NFL Week 2 - Best Bets From the SI Gambling Team

The SI Gambling team, along with our colleagues at SI's MMQB weigh in on their top best bet against the spread for Week 2 in the NFL.

Over the course of this year's 2020 NFL season, the SI Gambling team, along with a few of our friends from the SI MMQB NFL team are putting our collective heads together to pick our top game of the week against the spread. We'll keep track over the course of the year for bragging rights as well as transparency. 

So far, our group has gone 10-3-0 ATS using the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook!

For the second consecutive week, Our SI Gambling Insider Frankie Taddeo got things going with the OVER 43.5 in Thursday night's Bengals/Browns matchup. SI Fantasy PRO members exclusively received that pick Thursday afternoon.

Before checking out the team's selections and "best bets," here are the latest Week 2 lines at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Editor's Note - Odds are subject to change.

NFL Best Bets for Week 2

Please note: These are our FREE picks, not our PREMIUM picks which are reserved for MEMBERS only at SI Fantasy PRO. Members receive alert notifications immediately upon pick release.

Ben Heisler (@bennyheis)

49ers at Jets (+7) | TOTAL: 42.5

Even if the Jets weren’t a complete disaster, this matchup is predicated on one team setting up play-action, and another team that operates at one of the slowest paces in the NFL. San Francisco had the second-highest run/pass ratio in the NFL behind Baltimore in 2019, and with Deebo Samuel on Injured Reserve, plus George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk battling injuries, they’ll likely go back to the ground again.

As for the Jets, Le’Veon Bell now heads to IR, and leading receiver Jamison Crowder is out with a hamstring injury. The line continues to drop like Enron stock (yes, I should update my references), so jump on it while you still can.

BEST BET: UNDER 42.5 (has since moved to 41.5 on DK Sportsbook)

Frankie Taddeo (@Frankie_Fantasy)

Let’s see, the Jets are without their two best defenders from last season in SS Jamal Adams and LB C.J. Mosley, and now they will be without their two best offensive playmakers in RB Le’Veon Bell and WR Jamison Crowder. Factor all of that in with arguably the worst head coach in the NFL in Adam Gase, and an angry San Francisco team hungry for a win after being upset at home at home by Arizona. Do not overthink this. Lay the wood and back the 49ers!

BEST BET: 49ERS -7

Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano)

The Jets offense is an absolute mess, even more so now that the team will be without Le’Veon Bell. In his absence, we’re looking at a combination of the 37-year-old Frank Gore and journeyman Josh Adams. That’s not good. 

On the 49ers side, they’re chock full of injuries at wide receiver and George Kittle is dealing with a knee sprain. What does this all mean? Well, this isn’t looking like a game with a lot of offensive theatrics. In fact, the total dropped a full point when the sharps started betting heavy on the under. That’s where I’m going with this one… take the under in what looks like a strong play.

BEST BET: Under 42.5 (now down to 41.5 at DK Sportsbook)

Dr. Roto (@DrRoto)

I’m trying to find a pathway for the Jets to cover in this game and the only thing I can come up with is that this seems like such a no brainer for San Francisco that I should go the other way. That said, I just can’t do it. 

The 49ers DL should be in Sam Darnold’s face all game long and with the Jets not having RB Le’Veon Bell and WR Jamison Crowder I can’t imagine where their offense is going to come from. Had the 49ers won last week I could give the Jets a 2% chance at pulling off the upset, but there is no way the 49ers go 0-2 against the hapless Jets.

BEST BET: Parlay the 49ers and the Under

Bill Enright (@BillEnright)

Vikings at Colts (-3) | TOTAL: 47.5

After losing to the Jaguars in Week 1, widely considered one of the worst teams in the league, the Colts are somehow favored by a field goal against the Vikings? HOW SWAY!?!? Might not even need the points here as Minny wins outright, but if the books wants to give em, might as well take em!

BEST BET: Vikings +3

Roy Larking (@SIGambling)

Lions at Packers (-6.5) | TOTAL: 49.5

Green Bay plays their NFL 2020 home opener following a 43-34 Week 1 win in Minnesota. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers posted 364 passing yards and 4 TD as he completed 72.7 percent of his passes against the Vikings. The Packers also racked up 158 rushing yards and 1 TD on the ground. Detroit heads to Lambeau Field following a 27-23 loss in their home opener to Chicago. Beleaguered Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky tossed three TD passes against the porous Lions secondary. Now they face Rodgers who is playing with a chip on his shoulder. Surprised to be gaining a “hook” at DraftKings Sportsbook I am laying the -6.5 points and betting on Green Bay.

BEST BET: Packers -6.5

Steve Renner (@Steve_Renner)

Rams at Eagles (+1.5) | TOTAL: 46

After the Eagles disappointed many in Week 1 I expect the general public to want to go against them this week against a Rams team which is perceived to be far better than the Washington team Philadelphia lost too in Week 1. Truth is, the Eagles had a bad match-up against Washington’s very talented and deep front four and I am expecting Miles Sanders to be back this week and to carry the load against the Rams. The Eagles have opened as a home underdog (+1.5) against a team who will be coming off the Sunday Night game and traveling west to east the day before for a 1:00 PM early start. This is a case of taking excellent value in getting a quality team at home versus a team they have beat two of the last three seasons while the public is still down on them. Fly. Eagles. Fly.

