clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

What NFL Week 2 odds tell us about implied totals

Week 2 is upon us and it’s time to figure out our betting and fantasy options for the weekend. Let’s take a look at what the spread and point totals tell us about potential performance.

Tom Brady #12 and Rob Gronkowski #87 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrate a touchdown during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium on September 09, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

The NFL is back for Week 2, and I know I’m fascinated to see if it ends up as crazy as Week 1. We saw nine underdogs win outright upsets, which means any predictions based on odds and expectations went out the window in a hurry.

One way we can try and get a handle on a given week is using implied totals. The implied total involves dividing the over/under number in half, then dividing the point spread in half and subtracting the latter from the former. We get the totals and spreads from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Using Thursday Night Football, the total is 41 and the spread is an even field goal. So for Washington, we subtract -1.5 from 20.5 and for the Giants we subtracted +1.5 from 20.5. I could just say for Washington we added 1.5 to 20.5, but for purposes of creating the calculation in the spreadsheet, it’s a minus.

This is very much not a science. Last week, the Packers implied total was 26.5 while the Saints was 23. The Saints won the game 38-3 and were tied with the Cardinals for second most points behind the 49ers (41). Implied totals had the Saints at 23, the Cardinals 25.25, and the 49ers at 26.5.

While inexact, it is one more data point as you sort through your fantasy options. If you see a player ranked poorly for the week in re-draft leagues or is available for cheap in DFS, but his team’s implied total is on the higher end, you might just have a sleeper on your hand.

Below is a look at each team’s implied total for Week 2.

2021 NFL implied totals, Week 2

Rank Team Implied Total Spread O/U Opponent
Rank Team Implied Total Spread O/U Opponent
1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32.25 -12.5 52 Atlanta Falcons
2 Cleveland Browns 30.00 -12.5 47.5 Houston Texans
3 Seattle Seahawks 30.00 -6.0 54 Tennessee Titans
4 Green Bay Packers 29.75 -11.5 48 Detroit Lions
5 Kansas City Chiefs 29.25 -4.0 54.5 Baltimore Ravens
6 Los Angeles Chargers 29.25 -3.5 55 Dallas Cowboys
7 Arizona Cardinals 27.00 -3.5 50.5 Minnesota Vikings
8 Pittsburgh Steelers 26.75 -6.5 47 Las Vegas Raiders
9 San Francisco 49ers 26.50 -3.0 50 Philadelphia Eagles
10 Los Angeles Rams 26.00 -3.5 48.5 Indianapolis Colts
11 Dallas Cowboys 25.75 +3.5 55 Los Angeles Chargers
12 Buffalo Bills 25.50 -3.5 47.5 Miami Dolphins
13 Denver Broncos 25.50 -6.0 45 Jacksonville Jaguars
14 Baltimore Ravens 25.25 +4.0 54.5 Kansas City Chiefs
15 New England Patriots 24.50 -6.0 43 New York Jets
16 New Orleans Saints 24.25 -3.5 45 Carolina Panthers
17 Chicago Bears 24.00 -2.5 45.5 Cincinnati Bengals
18 Tennessee Titans 24.00 +6.0 54 Seattle Seahawks
19 Minnesota Vikings 23.50 +3.5 50.5 Arizona Cardinals
20 Philadelphia Eagles 23.50 +3.0 50 San Francisco 49ers
21 Indianapolis Colts 22.50 +3.5 48.5 Los Angeles Rams
22 Miami Dolphins 22.00 +3.5 47.5 Buffalo Bills
23 Washington 22.00 -3.0 41 New York Giants
24 Cincinnati Bengals 21.50 +2.5 45.5 Chicago Bears
25 Carolina Panthers 20.75 +3.5 45 New Orleans Saints
26 Las Vegas Raiders 20.25 +6.5 47 Pittsburgh Steelers
27 Atlanta Falcons 19.75 +12.5 52 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
28 Jacksonville Jaguars 19.50 +6.0 45 Denver Broncos
29 New York Giants 19.00 +3.0 41 Washington
30 New York Jets 18.50 +6.0 43 New England Patriots
31 Detroit Lions 18.25 +11.5 48 Green Bay Packers
32 Houston Texans 17.50 +12.5 47.5 Cleveland Browns

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ) or call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/IL/IN/IA/MI/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.