NFL Week 2 Odds: Injury Impacts To Watch; Rams-Cardinals A Pick’em

San Francisco 49ers at Minnesota Vikings

• Spread: 49ers ; opening spread: 49ers -6
• Moneyline: 49ers ; opening moneyline: 49ers -265
• Total: ; opening total: 46

This line had bounced around 5 and 5.5 all week, following two blowouts from two very differently valued teams. With Christian McCaffrey ruled out on Friday, it moved down to 4.5 points and stands there as game time approaches Sunday.

The Vikings are coming off a decisive 28-6 victory against the Giants, but are underdogs by a touchdown at home.

“I think there’s some juice in Minnesota, especially going into New York and playing like that. But the reaction side is really on the Giants as the bad team as opposed to the Vikings being the real deal,” Joey Feazel, head of football at Caesars Sportsbook, said before McCaffrey’s absence was disclosed.

As of Thursday, 75.5% of spread bets and 59.5% of the money is the on 49ers at ESPN Bet.

“We have to be careful on this one. The Vikings are getting a touchdown at home after a great week. It could be a spot for the wise guys,” said Johnny Avello, director of sports operations at DraftKings.

The 49ers are considered one of the NFL’s premier teams, especially after trouncing the Jets on Monday night without McCaffrey. The line moved one point in the Jets’ favor once he was ruled out an hour before the game.

Quarterback Sam Darnold finished his first game as a Viking by going 19 for 24, throwing for 208 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Giants. He was +10000 to lead the NFL in passing yards during the preseason and is down to +3100 after his performance Sunday.

Seattle Seahawks at New England Patriots

• Spread: Seahawks ; opening spread: Seahawks -3.5
• Moneyline: Seahawks ; opening moneyline: Seahawks -180
• Total: ; opening total: 40

The Seahawks are 3-point favorites against the Patriots, who upset the Bengals 16-10 in Week 1.

“Everyone had the Patriots losing in their parlays, but it’s the NFL, so it’s no surprise we see an upset like that in Week 1,” Feazel said.

The Seahawks held on late against the Broncos, securing a 26-20 victory and a push for spread bettors. They were one of the most lopsided public side in Week 1. This line was up to -4 at most sportsbooks on Wednesday but has come back down as sharp money has come in on the Patriots.

As of Thursday, the Seahawks had attracted 67.7% of spread bets and 65.1% of the money at ESPN Bet.

Seattle running back Kenneth Walker III is doubtful with an injury.

The total has been bet down to 38.5 at most books with a lower scoring game projected.

New York Giants at Washington Commanders

• Spread: Commanders ; opening spread: Commanders -2.5
• Moneyline: Commanders ; opening moneyline: Commanders -142
• Total: ; opening total: 42

The Giants scored the fewest points of any team in Week 1 heading into Sunday night, suffering a 28-6 loss at the hands of the Vikings.

Despite the blowout, the Giants opened at +2.5 against the Commanders but the spread is down to +1.5 at most books Saturday.

“The reaction side is really on the Giants as the bad team as opposed to the Vikings being the real deal,” Feazel said.

As of Thursday, 80.5% of bets and 57.6% of the money was on the Commanders at ESPN Bet.

The Commanders scored 20 points in their loss to the Buccaneers, though seven of those points came late in garbage time. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels had a notable debut with 184 passing yards, 88 rushing yards, and a pair of rushing touchdowns.

The Commanders are 6-14 against the spread against the Giants over the last decade and 3-9 as favorites.

Los Angeles Chargers at Carolina Panthers

• Spread: Chargers ; opening spread: Chargers -5.5
• Moneyline: Chargers ; opening moneyline: Chargers -230
• Total: ; opening total: 40.5

The Chargers opened as 5.5-point favorites on the road against the Panthers and got up to -6 before dropping to 4.5 on Friday where it stayed all weekend.

