There is no shortage of points Thursday Night Football. A lead of 49.5 eased the Eagles’ 34-28 victory over the visiting Vikings. And how about all the fantasy points?
Three players from each team exceeded 20 points in PPR. Kirk Cousins, Jalen Hurts, Justin Jefferson, DeVonta Smith, TJ Hockenson and D’Andre Swift all had great starts to the second week of the season as Minnesota and Philadelphia combined for over 800 yards of offense.
Here’s hoping for more games like this this week. Although given how low some of Sunday’s over/unders are set, I wouldn’t count on it.
In the Winners Club today you will find:
- Fantasy football player rankings
- Week 2 NFL ATS and O/U picks
- College football bets for Week 3
Fantasy Football Line Decisions
Unfortunately, Week 1 did not go without major injuries. As you may have heard, the Aaron Rodgers era is over. Diontae Johnson (hamstring) could miss several weeks, Aaron Jones (hamstring) could be out Week 2 and Austin Ekeler (ankle) managers are holding their breath.
Travis Kelce (knee) could be back Sunday for the playoff rematch against the Jaguars. He practiced in a limited capacity on Thursday. Stay updated with the latest injury news here.
Not surprisingly, the Chiefs star was Michael Fabiano’s top tight end this week. Consult his player rankings and Start ‘Em, Sit’Em advice before Sunday’s lineups are locked.
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | K & D/ST
Player Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | FLEX | D&ST | K
Jen Piacenti has DFS picks for Sunday’s slate, starting with a QB-WR stack that could pay dividends. See which players he recommends you put in your lineup this week.
NFL Week 2 Picks and Lines
This week’s totals tell us there will be some shootouts (I’m looking at you, Seahawks-Lions!) Six games have over/unders south of 40 points. Below.
Gilberto Manzano has five over/under bets for Week 2 to tail. There has been no shortage of fireworks when Seattle and Detroit have met the past two seasons and he looks for that trend to continue.
Manzano, Matt Verderame and I also rank the five best games to bet on this week and make score predictions, against the spread and over/under picks for each. No surprise: Kansas City vs. Jacksonville tops the list and we’re all on top.
Piacenti also picked five prop bets he wanted this week. He was in a few overs, including two quarterback rushing props.
If you’re looking for moneyline picks, the MMQB team picks every NFL game straight. The most popular upset pick? The Ravens are on the road in Cincinnati.
1 o’clock in the afternoon AND (SINGING): Packers vs. Falcons (-1.5) | Total: 40.5
1 pm ET (CBS): Raiders vs. Fees (-8.5) | Total: 46.5
1 pm ET (CBS) Chiefs (-3.5) vs. Jaguars | Total: 51.5
1 pm ET (CBS) Crows vs. Bengalis (-3.5) | Total: 46.5
1 pm ET (SINGING): Seahawks vs. Lions (-4.5) | Total: 47.5
1 pm ET (CBS): Chargers (-2.5) vs. Titans | Total: 45.5
1 pm ET (SINGING): Bears vs. Buccaneers (-2.5) | Total: 40.5
1 pm ET (SINGING): Colts vs. Texans (-1.5) | Total: 39.5
4:05 pm ET (SINGING): 49ers (-7.5) vs. Rams | Total: 44.5
4:05 pm ET (SINGING): Giants (-4.5) vs. Cardinals | Total: 39.5
4:25 pm ET (CBS): Jets vs. Cowboys (-9.5) | Total: 38.5
4:25 pm ET (CBS): Commanders vs. Broncos (-3.5) | Total: 38.5
8:20 pm ET (NBC): Dolphins (-2.5) vs. Patriots | Total: 46.5
7:15 pm ET (ESPN, ESPN2): Saints (-3.5) vs. Panthers | Total: 39.5*
8:15 pm ET (ABC, ESPN+): Brown ones (-2.5) vs. Steelers | Overall: 38.5*
*Monday Night Football doubleheader
Penn State is a Heavy Favorite in the Big Ten Opener
One of the top offenses in the country in 2023 will take on the team with the best defense from 2022 on Saturday. No. 7 Penn State is a 14.5-point road favorite at the top Illinois. The Nittany Lions offense led by Drew Allar is fresh off a 63-point performance and will face its toughest test of the young season against the Illini.
See what bets you can place before Penn State and Illinois kick off from Memorial Stadium.
No. 20 North Carolina nearly saved Appalachian State’s upset bid a week ago. Now, the Tar Heels are set to host Minnesota, a fringe top-25 team with a solid defense to put in Drake Maye. UNC is a 7.5-point home favorite against the Golden Gophers.
Find out what the best play is for Saturday’s showdown between North Carolina and Minnesota.
For more college football picks, consult the predictions of Pat Forde and Richard Johnson. They are divided into several matchups, incl top-ranked Georgiawho is a heavy favorite against South Carolina.
Other Games for Your Mind
12 pm ET (ESPN): Number 14 LSU (-9.5) vs. State of Mississippi | Total: 54.5
7 pm ET (ESPN): No. 11 Tennessee (-6.5) vs. Florida | Total: 58.5
10 pm ET (ESPN): State of Colorado vs. No. 18 Colorado (-23.5) | Overall: 60.5
In Other News
Josh Allen Takes a Hit in Latest QB Rankings: The Bills’ signal-caller fell a few spots after his three-interception performance in the Monday Night Football and Trevor Lawrence took his place in the top five. See how the rest of the quarterbacks in the league fare.
Justin Jefferson Hits 5,000 Yards in 52 Games: The Vikings’ star receiver matched the NFL record for fewest games to hit this career milestone in Thursday night’s loss to the Eagles. Jefferson finished with 159 receiving yards and is over 300 for the season.
NFL Aims to Crack Down Tackle Alignment: After Jawaan Taylor’s pre-snap position drew attention in the Lions-Chiefs season opener, the league plans to address the issue with warnings and then flags for tackles who line up illegally.
That’s all we have. Remember to follow us @SI_Pagputsa and @SI_Fantasy and enjoy your weekend!
