Two weeks of the NFL season are now in the books. Set to kick off Week 3 we have a familiar primetime face as Aaron Rodgers and the Jets are set to face off with the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.
The Jets enter as 6-point favorites on the spread on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Patriots are currently +220 on the moneyline for the upset while the game total sits at just 38.5 points.
There are far more ways to get involved in the action than just traditional betting. One of the more unique features on DraftKings this year is Pick6 Fantasy Football!
Jets vs. Patriots Pick6 Plays
Both the Jets and Patriots enter this matchup with a 1-1 record despite having a much different outlook entering the season.
The Jets limped to a 7-10 record last season and have hopes that Aaron Rodgers will be the missing piece to elevate the team to a true contender. New York has a strong defense and impressive skill players but was held back last season by some of the worst quarterback play across the league following Rodgers’ Achilles tear. It opened up this season with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers and then defeated the Tennessee Titans last week, but New York is still in the process of fully finding its stride.
New England entered with modest expectations for this season in the first year of the post-Bill Belichick era. Jerod Mayo got off to the right start to his Patriots coaching tenure defeating the Cincinnati Bengals 16-10 in the opening week. They then had another impressive performance in Week 2, falling just short to the Seattle Seahawks in overtime.
These two AFC East foes will now match up to paint a clearer picture of the NFL’s hierarchy. With the stage fully set, here are my picks for Week 3’s Thursday Night Football Pick6 slate.
Rhamondre Stevenson More Than 65.5 Rushing Yards
The Patriots have found their identity as a run-first football team. Through the opening two games of the season, the Patriots have thrown the ball 51 times and tallied 75 rush attempts.
Rhamondre Stevenson is at the forefront of this attack and has received 25 and 21 carries in the opening two games, respectively. The 26-year-old has converted these opportunities into 201 total rushing yards, tallying at least 81 yards in both games.
For the Patriots to have a chance to win this game, they will need to slow down the pace of play. They have been effective in this in both games this season and Stevenson is the beneficiary of the opportunity. While the Jets have an intimidating defensive front, Stevenson is a talented enough runner to convert the level of guaranteed opportunity into production. Expect him to put his fingerprints on this game and tally more than 65.5 rushing yards in the Thursday night matchup.
Garrett Wilson More Than 5.5 Receptions
Garrett Wilson is one of the rising stars in the current class of wide receivers but has yet to fully get on the same page as Aaron Rodgers. Wilson eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons in the NFL despite battling poor quarterback play.
While there have been some bright flashes, Wilson and Rodgers’ relationship is still a work in progress. Wilson only hauled in six of his 11 targets in the opening week and four of his six targets in Week 2. Though Rodgers is not the perennial MVP candidate he once was, there is no denying he is the best quarterback Wilson has played with at the NFL level.
Look for the Jets to continue to grow the chemistry between Rodgers and Wilson in Week 3. He is one of the most talented wide receivers in the league and has not yet been fully unlocked this season. Wilson tallied six receptions in the season opener and expect him to do the same against the Patriots.
Allen Lazard More Than 30.5 Receiving Yards
One Jets wide receiver who is already on the same page as Rodgers is Allen Lazard. The duo spent five seasons together with the Packers and are now looking to build off this in New York.
The early returns have been promising with Lazard leading all Jets wide receivers with two touchdowns and 100 yards receiving. Lazard had an impressive performance in the opening game but then regressed in the second week, catching just two of the four passes thrown his way.
In his last season with the Packers alongside Rodgers, Lazard recorded more than 30.5 receiving yards in 12 of the 15 games he played in. Expect Rodgers to rely on familiarity and for Lazard to get roughly five passes sent his way. Lazard will have no trouble converting this into 31 or more yards through the air, especially given the big-play potential he carries.
Hunter Henry More Than 33.5 Receiving Yards
There was a point in time in which Hunter Henry was regarded as one of the rising stars at the tight end position. Dating back to his time with the Chargers, Henry did a nice job establishing himself as a safety blanket within the offense.
After taking a slight step back in production the past two seasons, Henry has opened some eyes through the first two weeks. The 29-year-old has tallied 10 receptions for 127 yards with eight of these catches resulting in first downs. This means in just two weeks, he has tallied over 30.3% of his yardage production of last year.
With Jacoby Brissett serving as the quarterback, Henry will continue to be relied on as a third-down guy. Henry is coming off his first 100+ yard receiving game last week, which marks the first time he has tallied this since the 2019 season. The 33.5 receiving yard margin is too low for this matchup, so look for Henry to continue playing a key part of the Patriots offense.
Breece Hall More Than 0.5 Touchdowns
While the Jets offense still has not looked exactly like it is expected to, the flashes of Breece Hall are obvious. The dual-threat running back has tallied 207 total yards of offense and recorded a touchdown in both games thus far.
Hall has tallied 42 total combined rushes and receptions and will continue to be the primary red-zone weapon for New York. Though rookie Braelon Allen is beginning to carve out a bit of a role as well, Hall is the undoubted red-zone running back. Hall was responsible for 50% of the Jets touchdowns last year, scoring nine of the 18 offensive touchdowns. With more opportunities set to be available for the team, expect Hall to deliver and find his way to the paydirt for the third consecutive week.
Jacoby Brissett Less Than 165.5 Passing Yards
The Patriots elected to allow Drake Maye to develop on the bench to start the season after selecting him with the third overall pick. Jacoby Brissett has been a journeyman who started his career in New England and has started 50 games since he entered the league in 2016.
While Brissett has been fine considering what he is being asked to do, don’t expect him to be lighting up the box score. The Patriots will continue to attack teams with their slow-burn approach and rely on the rushing game. Through the first two games of the season, Brissett has attempted 51 total passes for just 270 passing yards. He was held to 121 yards passing in the opening week and 149 last week.
This is expected to be a low-scoring matchup and Brissett should not be expected to do much damage through the air. Count on him to continue in the game-manager role and for the Patriots to rely on the rushing game for most of their offensive damage. At this point in his career with this system, 165.5 passing yards is too high of a number for the veteran.
What is DraftKings Pick6?
Pick6 is a peer-to-peer fantasy variant where you build a lineup (your “Pick Set”) of two to six players and select whether you believe each will outperform their listed stat projection. Enter your Pick Set in Pick6 contests to compete against other users. Get enough picks correct and win a share of cash prizes.
How to Play DraftKings Pick6
Create a Pick Set
Create a Pick Set by choosing between 2-6 players from the same sport and Pick Group (a set of picks available from a group of set competitions). For each player, simply select if you think they’ll have more or less than their listed stat projection. In each Pick Set, you cannot pick the same player twice and you must pick players from at least two different teams.
Enter an Amount
Once you finalize your Pick Set, choose your entry fee amount. Your entries will be automatically distributed into available contests, subject to your confirmation.
Sweat Your Picks
When the games go live, use the My Picks tab to follow your picks in real time to track how your players are performing against their projections and how they stack up against other users.
Compete for Prizes
Make enough correct picks and win a share of the contests’ guaranteed prizes. Any prizes won will be credited to your DraftKings account after contests are finalized.
Play at DraftKings Pick6 or by downloading the DraftKings Pick6 app on Apple or Google!
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.Must be at least 18 years or older. Higher age limits may apply in some states. Eligibility restrictions apply. Valid only in states where DraftKings Pick6 operates. Void where prohibited. For entertainment purposes only. Winning a contest on DraftKings depends on knowledge and exercise of skill. See terms at pick6.draftkings.com.