As of Thursday, 88.7% of spread bets and 88.1% of the money was on the Chargers at ESPN Bet. BetMGM said Sunday that the Chargers had drawn the most tickets of any team.

The Panthers drew considerable sharp action at multiple sportsbooks ahead of their 47-10 beatdown at the hands of the Saints. But that may not necessarily prevent those kinds of bettors from flocking to them this week.

“The Panthers couldn’t have looked much worse, but we’ve seen this before. Whenever the Browns were winless a few years ago, there was always a group that saw value in the numbers, even though they kept losing,” Feazel said, drawing a parallel to the current situation with the Panthers.

The Chargers, on the other hand, have benefitted from this shift. “We tested the waters on the Chargers,” Feazel noted, indicating more money came in on Los Angeles after the book briefly moved the line down to 4.5.

A rare AFC West-NFC South matchup, the Chargers are 1-6 all-time against the Panthers.

Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer is on track to play despite a knee injury, according to ESPN.

New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys

• Spread: Cowboys ; opening spread: Cowboys -6
• Moneyline: Cowboys ; opening moneyline: Cowboys -258
• Total: ; opening total: 44.5

BetMGM had this as the most bet-on over of the Sunday slate at 47 points.

The Saints open as 6-point underdogs to the Cowboys despite their 47-10 victory over the Panthers, and the line has barely moved all week.

The Cowboys, coming off a dominant 33-10 win against the Browns, have been the NFL’s most consistent team against the spread since 2020, extending their record to 40-32.

Even though the Saints had a good week, their win against a weaker team doesn’t carry as much weight compared to the Cowboys’ victory over the Browns, according to Avello of DraftKings.

As of Thursday, the Cowboys had 71.4% of spread bets and 63.5% of the money at ESPN Bet.

The Cowboys’ victory was one of the most favorable results for bettors on Sunday, Feazel said.

Indianapolis Colts at Green Bay Packers

• Spread: Colts ; opening spread: Colts -2.5
• Moneyline: ; opening moneyline: Colts -135
• Total: ; opening total: 44

Colts –2.5 is the second-most lopsided side of the week at ESPN Bet, as the Packers prepare to start Malik Willis in place of injured Jordan Love, who was downgraded to doubtful on Saturday.

The Packers were -4.5 on the look-ahead line before Love sprained his MCL in Friday night’s loss to the Eagles.

The Colts were drawing 83.8% of bets on the spread and 84.8% of the money at ESPN Bet late this week.

Anthony Richardson, in his first game since Week 4 last year, went 9 of 19 for 212 passing yards, threw an interception, added 56 rushing yards, and scored three total touchdowns. The Colts covered but narrowly lost to the Texans, 29-27, on Sunday.

“The market is overreacting to Jordan Love being out,” Feazel said. “It’s moved about nine points from the original line, which was all driven by Love’s absence because the Colts didn’t look great against the Texans.”

Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars

• Spread: Jaguars ; opening spread: Jaguars -3
• Moneyline: Jaguars ; opening moneyline: Jaguars -162
• Total: ; opening total: 44

The Jaguars are 3-point favorites against the Browns.

Deshaun Watson and the Browns struggled in Week 1, managing just 54 yards of offense in the first half against the Cowboys and finishing with only 10 points. The Jaguars, despite a tough Week 1 where they blew a lead against the Dolphins, open with a line that reflects the market’s adjustment to both performances.

Late this week, the Jaguars had 59.5% of spread bets and 53.6% of handle at ESPN Bet.

“People are really low on the Browns so far, at least on the moneyline. We’re starting to get some Browns money on the spread, but it’s a lot of money on the Jags at minus three. This was 3.5, which was the sharp side, so we got that down to three,” Magee said.

New York Jets at Tennessee Titans

• Spread: Jets ; opening spread: Jets -4
• Moneyline: Jets ; opening moneyline: Jets -198
• Total: ; opening total: 43.5

The Jets are drawing 86% of money on the spread at ESPN Bet, the most lopsided side of the week so far.

