NFL Week 3 Picks & Predictions: Best Early Parlays (2026)
Defense was an unexpected winner in the NFL’s second week after a record-setting scoring start to the season. Week 3 is on the horizon, and a few early advantages stand out among the rest. Let's dive into our top NFL Week 3 picks and our favorite parlays.
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Best Early NFL Week 3 Picks & Parlays
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
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Early NFL Week 3 Parlay #1
Leg #1: Jordan Love 28+ Passing Attempts (-312)
Our first parlay is a hodgepodge of random player/game props and a Moneyline bet that should yield a small profit and shouldn't require too much sweat. Checking for inflated or miscalculated lines early in the week is usually our plan of attack. However, there are some early props that you can jump on if available. We have found two in this case, and our first puts the spotlight on quarterback Jordan Love.
Love brought the Packers back from the depths of defeat and turned a fourth-quarter deficit into a win against the Jets on Sunday. Love's efficiency has been quite terrible through the first two weeks. The young quarterback is completing only 52% of his attempts. That said, the volume is where we want to plant our flag. Love has thrown at least 28 attempts in two consecutive games, and Atlanta has allowed 76 attempts this season. No quarterback has thrown fewer than 36 attempts against Atlanta this season.
Leg #2: Seahawks Moneyline (-298)
The Seahawks are playing without Super Bowl-winning quarterback Sam Darnold. Yet, they still opened the season with two wins. Seattle heads to Washington this week to take on a Commanders team that just lost their starting quarterback and will have to rely on veteran Marcus Mariota.
While not the worst option, Mariota likely won’t overpower Seattle’s defense. The Seahawks have not allowed more than 10 points in any game and have averaged 22 points per game on offense. Seattle scored 31 points on the road on Sunday against the Cardinals and will look to capitalize on a wounded, struggling Washington offense. Darnold could be available to practice as early as Wednesday. That would make things even more difficult for the Commanders. Any optimistic news about Darnold's availability will trigger the juice. Best to be ahead as it currently stands.
Leg #3: NY Jets @ Detroit Lions - Either Team to Score Three Unanswered Times: Yes (-165)
It's possible we caught a glimpse of the true New York Jets on Sunday. A team that allows its opponent not only to fight back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit but also lose the game in overtime. The Jets allowed three consecutive scores in just 17 minutes through the fourth quarter and overtime. That was against a Packers offense that only recorded 16 first downs in tough weather conditions. This week they face the Lions on the road in a dome. A completely different environment.
Detroit is averaging 36 points over two contests, compared to New York's 21.5. The defeat on Sunday feels more demoralizing than inspiring. Detroit eked out a win at home against New Orleans in Week 2 and should have no trouble scoring at least three consecutive times against New York. Should something unforeseen happen, the Jets are in play for this prop as well.
Parlay Odds: +183
Early NFL Week 3 Parlay #2
Leg #1: Carolina Panthers Moneyline (-165)
Our second parlay will focus on three road teams in highly favorable spots to come away with a win. Carolina bounced back after losing by 22 points against the Bears. Carolina travels to Cleveland to face the Browns. Cleveland is also coming off a win, though things may have gone differently had the game not been stopped with two minutes left due to weather - only to resume two hours later.
Bryce Young looked aggressive and much improved for the second week in a row, as the Panthers handled the Falcons with no issues whatsoever. Young threw for over 285 yards and three touchdowns on 23 completions. Three Panthers receivers produced at least 65 yards, while the defense forced four turnovers against the Falcons. The Panthers have forced five turnovers in two games and should be able to walk away with their second road win of the season if they continue to succeed in the passing game while forcing turnovers.
Leg #2: Cincinnati Bengals Moneyline (-185)
The Bengals are now 2-0 on the season after a highly impressive road win against the Houston Texans. Cincinnati won by two touchdowns in a very tough environment, and this week they take on divisional rival Pittsburgh. The Steelers looked absolutely lethargic against the Patriots on Sunday. While we expect the Steelers to score more points in this contest, a win for Pittsburgh doesn't seem likely.
Cincinnati has scored at least 28 points through two games. Pittsburgh is averaging 11.5 points per game to start the season. Aaron Rodgers is anything but mobile in the pocket, and the Bengals have recorded eight sacks in two contests. Cincinnati has an overwhelming edge on both offense and defense. If Pittsburgh goes down two scores early, they don't have the firepower to make a comeback.
Leg #3: Kansas City Chiefs Moneyline (-850)
The Chiefs certainly did not look anywhere near as dominant against the Colts as they did in Week 1. Kansas City were heavy favorites going into a home game, and needed overtime to beat the Colts on Monday. Having said that, the Chiefs are piling on the points and have scored 30+ points in each contest. Miami has not scored more than 13 points in any contest, and has lost by at least 14 points in two games.
We considered taking the points based on how each team performed going into Week 3. Chiefs -10.5 seems like a bargain, but this is Miami’s first home game and Kansas City's defense looked more than capable of giving up points to inferior teams. We will take the safe Moneyline route with enormous juice, hoping for a soft landing for our parlay. Miami will struggle all season. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are once again being touted as a team that can make the Super Bowl. That's a bit optimistic based on the first two games. What we can stand behind is Kansas City going into Week 4 with three consecutive wins.
Parlay Odds: +183