NFL Preseason Week 2 is upon us, and we’re degen enough to keep betting on the preseason. Last week, we hit on four of the five bets, and we’re hoping to cash again. Just like last week, the preseason can be tricky. We don’t know how long the starters will play. It’s also hard to gauge how the backups are going to do, especially if they play against first-teamers. Let’s take a look at the NFL Preseason Week 2 picks and best bets.
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NFL Preseason Week 2 Predictions, Picks, and Best Bets
Cincinnati Bengals (+6.5) @ Chicago Bears
The Bengals head to Soldier Field to take on the Bears and are 6.5-point dogs. This feels like an overreaction to the Bears’ thumping of the Bills last week. Meanwhile, the Bengals lost 17-14 last week.
The Bears looked good last week but how much more do they want to see their starters before feeling confident going into the season? While a decision hasn’t been made, I don’t think we will see the starters for too long.
The Bengals may not have Burrow and company out there at all, so they’ll turn to Jake Browning. Browning will want to prove that last year’s fill-in wasn’t a fluke. Money has been pouring on the Bears, but I think this is more of a reaction to last week.
NFL Preseason Week 2 Bet: Bengals +6.5
Dallas Cowboys @ Las Vegas Raiders (-6.5)
One thing to target in the Preseason Week 2 picks is which teams still have starting battles. This is especially true for the quarterbacks. Aiden O’Connell and Gardner Minshew are battling out for the starting job. They’ll both likely see a good amount of playing time. They’ll want to impress and play well as both want to earn that starting job.
Coach Antonio Pierce has stated that he hopes to make a decision on the starting quarterback job after this game. That makes their performance against the Cowboys even more important. I still think Gardner Minshew wins the job, but the field will tell us the truth.
One spot you may not want a preseason battle at is the left tackle. The Cowboys have a battle at left tackle, and Raiders edge rusher Tyree Wilson should be able to take advantage of that early.
This game may get a little more competitive towards the end. However, I think the Raiders will have built too good a lead at that point.
NFL Preseason Week 2 Bet: Raiders (-6.5)
Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos (-7)
Another position battle going into our NFL preseason Week 2 picks is the Denver Broncos quarterback spot. Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson, and Bo Nix. Bo Nix is likely to start in Week 1 of the NFL season. However, they have him listed as the third-string quarterback for right now. The Packers starters are set and not expected to play this week. Their backup running back is hurt.
They go on the road to the Mile-High. While the veterans are used to this altitude change, the young backups may not be and could struggle. Meanwhile, Bo Nix will probably see the third-string or roster hopefuls and should be able to take advantage.
In a regular-season game, the Packers would undoubtedly own this game. However, in pre-season, with the Packers’ starters on the bench and the young kids playing in the high altitude for the first time, take the Broncos.
NFL Preseason Week 2 Bet: Broncos (-7)
LA Rams @ LA Chargers (-2)
Most pre-season headlines revolve around the players fighting for roster and starting spots. However, that isn’t always the case. Rams head coach Sean McVay has named passing-game coordinator and assistant head coach Aubrey Pleasant the team’s head coach for this week.
Mike Vrabel did this last year when he was with the Titans. It’s a great way to get a young coach an opportunity to game-plan and coach and to see how the players react. Normally, the players rally behind their assistant coach and play their tails off.
Pleasant has been with McVay for a long time. He was with him back in Washington 11 years ago. When McVay was hired by the Rams in 2017, he brought Pleasant along with him. In 2021, Pleasant went to the Lions, then Green Bay, and then came back to the Rams in 2023. This will be a great opportunity for Pleasant to prove he is ready for a promotion.
This battle of Los Angeles teams will be a little chippier than normal. It’s becoming a city rivalry, and even if it is still pre-season, both teams will want a win on this one. However, I have to go with the debut coach and the players rallying to a win for him.
NFL Preseason Week 2 Bet: Rams (+2)
Indianapolis Colts @ Arizona Cardinals (-1.5)
The last game to consider for our NFL Preseason Week 2 picks is the Colts vs. Cardinals. Anthony Richardson spent most of last year on injured reserve. The team will want to see more reps from Richardson to help him shake the rust off. He didn’t get much playing time last week and showed some rust.
While there has to be a cautious approach to playing a player in pre-season who has shown himself to be injury-prone and getting him reps to knock the rust off, you want to build the confidence that shakes off the injury-prone nerves but still gives the needed reps.
Many of the Cardinals starters will be playing, at least for a little bit. However, starting quarterback Kyler Murray will not be starting. The Colts and Cardinals is a bit of a historic rivalry.
Look for Richardson and the Colts to get off to a fast start. They should be able to pull ahead quickly, and then the backups can hold off for the rest of the game.
NFL Preseason Week 2 Bet: Colts (-1.5)
