The Atlanta Falcons will travel to Philadelphia to face off against the Eagles in the final game of the Week 2 NFL slate. It’s the 2024 home opener for the Eagles after they started the season in Brazil. The Falcons will have to enter enemy territory in search of their first win.
Philadelphia will enter as 5.5-point favorites on the spread on DraftKings Sportsbook after the line sat at -6.5 for most of the week. The Falcons are currently +195 on the money line for the upset while the game total sits at 45.5 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!
Eagles vs. Falcons Pick6 Plays
There was plenty of buzz surrounding the Atlanta Falcons team entering the season. They were quite active in the offseason, signing Kirk Cousins to a massive contract as well as using the eighth-overall pick in the NFL draft on Michael Penix Jr.
With impressive talent already on the offense such as Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts, the hope was that the quarterback change would catapult the team into win-now mode. Atlanta is not off to the start they desired, however, as they suffered an uninspiring 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the opening game.
The Philadelphia Eagles are off to a 1-0 start on the season, but it was not a flawless performance. Jalen Hurts will be looking to clean up his turnovers in Week 2 and will need to do so without his best pass-catcher A.J. Brown. The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver popped on the injury report on Friday with a hamstring issue. Brown was ruled out for the matchup yesterday, leading to the line movement. Philadelphia will have to make up for the production of the star and find a way to win in primetime without him.
With the stage fully set, here are my picks for Week 2’s Monday Night Football Pick6 slate.
Saquon Barkley More Than 98.5 Rushing & Receiving Yards
Saquon Barkley got his Eagles career started with a bang. The former Offensive Player of the Year tallied 132 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in Week 1. While there is no doubt about the talent level of Barkley, the more notable storyline is the Eagles’ willingness to use him. Philadelphia has been tentative in their usage of running backs in past years but proved this will not be the case with Barkley. The former Giants star tallied 24 carries and a pair of catches in his debut, with Kenneth Gainwell receiving just one rush attempt.
Heading into the matchup with the Falcons, Barkley will be even more important to the Eagles’ offense. With Brown out for the game, Barkley will be the clear-cut most dynamic offensive player whom the Eagles will lean on. Expect Philadelphia to put the ball in his hands often, and for their star running back to have no problem delivering. With 20-25+ touches just about guaranteed and big play potential on every touch, feel confident in Barkley eclipsing 100+ yards again this week.
DeVonta Smith More Than 71.5 Receiving Yards
DeVonta Smith would be the best wide receiver on several NFL teams. He has the talent level and will now prove this with A.J. Brown missing the game due to injury. The former 10th pick in the NFL draft tallied 916 receiving yards as a rookie and more than 1000 yards through the air each of the last two seasons.
Smith had a strong start to this season tallying seven receptions for 84 yards. With the ten targets thrown to A.J. Brown last week now up for grabs, expect Smith’s target share to grow even further. Smith had more than 71.5 receiving yards in eight of the 16 games he played in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons all while sharing targets with Brown. While the defense will surely be locked in on the Alabama product, Smith has sure hands, and is one of the most talented route-runners in the NFL. Expect the Eagles to create opportunities to put the ball in Smith’s hands and for him to tally more than 71.5 yards in the game.
Kirk Cousins Less Than 223.5 Passing Yards
Cue the Kirk Cousins on primetime jokes.
The former Vikings standout signed a four-year contract with the Falcons this offseason worth $180 million. Cousins has been one of the more productive quarterbacks in the NFL throughout his career and the hope is for him to elevate the talent around him into a contender. However, there has not been enough attention paid to his injury recovery after tearing his Achilles in Week 8 last season. While he has never been known for his mobility, Cousins looked stiff in the pocket last week, and was still shaking off the rust. In the loss to the Steelers, Cousins completed 16 of his 26 passes for 155 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
There also is some substance to Cousins struggling in primetime. Overall, he is 12-20 in primetime games and 3-10 on Monday Night Football. There is not much of a statistical drop-off in these games from Cousins, but he has a tough task in front of him with this Eagles defense.
After struggling to slow down opponents last year, the Eagles brought in a new defensive coordinator and spent a first- and second-round pick on secondary help. Expect Philadelphia’s defense to be stingy and for Cousins to continue shaking off the rust. With the bright lights on him, a tough defense to face, and the injury recovery still a work in progress- expect Cousins to struggle. The 223.5 passing-yard line is a bit too high based on the circumstances so let’s stay away.
Jalen Hurts More Than 0.5 Interceptions
It was an up-and-down performance for Jalen Hurts in the opening week. The 26-year-old completed 20 of his 34 pass attempts for 278 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. This comes after Hurts threw 15 interceptions last season which was the third most in the league. Hurts has regressed in his decision-making after his ability to take care of the ball was viewed as one of his strengths early on in his career. The former 53rd overall pick threw nine interceptions in his first year as a starter and six in his second season before tossing 15 last year.
Oftentimes Hurts relies on A.J. Brown as the safety blanket within the offense. With Brown out, Hurts will likely take matters into his own hands a bit more than he should. Many of his interceptions have come when he refuses to give up on a play and tries to make something out of nothing. Without Brown lined up out wide, expect Hurts to force things a little bit more. He threw an interception in 11 of the 17 games he played in last year and Hurts showed the same bad habits to start this year. Expect him to slip up at some point in the game and throw an interception in the Monday Night matchup.
Younghoe Koo More Than 6.5 Kicking Points
The Atlanta Falcons desire to be a high-flying offense but have not reached these heights yet. In the opening week, they tallied just 226 yards of offense, made just two trips to the red zone, and turned the ball over three times. Pittsburgh’s defensive line made a notable impact during the matchup securing two sacks and three tackles for losses.
If the Falcons can cut down on the turnovers, they will have a better chance to produce scoring. This also should be aided by the ‘bend-don’t-break’ strategy the Eagles’ defense leans on. Philadelphia held the Packers to 1-4 in the red zone last week even while facing some very difficult field position. Expect Atlanta to have some moments where they move the ball, but to struggle to get it in the end zone. Younghoe Koo will be the beneficiary of this and be set up for a few field goals in the matchup. A pair of field goals and an extra point is all it takes for Koo to clear the 6.5 kicking point margin and look for him to deliver on this.
Dallas Goedert More Than 4.5 Receptions
While DeVonta Smith will be the primary beneficiary of A.J. Brown’s absence, Dallas Goedert will also be asked to step up. Goedert was once regarded as one of the premier pass-catching tight ends but has seen his production decrease in each of the last three seasons.
Last week Goedert tallied four receptions for 31 yards. Grant Calcaterra is a capable backup tight end who can take on some of the blocking responsibility from Goedert to allow him to be more of a weapon in the passing game. Expect the Eagles to make this adjustment and lean on Goedert more.
Tight ends are a quarterback’s best friend, especially as the Eagles navigate Hurts’ turnover problems. Expect the offense to make Goedert a more notable part of the passing game and record five or more receptions in the matchup.
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.
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