The Titans blew a 17-0 halftime lead to the Bears in Week 1, allowing 24 unanswered points to lose 24-17. They opened as 4-point underdogs to the Jets at home.

“The Titans were in a good position to win last week but fell apart late in the game,” Avello of DraftKings said. “The Jets haven’t proven themselves as a winning team on the road yet,”

Titans quarterback Will Levis went 19 for 32 with 127 passing yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions against a Bears defense that ranked 29th in pressure rate last season. The Jets, meanwhile, finished last year with the NFL’s highest-graded defense but gave up the fifth-most total yards of offense in Week 1.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Detroit Lions

• Spread: Lions ; opening spread: Lions -6.5
• Moneyline: Lions ; opening moneyline: Lions -300
• Total: ; opening total: 48.5

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Jameson Williams should play for the Lions despite an ankle injury. BetMGM also reported Sunday this was the book’s most bet-on under at 51.5 points.

This spread is back up to 7.5 points on Sunday after dipping to 7 at times this week. Seven points is a key number in football betting, so this spread was watched closely.

The Buccaneers are coming off a 37-20 victory against the Commanders. Quarterback Baker Mayfield shined in his first game as a Buccaneer without offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who has largely been credited with reviving the former No. 1 overall pick’s career.

Mayfield finished 24 of 30 with 289 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air.

“The Buccaneers looked pretty good,” Feazel noted when asked about the biggest takeaways from Week 1.

As of Thursday, 58.3% of bets and 60.2% of the money was on the Buccaneers at ESPN Bet.

“The Lions have plenty of offensive firepower, but teams have shown they can move the ball against them,” Avello said. “Tampa Bay is a solid team, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them compete in this game.”

Las Vegas Raiders at Baltimore Ravens

• Spread: Ravens ; opening spread: Ravens -8
• Moneyline: Ravens ; opening moneyline: Ravens -410
• Total: ; opening total: 43

The Ravens opened as 8-point favorites against the Raiders and were back to that number for the weekend.

Baltimore attracted the most handle this week at BetMGM. The Ravens had 82% of spread bets and 77% of the money at ESPN Bet, as of Thursday.

The Raiders are coming off a 22-10 loss to the Chargers, where they let up 135 rushing yards to Los Angeles running back J.K. Dobbins in his first game back from a torn Achilles.

Feazel noted that the Ravens’ line has been adjusted partly due to their strong showing and matchup. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for 122 yards in their 27-20 Week 1 loss to the Chiefs.

As for the Raiders’ offense, it struggled to produce in quarterback Gardner Minshew’s first game under center, totaling just one touchdown. Minshew is now 1-15 straight up as an underdog in his last 15 career starts.

Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals

• Spread: Cardinals ; opening spread: Rams -2.5
• Moneyline: Cardinals ; opening moneyline: Rams -135
• Total: ; opening total: 50

The Rams opened as 2.5-point favorites against their division rivals, the Cardinals, but had moved to 1.5-point underdogs after losing to the Lions Sunday night. As game time approaches Sunday, books like Caeasrs are calling this one a pick-’em.

The Rams had 75.6% of spread bets and 73.1% of the money at ESPN Bet as of Thursday.

The Cardinals nearly pulled off an upset against the Buffalo Bills, covering one of the week’s largest spreads but losing 34-28. Josh Allen led the Bills’ comeback with two touchdown passes in the second half, finishing 18 of 23 for 232 yards and two passing touchdowns. Allen also contributed with 39 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Arizona’s DeeJay Dallas provided a spark with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, which cut Buffalo’s lead to 31-28 with 8:31 left. This was the NFL’s first kickoff return for a touchdown under the new rules.

Despite the close score, rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. was virtually a non-factor, which surprised oddsmakers. Feazel noted, “Marvin Harrison was a popular pick, but he only had one or two catches. With the close score, we expected him to play a more significant role.”

