We think we know everything heading into Week 1. But once Week 1 plays out, we start to realize that we don’t.
The Cincinnati Bengals lost to the New England Patriots to start the season. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns still look awful with Deshaun Watson under center. Oddsmakers favored the Browns against the Cowboys, but that’ll never be the case again with Watson under center.
Finally, the Carolina Panthers didn’t get better. Throw that narrative out the window.
With one week done in the NFL, here’s an early look at my top early picks for NFL Week 2. Below we dive into my top NFL Week 2 pick for Chargers vs. Panthers.
- NFL Player Prop Bets
- NFL PrizePicks Player Predictions
- NFL Consensus Odds
- NFL Expert Game Predictions
NFL Top Early Week Picks for Week 2: Chargers vs. Panthers
(Odds courtesy of DraftKingsFanDuel Sportsbook)
Chargers vs. Panthers
The Chargers have already moved from -3 to -5. However, I think you can still take them at -5 and be fine.
In Week 1, there weren’t many high-scoring games. Yet, the New Orleans Saints scored 47 points against Carolina to begin the season. The Saints converted 22 first downs and added just under 380 total yards of offense. But more importantly, the Panthers were held to ten points after two Bryce Young interceptions and only 193 total yards of offense.
On the other hand, the Chargers controlled the line of scrimmage against the Raiders, holding Las Vegas to 71 rushing yards last week. Los Angeles also added 176 rushing yards of their own, averaging 6.5 yards per rush. The passing game was weaker without Keenan Allen or Mike Williams around. But the Chargers’ style doesn’t need Herbert to throw the ball around anymore. They just need him to protect the ball and add long drives down the field.
That said, the Chargers will likely break out for a couple of big rushes this weekend. The Saints rushed for nearly five yards a carry against Carolina and still scored 47 points despite ten penalties that cost them 95 yards. The Chargers will be way more prepared for this game against Carolina.
Pick: Chargers -5.5 (-110)
