
🏈 How to watch: FOX
🏈 Betting favorite: Browns -1.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

It's hard to imagine the Cleveland Browns still rolling with Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett come Week 14 when the team hosts Ward and his Titans. That means we should get to see the No. 1 pick do battle with either Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders. While Gabriel was the higher pick, Shedeur Sanders owns the second-shortest NFL MVP odds among rookies behind Ward.

Could we get to see the QB who led the NFL draft odds to go No. 1 for months take on the QB who actually did go No. 1? It's basically the only way to make this matchup watchable this late into the season. 

🗽 Giants vs. Saints: Jaxson Dart vs. Tyler Shough

🏈 When: Week 5 (Sunday, Oct. 5)
🏈 Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
🏈 How to watch: CBS
🏈 Betting favorite: Giants -1.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

Although he's not guaranteed to be starting by Week 5, there's really no reasonable thinking for the New York Giants not to start first-round pick Jaxson Dart if Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen really believe he can turn the franchise around.

On the other side, the New Orleans Saints' QB room doesn't have an NFL win, so new head coach Kellen Moore may as well start second-round pick Tyler Shough to see what he's got before the team turns its attentions to hoping Arch Manning goes pro.

Will this be a good game? Absolutely not. Will it be way more enjoyable if two rookies who were overdrafted have to start at QB? Yes, because nothing could be worse than watching Russell Wilson against Jake Haener.

⚜️ Saints vs. Titans: Tyler Shough vs. Cam Ward

🏈 When: Week 17 (Sunday, Dec. 28)
🏈 Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
🏈 How to watch: CBS
🏈 Betting favorite: Titans -3.5 (-105 via DraftKings)

By the penultimate week of the season, Moore will surely be rolling with Shough. The team wouldn't have used the 40th pick in the draft on him if Moore didn't at least see some upside with his arm talent and mobility. The fun part is that he's already gone to war against Ward before.

Last season the two transferred into ACC programs, with Ward leading Miami to a 52-45 win over Shough's Louisville team in a game when the pair combined for eight touchdown passes. Given that both now play for teams that finished in the back half of the league in EPA per play on defense, maybe we'll get another shootout. 

🥊 Top rookie skill-position battles to watch

🏴‍☠️ Raiders vs. Chargers (twice): Ashton Jeanty vs. Omarion Hampton

🏈 When: Week 2 (Monday, Sept. 15)/Week 13 (Sunday, Nov. 30)
🏈 Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET/4:25 p.m. ET
🏈 How to watch: ESPN/CBS
🏈 Betting favorite: Chargers -3 (-110 via DraftKings)/Chargers -6.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

The only two running backs to crack the first round in this year's draft are AFC West rivals playing for coaches who know a thing or two about winning football on the West Coast, and more importantly, running the damn ball. Jeanty is the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year (+290 via Caesars), while Hampton has the fourth-shortest odds (+1400 via FanDuel).

Both are strong bets given Jeanty led college football in rushing yards after contact last season (1,970) and Hampton finished second (1,222), per PFF. Though Jeanty gets a clearer path to becoming a Pro Bowler as a rookie and winning OROY, getting to see Hampton opposite him twice this season will be a good reminder about why running backs are back in style.

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🐾 Panthers vs. Buccaneers (twice): Tetairoa McMillan vs. Emeka Egbuka

🏈 When: Week 16 (Sunday, Dec. 21)/Week 18 (TBD- flex game)
🏈 Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET/TBD
🏈 How to watch: FOX/TBD
🏈 Betting favorite: Buccaneers -3.5 (-110 via DraftKings)/Buccaneers -7 (-105 via DraftKings)

The two wide receivers to come off the board after Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan and Emeka Egbuka will be measured against each other for years to come in the NFC South. And we won't get to see them on the same field until the end of the season when the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers play twice in three weeks.

McMillan is a 50/50 ball extraordinare who can create after the catch, while Egbuka is considered one of the highest floor rookies due to his route running prowess and IQ. While neither is likely to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year - McMillan is +1500 and Egbuka is +5000 - both are expected to be immediate Week 1 impact players. 

🧀 Packers vs. Bears (twice): Matthew Golden vs. Colston Loveland/Luther Burden III

🏈 When: Week 14 (Sunday, Dec. 7)/Week 16 (Saturday, Dec. 20)
🏈 Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET/TBD
🏈 How to watch: FOX/FOX
🏈 Betting favorite: Packers -3.5 (-115 via DraftKings)/Packers -1.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

Many of the best skill position battles to watch this NFL season happen twice because division rivals had similar needs. While Colston Loveland isn't technically a wide receiver like Matthew Golden, he's an F tight end that will be a chess piece in Ben Johnson's offense.

He'll also have fellow rookie Luther Burden III flanking him to give the Chicago Bears a pair of electric first-year players to watch as Caleb Williams attempts to live up to the hype in his sophomore season.

Meanwhile, there's a lot more pressure on Golden (+3000 via FanDuel to win OROY), as he's the first wide receiver the Green Bay Packers have selected in the first round in over 20 years. All three are long-shot OROY contenders, but they'll need to hit the ground running for their young QBs.

