NFL Week 2 kicks off with the Vikings visiting Philly to face the Eagles. Minnesota is off being upset at home by Tampa, while the Eagles were just barely able to hold onto a road win at the Patriots in Week 1.
Let’s break down the betting market on this game, along with some best bets available on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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6-Point Teaser: PHI -0.5/SF -1.5 (-120) — 1-unit
I don’t want to overreact to Minnesota’s home loss to Tampa, I still think the Vikings are a solid team in the NFC. But it did show us the low ceiling this team can have after a flukey 2022 season that came back to bite them in the postseason. This is just a really tough spot to be in on a short week early in the season, going on the road to face a team you don’t matchup all that well with.
The Eagles struggled as times in New England on Sunday, but the Pats had a pretty strong defensive showing and created a tough road atmosphere on a day Tom Brady was celebrated. The Vikings really struggled to score in an early season primetime game in Philly last year, ultimately losing 24-7. Kirk Cousins tossed three interceptions in that one, and the ground game was practically non-existent.
While it’s not all that hot of a take, and I do expect a bit more scoring, I believe Philly should be able to put together another convincing win here. Primetime Kirk will likely make a couple of mistakes to help push this one in favor of the Eagles.
Philly makes for a good TNF teaser leg, and there are tons of potential selections to pair them with on Sunday and even Monday. I’m choosing to go with the 49ers down from 7.5 to 1.5. The Niners steamrolled a solid Steeler squad in Pittsburgh in Week 1. Now they’re on the road again versus the Rams, but the stadium should be pro-Niners. This is the matchup San Francisco has dominated in recent years, and I think the market is still a little high on the Rams after their shocking Week 1 win in Seattle.
Jordan Addison: OVER 39.5 Receiving Yards (-115) — 1-unit
I loved this draft pick from the Vikings, putting another speedy receiving with elite skills next to Justin Jefferson. With all eyes on JJ on Sunday, he still managed to catch 9-of-12 targets for 150 yards, but Addison was still a major focus of Minnesota’s passing attack. The rookie was targeted six times, posting a 4-61-1 line, including a 39 yard bomb.
In Week 1, the Eagles stopped the run well, but allowed four New England pass-catchers to eclipse 40 yards. As an Eagles backer, I’m buying into the game script that the Vikings should be playing from behind, and Cousins should be slinging as the game goes on. Addison’s prop feels like one to take advantage of early in the season, and should be on the rise.
Eagles RB Rushing Props and Eagles RB TD Props
While I haven’t bet anything here yet, it feels like there should be a way to take advantage of this backfield situation in Philly. The Eagles let go of Miles Sanders, but brought in D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny in the offseason. However, names like Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott picked up momentum down the stretch in 2022, and factored in much more than we anticipated in Week 1.
The backfield actually belonged to Gainwell against the Patriots, playing 62% of the snaps. That left 29% of the snaps to Swift and 12% to Scott, while Penny was a surprising healthy scratch.
I would’ve been interested in some Gainwell overs here, and actually bet him over 22.5 rushing yards in Week 1 — he finished with 14 carries for 54 yards. However, he’s trending towards missing this game with a rib injury. It seems like if the rotation that held up in Week 1 carries over here, Swift would be the lead back, with Scott playing behind him, and Penny being active as the third back for this game.
I’m keeping an eye on the news here, but getting good plus-money on any RB that isn’t Gainwell to score a TD is worth considering. Obviously, no rushing props for these guys are on the board yet for yardage, but when we get prices, I may quickly fire on something.
D’Andre Swift: OVER 33.5 Rushing Yards (-115) — 0.75-units
Since publishing the article, I ultimately went with the over on Swift’s rushing prop. Gainwell is officially out, and the coaches sound committed to making sure Swift is more involved.
Alexander Mattison: UNDER 50.5 Rushing Yards (-125) — 0.75-units
Game script sets up well here with a road dog on a short week for a rushing under, but the Vikings also seem committed to slinging it regardless of score. In a close game last week at home, Mattison earned just 11 carries, while Cousins threw 44 passes. Mattison gained just 34 yards on the ground on those 11 attempts, and will now face a ferocious Philly front that gave up just 54 total rushing yards on the road on 19 combined rushing attempts from Ezekiel Elliott and Rhamondre Stevenson. Mattison will likely have to break away for 20-plus yards on a carry in this game to have a chance to crack 50 yards.
Bet at a top rated Sportsbook!
View the latest odds and bet online legally at a top rated Sportsbook! Place a bet now at DraftKings Sportsbook!*
*Odds and lines are for illustrative purposes only.
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment.