Rams will be without star wide receiver Puka Nacua, whom they moved to the injured reserve after he suffered a sprained PCL in Sunday’s loss to the Lions. His injury was a factor in line movement toward the Cardinals since the offseason.

Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs

• Spread: Chiefs ; opening spread: Chiefs -6
• Moneyline: Chiefs ; opening moneyline: Chiefs -180
• Total: ; opening total: 48.5

Bengals-Chiefs has been an attractive game for the betting public since both these teams faced off in the AFC championship three years ago. The Chiefs covered in Week 1 against the Ravens thanks in part to Isaiah Likely’s toe, while the Bengals lost outright to the Patriots after opening as the week’s biggest favorite.

The Bengals were one of Caesars’ most popular parlay legs for Week 1, both on the moneyline and spread. At Circa, their loss knocked out a third of all survivor pool entries. Feazel of Caesars described them as “the biggest surprise of Week 1,” noting, “It was unexpected, given how much faith bettors had in the Bengals. They were a significant liability for us.”

The Bengals find themselves on the other side of NFL Week 2 odds, opening as one of the biggest underdogs so far, which Feazel called a “big overreaction from the public.”

The Chiefs were back up to -5.5 on Saturday, drawing 71% of bets and 78% of the money at ESPN Bet.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos

• Spread: Steelers ; opening spread: Steelers -3
• Moneyline: Steelers ; opening moneyline: Steelers -148
• Total: ; opening total: 38.5

The Steelers held on late to secure a victory against Kirk Cousins and the Falcons in Week 1. Justin Fields was a late injury replacement at quarterback for Russell Wilson, who was ruled out with a calf injury Sunday morning. Fields went 17 for 23 with 156 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions as the Steelers’ defense carried them to the win.

Wilson’s status is still uncertain for Week 2, but traders say it won’t impact betting markets much.

“Fields and Wilson rated pretty similarly it seems,” said Christian Cipollini, the head sports trader at BetMGM.

The Steelers -2.5 is down from the opening line (-3) and was drawing 57% of bets and 71% of the money at ESPN Bet.

The Broncos did not score a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter against the Seahawks in Week 1. Rookie Bo Nix went 27 of 43 for 135 passing yards, one rushing touchdown, and two interceptions in his first career start.

Oddsmakers anticipate similarly low-scoring games from both teams in Week 2, as this is the lowest total of the week.

Chicago Bears at Houston Texans

• Spread: Texans ; opening spread: Texans -4.5
• Moneyline: Texans ; opening moneyline: Texans -180
• Total: ; opening total: 47

The Bears clawed back from a 17-0 deficit against the Titans in Week 1, scoring 24 unanswered points to secure their first victory in the Caleb Williams era. Despite only amassing 149 total yards of offense, Williams became the first quarterback favored by 4.5 points or more in his NFL debut to win the game.

The Texans, on the other hand, pulled off a close victory of their own, coming alive late to edge out the Colts. However, they failed to cover the 2.5-point spread.

The Texans were 6.5-point favorites as gameday approaches, drawing 73% of bets and 73% of handle at ESPN Bet.

Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles

• Spread: Eagles ; opening spread: Eagles -4.5
• Moneyline: Eagles ; opening moneyline: Eagles -191
• Total: ; opening total: 48.5

The Falcons opened as 5.5-point underdogs against the Eagles, who pulled off a decisive 34-29 win against the Packers in Brazil last week.

Books are less high on the Falcons after losing by a score of 18-10 against the Steelers. The Eagles go into the game with a two-day rest advantage, though both teams should be fresh for Monday Night Football.

Late this week, the Eagles were -6.5 at ESPN Bet on Friday, drawing 87% of bets and 88% of the money.

There has been no significant line movement since Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown was listed as questionable with a hamstring injury on Saturday.