NFL Picks Week 2 Best Early Player Props to Bet Before Odds Shift
Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season was a roller-coaster ride. It started with the upstart Detroit Lions knocking off the defending champions and ended with the New York Jets losing prized trade acquisition Aaron Rodgers to a torn Achilles. In between, fans were treated to several surprise performances.
Some were great, like Tyreek Hill going off for 215 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Some, like Joe Burrow's shocking 82-yard outing, weren't so good.
Week 1 must be taken with a grain of salt, however, as teams and players are still getting acclimated. Players who stumbled or shined in their opening games could easily reverse course in Week 2.
Here, we'll dive into the Week 1 results and the looming matchups to identify some of our favorite player props to consider mid-week.
Find all the props for this week's games at DraftKings.
Justin Jefferson Over 92.5 Receiving Yards
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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver didn't dazzle quite as much as Hill in Week 1, but he still racked up nine catches for 150 yards.
Will Jefferson replicate those gaudy numbers against the vaunted Philadelphia Eagles defense on Thursday night? I wouldn't count on it, but he feels like a strong bet to approach the 100-yard mark.
Jefferson is -115 (bet $115 to win $100) to reach the over here.
The New England Patriots found holes in the Eagles defense in Week 1. While no single player topped 64 receiving yards, Mac Jones threw for more than 300. The Patriots don't have a true difference-making receiver in the mold of Jefferson.
The other factor to consider here is that Philadelphia's secondary may not be at full strength.
According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Eagles cornerback James Bradberry (concussion) and safety Reed Blankenship (ribs) are already listed as out.
Philly should still do a respectable job of slowing Jefferson. However, Minnesota's ground game was a mess in Week 1, and Jefferson is going to be the focal point of the offense in Week 2. Expect a high volume of targets that yields at or around 100 yards receiving.
Boston Scott Anytime TD
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Like Blankenship and Bradberry, Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell (ribs) is out, per Garafolo.. This provides a prime opportunity to cash in on a Boston Scott anytime touchdown with +475 odds (bet $100 to win $475).
Gainwell was the Eagles leading back in Week 1. While many fantasy managers may hope that Week 2 will present an opportunity for D'Andre Swift, don't be surprised if the Eagles also give a large workload to Scott.
Scott and Swift each had a single carry and a single reception against the Patriots.
While Swift has more starting experience, Scott has been in Philadelphia's system longer. When Philadelphia began to fade Miles Sanders during the 2022 playoffs, Scott got opportunities. He scored twice in three postseason games and will now have a very fair chance of scoring on Thursday night.
Minnesota's defense looked better under new coordinator Brian Flores in Week 1 than it did a year ago. However, the Vikings still aren't loaded with stars on that side of the ball.
Expect the Eagles offense to find a rhythm that was missing against New England and for Scott to be a big beneficiary.
Justin Herbert over 1.5 Touchdown Passes
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Looking ahead to Sunday's early slate, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has an over/under of 1.5 passing touchdowns. The over at -160 (bet $160 to win $100) feels pretty enticing here.
Last Sunday, Herbert only threw a single touchdown pass against a Miami Dolphins defense that struggled to contain the run. The Chargers should employ a completely different game plan this week against the Tennessee Titans.
Last season, the Titans ranked first in rushing yards and yards per carry allowed but dead-last in passing yards allowed. Tennessee didn't do a whole lot to improve its defense in the offseason, and we saw the New Orleans Saints find success with the pass in Week 1.
Jamaal Williams led New Orleans with only 45 rushing yards, but Derek Carr threw for 305.
Expect Los Angeles to do just enough on the ground to keep Tennessee honest while leaning heavily on Herbert, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and the passing game.
Those screens and swing passes to Austin Ekeler usually count for Herbert too.
Herbert will get plenty of opportunities to put the ball into the end zone on Sunday. He should finish with at least a pair of touchdown passes.
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Calvin Ridley over 69.5 Receiving Yards
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Calvin Ridley wasted little time in establishing himself as the Jacksonville Jaguars' new No. 1 receiver. In his Jags debut, he caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.
The Kansas City Chiefs will provide a stiffer defensive test than that of the Indianapolis Colts—especially with star defensive lineman Chris Jones back in the mix. However, Ridley should still be able to reach 70 yards.
The over currently sits at -115 (bet $115 to win $100).
Travis Kelce should be back for the Chiefs as well, which means Patrick Mahomes and Co. should move the ball more effectively than they did in Week 1. This creates some shootout potential for the matchup, and Ridley is Trevor Lawrence's go-to perimeter target.
The Detroit Lions regularly sent the ball in Amon-Ra St. Brown's direction in Week 1, and while the Chiefs were ready to defend him, Detroit's top target still finished with six catches, 71 yards and a score.
Ridley may not have a second-straight 100-yard performance, but he should hit the over here.
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