NFL Staff Picks & Expert Predictions Today: Week 2 Best Bets and Player Props This Week

Get set for Week 2 with us and our NFL expert picks and staff predictions. We're covering five games from this afternoon's slate as a team, with NFL picks on the Bills vs. Jets, Bears vs. Lions, Browns vs. Ravens, Bengals vs. Jaguars, and Eagles vs. Chiefs, with kickoff at 1 p.m. ET.

Read on for our comprehensive NFL predictions.

Week 2 NFL staff picks

NFL picks made by Dustin Saracini, Gary Pearson, LJ Blut, and Sean Tomlinson based on the best NFL odds for Week 2.

As you can tell, it's rivalry week, with a ton of divisional matchups and even a rematch of last year's Super Bowl highlighting the Week 2 slate.

It starts with an AFC East clash between the Bills and the Jets and continues in the AFC North with a tilt between the Browns and Ravens, before a date in the NFC North with the Bears vs. Lions sets up our Super Bowl rematch. 

Whether you're looking for Week 2 moneyline picks or Week 2 against the spread predictions, we've got you covered. But first, let's cash with the SBR staff.

Expert NFL game picks

Dustin Saracini: Lions -5.5 (-110)

There's no way in this world the Lions start the season 0-2. Detroit comes into this campaign with Super Bowl aspirations, and after the Green Bay Packers embarrassed them, it's the Chicago Bears who will need to manage the storm coming their way.

Following a relatively quiet day in Week 1, look for the Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown connection to get back on track. The latter is a part of my best NFL player props today for a reason.

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Gary Pearson: Lions -5.5 (-110)

The Detroit Lions are 10-0 against the spread in their last 10 games after an outright loss. Their run game cannot be worse than it was in Green Bay, particularly while facing a Chicago Bears run defense that struggled in the second half against Minnesota in Week 1, which allowed the visitors an avenue to claw back.

The Lions are also playing their first game this season at Ford Field, and I expect them to make Ben Johnson’s return one he’ll want to forget. 

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Sean Tomlinson: Bengals-Jaguars Over 49 (-110)

This game has all the makings of a shootout while featuring two of the league’s worst defenses last year, with the Bengals and Jaguars finishing 25th and 28th, respectively, in points allowed per game.

There will be plenty of fireworks offensively too, with the Bengals routinely needing to win shootouts last season en route to averaging 27.8 points per contest (sixth). And while the Jagurs still need to gel under a new coaching staff, they showed an ability to do their part to cash this Over after putting up 26 points in Week 1.

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LJ Blut: Bills -6.5 (-110)

The Bills showed incredible resilience during their week 1 comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens, and now they'll build off that on Sunday. Buffalo has beaten the Jets in eight of the last 10 matchups between the rivals, with the Bills recording eight-plus-point wins in seven of those outings. The Bills have also covered in three consecutive games against the Jets. 

However, the Jets did produce a huge performance in Week 1 while narrowly losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But this week will look very different against a far superior opponent. 

The Jets produced an against-the-spread record of 6-11 in 2024 (35.3% cover rate). I anticipate this season to play out similarly. Conversely, the Bills have been an ATS beast while covering last season in 12 of 20 games (60%) and ranking among the top 10.

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 NFL expert picks for Week 2

• NFL picks against the spread Week 2
• NFL QB clutch factor for Week 2
• NFL fantasy pickup player props Week 2
• NFL trends that matter Week 2
• NFL weather report Week 2
• NFL survivor pool Week 2
• NFL upset picks Week 2
• NFL betting guide Week 2
• NFL moneyline picks Week 2

Best NFL player prop bets

Dustin Saracini: Lamar Jackson Over 216.5 passing yards (-112)

You mean to tell me that after dropping a heartbreaker to the Bills on Sunday Night Football in Week 1, Lamar Jackson won’t surpass 216 passing yards? That's going to happen, and he’s one of my top NFL player prop bets this week.

Jackson cleared this line 12 times last season. Yes, the Browns limited Joe Burrow to just 113 yards in Week 1, but that was largely because Chase Brown carried the load with 21 carries. Derrick Henry will surely be featured this week too, but Jackson faced Cleveland twice last year and went over this mark both times. The highlight was a 23-of-38 outing for 289 yards in Week 8.

Gary Pearson: Justin Fields Over 179.5 passing yards (-136)

I’m going with a higher probability play (57.63%) while expecting Justin Fields to toss for at least 180 yards. You can get better odds at the other best sports betting sites, with a total between 188.5 and 191.5. 

Fields ended with a proficient passing outing against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 while tallying 218 yards. He’s facing a Buffalo Bills secondary that was scorched in the opener against Baltimore. While that unit will invariably improve, it needs more time. 

Finally, the game script should be conducive to the Over, as Fields will likely need to air it out more frequently with his team trailing.

Sean Tomlinson: Travis Kelce Under 45.5 receiving yards (-110)

Yes, the Chiefs could be without Xavier Worthy, and Rashee Rice is still suspended. So more targets might be coming Travis Kelce’s way.

But the outlook for the aging star doing much with those increased looks isn’t appealing after the Eagles regularly smothered opposing tight ends last year while allowing a league-leading low 591 receiving yards to the position (34.8 per game).

LJ Blut: Jalen Hurts anytime touchdown (-115)

This may be an interesting pick for my prop of the week, as I'm on the Chiefs moneyline. But the odds here are way too long to pass up.

Jalen Hurts scored twice during the Eagles' opening game against the Cowboys, and he's poised to produce another monster season in terms of rushing touchdowns. Hurts scored 14 rushing touchdowns over 15 games in 2024. That's just under one per game, and his odds of -115 to find the end zone are just too good to miss this week.

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