BEST BET: Eagles +1.5

Ian Ritchie (@SIGambling)

Ravens @ Texans (+7) | TOTAL: 50

Anyone that thinks the Ravens are not on a mission this year didn't watch last week's blowout win. This team is different and very few teams can keep up with Lamar and company. Watson is great, but lacks the firepower to score enough points. The backdoor might be open but I am banking on the Ravens to slam it shut and cruise to a win and a cover.

BEST BET: Ravens -7

Scott Atkins (@ScottFantasy)

Giants @ Bears (-5.5) | TOTAL: 42

I find it odd that the line has moved from 5 to 5.5 after watching the week one performances for both teams. The Bears beat the Lions after playing miserable football for three quarters and while the Trubisky comeback had some special throws and was impressive for him personally, I’m not sure it wasn’t more about the Lions total collapse in the fourth quarter that we’ve seen so many times before. The Giants on the other hand looked really good on both sides of the field against the Steelers. Daniel Jones did about as good a job as he could have under the tenacious Steelers rush and pass defense and the defense made some big plays against an offense that is clearly better than this Bears one. The wrong team is favored here, and while I’m predicting an outright Giants win, I’ll gladly take any points Vegas wants to give me.

BEST BET: Giants +5.5

Casey Olson (@Y2CASEY)

Falcons at Cowboys (-5) | TOTAL: 53.5

So, both teams fell to respectable opponents in week one as favorites, and look to avoid starting 0-2 for the first time in a decade. Although some garbage time helped out, Atlanta ended up scoring 25 against a very tough Seattle defense. They ended up ranked #2 in total yards, and #1 in pass yards in the NFL, while Dallas ended up ranked #28 on the defensive side, giving up 422 yards themselves. Jones and Ridley combined for 287 receiving yards, so you know a ton of focus will be containing the two receivers. That will open up some opportunity for Todd Gurley, and as Dallas also gave up 153 rush yards against the Rams in Week 1, ranking them 27th in the league. It won’t help the cause. What also doesn’t help the Cowboys is the fact that they suffered some long-term injuries in their opener which included key players TE Blake Jarwin, IL Leighton Vander Esch, and OT Cam Erving. Yes Zeke and Dak will go off, but while they do, expect a high scoring game that should cruise over the number, with the Falcons hanging around, as AT&T Stadium will have some energy, with plans to include upwards to 20,000 in attendance.

BEST BET: Falcons +5

Gary Gramling, The MMQB (@GGramling_SI)

Chiefs at Chargers (+8.5) | TOTAL: 47.5

It’s that time of year again, when Andy Reid runs roughshod over the rest of the AFC West. Over the past five years, K.C. is 27-3 SU and 22-8 ATS in the division—the three SU losses all came in the final minute of a Thursday Night Football matchup, and in non-TNF matchups (when Reid and his staff have a chance to properly gameplan) they’re 20-5 ATS against the West. Since the start of last year, the Chiefs have played 11 games with their offensive starting lineup fully healthy; they’re 11-0 SU and ATS, with an average margin of victory of 15.2 points, in those games. As for the Chargers, we all got a first-hand look at how bad the Bengals are defensively on Thursday night. The Chargers, who have overcorrected from a reckless Philip Rivers to an ultra-conservative Tyrod Taylor, fought and clawed to 16 points against that Cincinnati D last week. This also should be a fun “Welcome to the NFL” game for rookie linebacker Kenneth Murray, facing a Mahomes/Reid offense that had an extra three days to prep. Somehow, this line is underestimating the Chiefs.

BEST BET: Chiefs -8.5

Mitch Goldich, The MMQB (@mitchgoldich)

Giants @ Bears (-5.5) | TOTAL: 42

Last week I had the Steelers over the Giants; this week I’m turning right back around and taking the Giants to cover against the Bears. I’m very high on the Steelers this year, and I was actually more impressed by the Giants than I expected in their Week 1 loss to an opponent I think the public may be underrating. This week they’re getting 5.5 points against a much lesser opponent. Saquon Barkley will average more than one yard per carry without the entire Steelers defensive line in the backfield as soon as he takes the handoff, and I still can’t trust Mitchell Trubisky’s offense from quarter-to-quarter, let alone week-to-week. I think the Giants can win this game outright, so I’m happy to get this many points here.

BEST BET: Giants +5.5

NAME	WEEK 2 PICK	RECORD
Ben Heisler	SF@NYJ U42.5 - LOSS	1-1
Frankie Taddeo	49ers (-7) - WIN	2-0
Corey Parson		0-1
Michael Fabiano	SF@NYJ U42.5 - LOSS	1-1
Dr. Roto	49ers (-7) - WIN	2-0
Bill Enright	Vikings (+2.5) - LOSS	0-2
Roy Larking	Packers (-6.5) - WIN	2-0
Steve Renner	Eagles (+1.5) - LOSS	0-2
Ian Ritchie	Ravens (-7) - WIN	2-0
Scott Atkins	Giants (+5.5) - WIN	2-0
Casey Olson	Falcons (+5) - WIN	2-0
Gary Gramling	Chiefs (-8.5) - LOSS	1-1
Mitch Goldich	Giants (+5.5) - WIN	2-0
	WEEK 2 RECORD (ATS): 7-5-0	COLLECTIVE RECORD: 17-8-0