NFL Preseason Picks & Predictions: Week 2 (Saturday)

Grab a snack and take a seat because Week 2 of the NFL preseason rolls on with 10 games on Saturday. It’s a time when positional battles are fought, and players hidden on the depth chart make a name for themselves. As unpredictable as preseason action can be, there’s still betting value to be found. Here’s a look at three of my favorite NFL preseason picks for Saturday’s slate.

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Saturday's Best NFL Preseason Picks

(Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook)

Atlanta Falcons at Indianapolis Colts

Preseason football isn’t always pretty football. The Falcons and Colts showcased that truth during their Week 1 preseason games.

Atlanta tallied only 192 total yards and logged more turnovers than scoring possessions in a 27-7 loss to the Broncos. It converted a dismal four third-down attempts. Indianapolis turned the ball over four times and scored on just one of their three trips to the red zone in a 13-13 tie with the Patriots. A goal-line fumble and a missed field goal were tough stumbles to overcome.

Another low-scoring battle is lined up for Saturday afternoon. Quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard will split snaps for the Colts, with Daniel Jones sitting out. Atlanta’s Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. will be sidelined for the Falcons, meaning Jack Strand and Cooper Rush will be trusted to get the job done.

None of the four signal-callers expected to play posted a quarterback rating higher than 80.1 in their Week 1 performances. Expect three-and-outs and stalled possessions to dictate the contest.

Overall, there have been fewer than 37 points scored in eight of Atlanta’s last 10 preseason clashes.

Pick: Under 36.5 Points (-110)

Chicago Bears at Cincinnati Bengals

Let’s shift from two lackluster offenses to one powerful offense. The Bears have racked up at least 24 points in all four preseason games under head coach Ben Johnson.

Quarterback Tyson Bagent has done the heavy lifting during that stretch, but he will not play on Saturday due to a hamstring injury. Case Keenum will start for Chicago. The veteran quarterback impressed by connecting on nine of his 10 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns versus the Browns last week. Miller Moss will follow him.

Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor has made it clear that his starters will not be on the field at Paycor Stadium. Instead, the starting offense and defense saw the bulk of the work in this week’s joint practices.

That’s good news for Keenum, who has 28 NFL starts under his belt. That experience will prove useful as he aims to lead the Bears on multiple scoring drives against the Bengals’ reserves. Johnson has shown he won’t take his foot off the pedal, so bet on Chicago to continue their high-scoring ways.

Pick: Bears Team Total Over 18.5 Points (-117)

Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles has decided to roll out his starters on Saturday after resting them in Week 1 of the preseason. That includes Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield and All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

The excitement doesn’t stop there, though. Rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels will take over once Mayfield is done. The former Kansas playmaker led two second-half touchdown drives versus the Saints, while demonstrating calmness in the pocket and shiftiness in the open field.

On the other side, quarterback Patrick Mahomes will not suit up as he works his way back from knee surgery. Kansas City head coach Andy Reid has noted that other starters will also stay on the sideline at Raymond James Stadium.

Quarterbacks Justin Fields, Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Oladokun averaged a pedestrian 5.3 yards per pass as the Chiefs failed to find the end zone in a loss to the Rams a week ago. It’s worth pointing out that Kansas City is in the midst of a seven-game preseason losing streak.

Back the squad with more available talent to come out on top by at least six points.

Pick: Buccaneers -5.5 (-108)