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🆚 Top five rookie offense vs. defense matchups

🇺🇸 Giants vs. Patriots: Abdul Carter, EDGE vs. Will Campbell, OT

🏈 When: Week 13 (Monday, Dec. 1)
🏈 Kickoff: 8:15 p.m. ET
🏈 How to watch: ESPN
🏈 Betting favorite: Patriots -3 (-115 via DraftKings)

Although Abdul Carter caught some flak for trying to secure Lawrence Taylor's No. 56 with the New York Giants, he could quiet everyone by pulling off what Taylor did as a rookie and winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds race. Carter was second in the country in pressure last season at Penn State (66), and he looks as close to a lock as there is to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.

However, he has one hell of a rookie matchup in Week 13 against the man who was selected one pick after him. While Will Campbell's arm length was a hot topic leading up to the draft, he was the first offensive lineman selected for a reason and will have his hands full trying to protect Drake Maye against Carter. While it might not get the attention of other rookie matchups, this is the best one there is this season. 

🐎 Jaguars vs. Broncos: Travis Hunter, WR vs. Jahdae Barron, CB

🏈 When: Week 16 (Sunday, Dec. 21)
🏈 Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. ET
🏈 How to watch: FOX
🏈 Betting favorite: Broncos -5.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

If you don't count Hunter as a cornerback, this is the rookie matchup between the first wide receiver and first cornerback selected in the NFL draft. While Hunter is a dynamic playmaker due to his fluidity, ball-tracking ability, and body control, Jahdae Barron's physicality and instincts could be a tough challenge for the Heisman winner.

With these two not going toe-to-toe until late in the season, both should be proven Pro Bowl-type players by the time they face off, and we get to see Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Patrick Surtain in the same game. Barron (+2200 via BetMGM) is an intriguing value by the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds. If he can get the best of Hunter in a game that could have playoff ramifications, it will go a long way for his candidacy. 

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✈️ Falcons vs. Jets: Jalon Walker/James Pearce Jr., EDGE vs. Armand Membou, OT

🏈 When: Week 13 (Sunday, Nov. 30)
🏈 Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET 
🏈 How to watch: FOX
🏈 Betting favorite: Falcons -1.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

Desperate to turn their fortunes around under a defensive head coach, the Atlanta Falcons are clearly all in on giving Raheem Morris what he needs to succeed. The team used two first-round picks on SEC pass rushers, and getting to see both Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. go up against Armand Membou again is as fun as it gets when it comes to trench play. 

Membou faced both as a sophomore at Missouri two years ago, so he's familiar with the violent play of Walker and the speed rushing of Pearce - both are among the top 10 players with the shortest Defensive Rookie of the Year odds at our best sports betting sites.

If Walker (+1000 via DraftKings) or Pearce (+2000 via BetRivers) can beat up on Membou this late in the season, it would definitely help their DROY case against Carter and Hunter. 

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🐶 Vikings vs. Browns: Donovan Jackson, OG vs. Mason Graham, IDL

🏈 When: Week 5 (Sunday, Oct. 5)
🏈 Kickoff: 9:30 a.m. ET
🏈 How to watch: NFL Network
🏈 Betting favorite: Vikings -7 (-115 via DraftKings)

Those from Big Ten country know how big of a rookie matchup this is between two players who were keys to their teams winning national titles the last two years. Although Donovan Jackson couldn't lead Ohio State to a win against Mason Graham and Michigan, he gets a shot at revenge in Week 5 when the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns play at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. 

Jackson was the unsung hero of the Buckeyes' title run, kicking from guard to left tackle, while Graham was considered the best player on the Wolverines championship team as a true sophomore. Both first-round picks are projected to start from the hop, and a big outing from Graham against his former conference rival could help shorten his DROY odds (+1400) further.

🐃 Buccaneers vs. Bills: Emeka Egbuka, WR vs. Maxwell Hairston, CB

🏈 When: Week 11 (Sunday, Nov. 16)
🏈 Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
🏈 How to watch: CBS
🏈 Betting favorite: Bills -5.5 (-110 via DraftKings)

Though this might not even be the toughest rookie matchup for Buffalo Bills first-round pick Maxwell Hairston - he'll also see McMillan in Week 8, among other talented rookie receivers - it's one of the most important. Egbuka and Hairston could be matched up against each other a ton in this game, with both able to play outside or inside. They'll be needed this late in the season if their teams hope to be even better this year after winning their divisions last year. 

Hairston was viewed as a slight reach in the first round, but he possesses ridiculous speed and change-of-direction skills that should match up well with Egbuka's precise route running. While neither is an obvious rookie of the year bet at this point, playing for playoff-level teams could certainly help their resumes as long-shot bets at our best sportsbooks. And a big performance against another first-round rookie never hurts.

📅  Week-by-week rookie matchups to circle on the calendar

🔮 2025 NFL season previews & predictions

Following the NFL schedule release, we broke down the odds for every game and asked AI to predict every game (and more). Below are our team-by-team schedules, odds, and predictions for Week 1 through Week 18.

• NFL watchability index
• NFL schedule release: 15 best games to bet now
• NFL Week 1 odds and schedule
• NFL International schedule and odds
• NFL Thanksgiving schedule and odds
• NFL Christmas schedule and odds
• NFL Week 18 odds and schedule
• Best revenge games for the 2025-26 season

💵 Best NFL betting sites

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