USFL odds, lines, picks, spreads, predictions for Week 1, 2022: Top expert backing Tampa Bay Bandits

SportsLine's No. 1 pro football expert, R.J. White, shares his Week 1 USFL picks against the spread

By CBS Sports Staff

Apr 16, 2022 at 9:28 am ET • 3 min read

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The United States Football League (USFL) was the last direct competitor to the NFL when it ran from 1983-85. After folding in 1986, it is being relaunched this year as a spring league, although it is not affiliated with the original incarnation. The Week 1 USFL schedule begins with one game on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. ET before a tripleheader on Sunday. The first Sunday game will see the Jeff Fisher-led Michigan Panthers as three-point favorites over the Houston Gamblers in the latest Week 1 USFL odds per Caesars Sportsbook. Fisher is expected to start former Michigan star Shea Patterson at QB, but he also has former NFL first round pick, Paxton Lynch, on the roster.

The Panthers have the biggest names at the QB position in the league, but how much will that mean come Sunday? Which team should you lean towards with your Week 1 USFL bets and how should you evaluate the other games for the upstart league? All of the Week 1 USFL lines are listed below, and SportsLine pro football expert, R.J. White, has all the USFL betting advice and predictions you need to make the best Week 1 USFL picks now.

CBS Sports' Fantasy and gambling managing editor, White has delivered consistently on a high volume of picks over the long-term, returning $2,542 to $100 bettors on more than 800 against the spread picks since the start of the 2017 NFL season. It's no surprise, as White has cashed huge twice in the world's most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest.

He was also 16-4 on all XFL ATS picks before the league suspended operations in 2020. That included starting a 13-1 run at the start as books scrambled to correctly evaluate team quality in a league where little was known heading into the season. If anybody can spot value in the USFL lines, it's him.

Now, White has turned its attention to the latest Week 1 USFL odds from Caesars and locked in picks for every USFL matchup. Head here to see every pick.

Top Week 1 USFL predictions

One of the top Week 1 USFL predictions White recommends: The Tampa Bay Bandits cover as four-point favorites over the Pittsburgh Maulers. As their name suggests, the Maulers will want to pummel the Bandits with a ground attack that features a couple of former NFL offensive linemen. Pittsburgh is also coached by Kirby Wilson, who was the Vikings' RB coach for the last of Adrian Peterson's rushing titles (2015). However, there's no second coming of Peterson on the Maulers and Tampa counters with a stout defense as six Bandit defenders are former NFL players.

On offense, Tampa may have the best QB in the league in former Ole Miss star Jordan Ta'amu. He led the SEC in total yards (4,260) in 2018 and finished only behind Tua Tagovailoa in passing yards (3,918) that season. He offers a dual-threat ability that Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense isn't ready for, and Ta'amu also has previous success in spring football leagues. He was one of the stars of the 2020 XFL season and ranked second in the league in total yards.

Expectations are high for the Bandits as not only are they the biggest favorite of Week 1, but they are also among three co-favorites to win the USFL championship. They will be out to prove that Vegas is right from the opening kick, and White has taken that into account in picking Tampa to cover. He is also expecting the Under (42) to hit in the game.

Make Week 1 USFL picks

White has also made the call on who wins and covers in every other game on the Week 1 USFL schedule, and he's predicting that two favorites to go down hard. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.

So what USFL picks can you make with confidence? And which favorites go down hard? Check out the latest USFL odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from the pro football expert that went 16-4 on all XFL ATS picks, and find out.