The Minnesota Vikings will host the Atlanta Falcons to close the Week 2 Sunday slate. This is a battle of a pair of intriguing young quarterbacks coming off impressive starts to their 2025 season. The Vikings managed to pull off a remarkable comeback over the Bears, in which J.J. McCarthy showed his poise beyond his years in his debut start. Atlanta fell just short of their comeback effort through no fault of Michael Penix Jr. He led the team on a go-ahead touchdown drive with 2:17 remaining and then put the team in a position to tie it on the next drive after getting the ball with just 59 seconds remaining. Penix Jr. set the Falcons up with a 44-yard field goal attempt to tie, but Younghoe Koo was unable to deliver.
The slates are now wiped clean as we head into Week 2. Both of these teams are viewed as dark-horse threats in the NFC, and this will be an interesting measuring stick matchup for each side.
Looking at tonight’s odds, the Vikings enter as 3.5-point favorites and -185 on the Moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Falcons hold +154 odds of getting the outright victory, with the game total set at 44.5
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action beyond just backing a side. This article will look at my three favorite prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Week 2 Sunday Night Football matchup.
Falcons at Vikings Best Prop Bets
Michael Penix Jr. Over 228.5 Passing Yards (-113)
Set to make just his fifth start of his NFL career, there should be some significant optimism surrounding Michael Penix Jr.’s future outlook. The Washington product opened up the season by completing 27 of his 42 pass attempts for 298 yards and a touchdown, while also adding a touchdown on the ground. In addition, Penix Jr. threw for over 200 yards in all three of his starts last year and averaged 245.7 passing yards per game.
Minnesota has a strong overall defense, but is weakest against the pass. Last season, they ranked 28th in passing yards allowed and were second in rushing yards allowed. Caleb Williams threw for 210 yards against them in the opening game, while missing his target on a few that could have gashed Minnesota for a major gain.
Penix Jr. has a strong arm and loves to let it fly. His confidence should be sky-high after the strong start, and this prop line feels much lower than it will settle as the year progresses. Atlanta has a dangerous offense, and Penix Jr. is willing to take the big play swings down the field. Expect him to air it out all over the field and throw for over 228.5 passing yards for the second straight game this year and fourth time as a starter.
Jordan Mason Anytime Touchdown (-105)
It was difficult to get a full feel for how the backfield touches will shake out for Minnesota leading into the season. But Jordan Mason did everything possible to make his case why he should be the lead back moving forward. He led the team with 15 carries and 68 rushing yards in Week 1. Aaron Jones served as the featured back last year and had a career year, but was limited to just eight carries for 23 yards. The 30-year-old will still be in the mix for carries, but it is trending toward Mason being the more desirable running back on the staff.
Most notably, Mason took all three rush attempts in the red zone at the running back position. J.J. McCarthy was the only Viking player to reach paydirt with his legs, but this came on a 14-yard scamper to pick up a first down and more. There was not a true goal-line rush opportunity for Minnesota in the season opener, but expect Mason to take on this responsibility.
Getting -105 odds for Mason is solid value with Jones looking over his shoulder with +145 odds of an anytime touchdown. For what it is worth, Jones did record a receiving touchdown in the opening week, but this came on a 27-yard catch. The game script did not align for Mason in the opening game, but expect this to be different against an Atlanta defense that ranked 23rd in points allowed last year. Count on Minnesota to lean on more of a run-oriented approach than they were forced to in the opener, and for Mason to record the first touchdown of his Vikings career.
J.J. McCarthy Under 213.5 Passing Yards (-112)
It is difficult to evaluate the debut of J.J. McCarthy. On one hand, he was at his best when the lights were the brightest and led the Vikings to a comeback after trailing 17-6 heading into the fourth quarter. On the other hand, it is impossible to fully overlook just how bad he looked for the first three quarters of the game. Ultimately, McCarthy finished with 143 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception while adding 25 rushing yards and a touchdown with his legs.
The Michigan product has been one of the more controversial quarterbacks dating back to his time in college. His biggest critics will be quick to point out his low usage or how infrequently he has been asked to throw the ball. You cannot argue with the results from a wins and losses perspective, but a 213.5 passing line feels far too high. He attempted just 20 pass attempts in his NFL debut, even while being forced to play from behind and air it out more frequently than would be the full game plan.
Minnesota was cautious in unleashing Sam Darnold last year, and will likely envision a similar plan with McCarthy. Darnold averaged 27.0 pass attempts across the first seven games and 35.6 pass attempts per game across the final 10 games last year. Expect the Vikings to lean on their rushing attack to steer their direction in this game, and for McCarthy to struggle to reach this passing yards total. Week 1 was a game script that should have pushed McCarthy’s passing total higher, and he still threw for just 143 yards. Expect this to be closer to this week’s passing output and for him to fall comfortably under 213.5.
