2023 XFL picks, Week 1 bets by proven expert
Football fans will be treated to the opening of a new XFL season this weekend. The eight-team league kicks off its action with two games each on Saturday and Sunday, with the opener on Sunday centered in San Antonio. The Alamodome hosts a battle between the San Antonio Brahmas and the St. Louis Battlehawks. The Battlehawks represent the XFL North against the Brahmas from the XFL South.
Kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET in San Antonio. Caesars Sportsbook lists St. Louis as the 3-point road favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 35 in the latest Battlehawks vs. Brahmas odds. Before making any Brahmas vs. Battlehawks picks or XFL predictions of your own, you need to see what pro football expert R.J. White has to say.
White, a Fantasy and gambling editor for CBS Sports, consistently crushes against-the-spread picks and went 535-450-30 on his ATS picks from 2017-22, which returned more than $3,500 to $100 players. He also closed the NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks during the 2022 NFL season, returning more than $1,800 for $100 bettors.
White has crushed not only the NFL but also the XFL during its abbreviated 2020 season, going 16-4 on XFL ATS picks before the league suspended operations. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, he has locked in on Battlehawks vs. Brahmas and released a confident against-the-spread pick that is available only at SportsLine. Here are the XFL lines and trends for Brahmas vs. Battlehawks:
Battlehawks vs. Brahmas spread: Battlehawks -3
Battlehawks vs. Brahmas over/under: 35 points
Battlehawks vs. Brahmas money line: Battlehawks -155, Brahmas +130
Battlehawks vs. Brahmas picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Battlehawks can cover
St. Louis has notable talent on the offensive side of the ball, especially at the skill positions. Running back Brian Hill projects to be a dynamic force in the XFL, as the former fifth-round pick from Wyoming has four NFL touchdowns on his resume and extensive experience. The Battlehawks also have a proven entity in quarterback AJ McCarron, with the 32-year-old bringing eight years of NFL experience to the table.
He is a rare example of a proven NFL player showing up in a spring environment, and McCarron should display a steady hand. McCarron can also utilize a deep stable of wide receivers, including Austin Proehl, Hakeem Butler, and No. 1 draft pick Marcell Ateman. On defense, linebacker Mike Rose started for four years at Iowa State and was one of the final cuts of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022 at the age of 22.
Why the Brahmas can cover
San Antonio projects to have a dynamic running game behind the work of Kalen Ballage. The 27-year-old is a four-year NFL veteran, appearing for the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Los Angeles Chargers. Ballage has more than 650 yards on 213 carries over four seasons, and he was a fourth-round pick out of Arizona State following a career that included an eight-touchdown game against Texas Tech.
San Antonio also seems to be in safe hands with quarterback Jack Coan, who led Notre Dame to an 11-2 record and a top-10 ranking in his final college season at Notre Dame. With an experienced offensive coordinator in Jamie Elizondo and a headline-grabbing head coach in Hines Ward, San Antonio should be strong on offense.
How to make Brahmas vs. Battlehawks picks
White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning Under the total, he has discovered a crucial x-factor that makes one side of the spread a must-back. He’s sharing it only at SportsLine.