NFL Parlays & Picks: Best Bets for Week 3 (2025)

Crazy finishes were abundant during the NFL Week 2 slate. Most games went over the point total, which was a stark contrast from the majority of matchups going under in Week 1.

Notable wins included the Bengals’ late comeback with backup QB Jake Browning to cover against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cowboys’ 40-37 overtime win against the New York Giants, and the Indianapolis Colts’ walk-off win over the Denver Broncos. Detroit, Baltimore, Buffalo, and the Los Angeles Rams all dominated their opponents and looked like early-season contenders. Patrick Mahomes’ fourth-quarter red-zone interception cost Kansas City a win, losing 20-17 to the Philadelphia Eagles and sliding to 0-2.

My NFL Parlays & Picks: Best Bets for Week 2 went 0-2. Dallas failed to cover -5.5 in a high-scoring shootout win against the Giants, while the Rams nearly cashed the of Over 42.5 by themselves in a 33-19 road win over the Titans.

I’m back with two NFL parlays, each worth one unit, to tail ahead of Week 4. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more NFL betting analysis and free picks.

Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>

NFL Early Week Parlays: Week 3

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Parlay 1 (+252)

Leg 1: Steelers Moneyline (-116)

Pittsburgh suffered a disappointing loss during its home opener against the Seattle Seahawks. A special teams blunder allowed the Seahawks to gain a late lead, grabbing momentum and holding off Aaron Rodgers from winning his debut at Acrisure Stadium.

In Week 3, the Steelers travel to Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots. Drake Maye has a lot of upside and is currently developing into a franchise quarterback under new head coach, Mike Vrabel. However, this feels like a get-right spot for Pittsburgh’s defense.

Rodgers should be able to be productive against a Patriots secondary that has allowed 297 or more passing yards to Geno Smith and Tua Tagovailoa in the first two weeks. Expect Rodgers and the rest of the Steelers’ offense to come out with a laser-focus to improve to 2-0 on the road against a younger and more inexperienced team.

Back the Steelers as a marginal favorite on the road for the first leg of this NFL parlay.

Leg 2: Rams +3.5 (-112)

Los Angeles took Philadelphia down to the wire during their NFC playoff matchup last season. Matthew Stafford appears in top form, shaking off rust from Week 1 against Houston during a strong Week 2 performance against the Titans, logging 290 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Eagles’ run-centric offense will look to continue moving the football with Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts. However, the Rams have held opponents to under 115 total rushing yards in back-to-back games. Jared Verse is going to pressure Hurts off the edge, which could lead to miscues and minimal production on the ground.

I like Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay in this spot on the road against the Eagles. The Rams are only a few years removed from a Super Bowl win and have plenty of experience and championship pedigree to lean on, so let’s back Los Angeles to cover +3.5 against a familiar opponent.

Parlay 2 (+281)

Leg 1: Saints +7 (+100)

Despite not covering in either game and heading to Seattle with an 0-2 record, the New Orleans Saints have not looked bad on offense. QB Spencer Rattler is benefitting from new head coach Kellen Moore’s presence and play-calling, throwing three touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers in a 26-21 loss during Week 2.

Seattle lost 17-14 to the 49ers at home, although it was against a healthier version of the team that the Saints just lost to. The Seahawks’ 31-17 road win against Pittsburgh gave the team plenty of momentum, with QB Sam Darnold slinging it to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp with efficiency.

New Orleans does not have a bad defense. In fact, the Saints have not allowed more than 26 points and held Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers to under 80 total rushing yards. Expect New Orleans to move the football into scoring position with Rattlerfor , while the defense forces Darnold into a few miscues.

Take advantage of a big number and bet on the Saints to cover +7 during their first road game in 2025. They haven’t lost by more than seven points and appear to have an offensive identity that could work with Rattler and Moore at the helm.

Leg 2: Cowboys +1.5 (-110)

This feels like a fishy line with Dallas at +1.5 on the road against Chicago. Especially after Dallas burned our Week 3 parlay by failing to cover as a -5.5 point favorite against a Giants offense that scored six points against Washington in Week 1.

However, I’m willing to insert the Cowboys +1.5 against a Bears offense that lacks consistency. QB Caleb Williams has not looked very good under new head coach Ben Johnson, while Chicago’s defense has been unable to stop the run against Minnesota and Detroit.

Dallas has a more balanced offense with their new backfield but its QB Dak Prescott who sets the tone. The Cowboys were a CeeDee Lamb drop away from potentially beating the Eagles on the road in Week 1, so this line is only +1.5 due to Dallas’ poor defensive play against Russell Wilson in Week 2.

Let’s pounce on this +1.5 number before the Cowboys eventually wind up as a road favorite at Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon.

Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out hisarchive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.