A unique competition is set to unfold in the 2026 NFL season as a human analyst challenges ChatGPT in a weekly betting picks showdown. The analyst, Danny Parkins, will go head-to-head with the AI, with both making five NFL bets each week. The results will be tracked throughout the season to determine which entity possesses superior predictive abilities.
Parkins, who acknowledges his history of making questionable picks, expressed skepticism about his chances against an AI with access to vast amounts of data. He stated that if ChatGPT cannot outperform him, it would challenge the notion of AI dominating the world.
For Week 1, Parkins's picks include the Chicago Bears favored by three points against the Carolina Panthers, the Jaguars-Browns game to go under 40.5 points, the Washington Commanders receiving 5.5 points against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Raiders-Dolphins game to stay under 41 points, and the Green Bay Packers to win outright against the Minnesota Vikings.
Parkins's rationale for the Bears pick is that they are a rising team that narrowly missed the NFC Championship last year, while the Panthers are due for negative regression. For the Browns-Jaguars under, he points to the uncertainty surrounding Deshaun Watson and the Browns' offense, also noting that Week 1 unders have historically performed well. He expects a strong bounce-back season for Jayden Daniels and the Commanders, boosted by the addition of Stefon Diggs, and sees the Eagles potentially taking a step back. His reasoning for the Dolphins-Raiders under mirrors his earlier analysis, citing low scoring potential for both offenses. Finally, he sees the Packers as the better team in an underdog role against a Vikings team with a new starting quarterback.
ChatGPT, using GPT-5.6 Sol Max mode, also provided its five picks for Week 1. The AI selected the Houston Texans with 1.5 points against the Buffalo Bills, the Buccaneers-Bengals game to go under 50.5 points, the Detroit Lions favored by seven points against the New Orleans Saints, the Los Angeles Chargers favored by nine points against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Green Bay Packers moneyline to win against the Minnesota Vikings.
ChatGPT's analysis for its Texans pick suggests Houston's defense troubles Josh Allen, and that ESPN's FPI projects a close game. For the Buccaneers-Bengals under, the AI cites defensive additions, limited preseason play from starting quarterbacks, and Tampa Bay's receiving depth issues. It favors the Lions -7, noting their offensive production and New Orleans's weak offensive line and key player absences. The AI's reasoning for the Chargers -9 highlights ESPN's FPI projection and Arizona's defensive struggles in the latter half of the previous season. Lastly, ChatGPT also picked the Packers moneyline, pointing to ESPN's FPI giving Green Bay a favorable win probability and Jordan Love's strong finish to the 2025 season.
This weekly competition aims to answer the question of whether humans or robots are better at predicting NFL outcomes.