The XFL returns after a hiatus of nearly three years as the Houston Roughnecks host the Orlando Guardians in their 2023 season opener on Saturday. The league was forced to halt its inaugural 2020 campaign after only five weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter before being resurrected by a new ownership group. Houston won all five of its games in 2020 before shutting down operations, while the Guardians went 3-2 with New York as their home before relocating for this season. 

Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET at TDECU Stadium. Houston is a 3.5-point favorite in the latest Roughnecks vs. Guardians odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 35. Before locking in any Guardians vs. Roughnecks picks or XFL predictions of your own, you need to hear what NFL 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 2022 NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 on his last 193 against-the-spread and total NFL picks, 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.

White knows Houston is led by Wade Phillips, who is considered one of the top defensive minds in the sport and has plenty of head-coaching experience from his time in the NFL. The Roughnecks' top quarterback is Brandon Silvers, who was named MVP of the 2017 New Orleans Bowl after he threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns while also running for a score in Troy's 50-30 victory against North Texas. The 28-year-old appeared in four games for the XFL's Seattle Dragons in 2020 and passed for 539 yards with six TDs and four interceptions.

White also knows Orlando is coached by former NFL cornerback Terrell Buckley, who was a member of the New England Patriots' Super Bowl XXXVI championship team. Paxton Lynch, who started four games for the Denver Broncos from 2016-17, is expected to be under center for the Guardians on Saturday. The 29-year-old was selected with the 26th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft and threw for 792 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions in five contests with the Broncos.

Now, White has locked in another confident against-the-spread pick for Roughnecks vs. Guardians. We can tell you he's leaning Under the total, but he knows a crucial X-factor makes one side of the spread a MUST-BACK! You ABSOLUTELY need to see what it is before locking in any picks of your own.

Who wins Roughnecks vs. Guardians? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? ... Join SportsLine right now to see which side of the Guardians vs. Roughnecks spread to jump on, all from the expert who closed the NFL season on an incredible 107-80-6 run!