The 2022 NFL season is finally here and the Week 1 schedule is chock full of exciting showdowns. One of those games involves an AFC West showcase as the Las Vegas Raiders travel to take on the rival Los Angeles Chargers.
Expectations have never been higher for t he Raiders, who underwent many changes offseason. The most notable additions were wideout Davante Adams and defensive end Chandler Jones, along with head coach Josh McDaniels. Only time will tell if the upgraded group is ready to step up.
Meanwhile, the Chargers have all the talent to give the Raiders a run for their money. Between the likes of Justin Herbert, Joey Bosa and Keenan Allen, Los Angeles has the potential to be a Super Bowl threat.
Here's what projection models and experts across the industry have to say about the Raiders vs Chargers Week 1 matchup.
Raiders vs Chargers Projections
ESPN FPI:'Chargers (61%)
numberFire:'Chargers (60.8%)
FiveThirtyEight:'Chargers (64%)
Betting Favorite:'Chargers (-3.5)
Projected Winner:'Chargers (4)
Raiders vs Chargers Expert Picks
ESPN Experts:'Chargers (8), Raiders (1)
Sports Illustrated Experts:'Chargers (4), Raiders (1)
CBS Sports Experts: 9;Chargers (5), Raiders (3)
Expert Totals:'Chargers (17), Raiders (5)
It isn't hard to see that one team is liked a lot more than the other this weekend. A total of 77.3% of experts are expecting the Chargers to pick up the victory at SoFi Stadium.
As far as projections go, the Raiders' best shot at winning comes at 39.2% on .
There's a lot of offensive potential here and it should be a competitive affair. However, it's looking like the Chargers will emerge on the right side of the final score.