NFL Preseason Picks: 4 NFL Best Bets and Predictions for Preseason Week 2

NFL Betting Picks in Summary

• Steelers Moneyline
• Broncos -5.5
• Lions -4.5
• Eagles-Patriots Under 36.5

The second full week of the 2026 NFL preseason is here, with all 32 teams scheduled to play across 16 games from Thursday through Sunday. Here’s the full NFL Preseason Week 2 schedule.

Betting preseason football requires a different approach than betting the regular season. The most talented team is not necessarily the best bet when its starting quarterback and most of its first-team offense could spend the night on the sideline. That makes playing-time reports, quarterback rotations and coaching plans particularly important.

After going through all 16 games on the Week 2 schedule, here are our favorite bets for this week.

All NFL preseason odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL betting odds and may change after this article is published.

NFL Predictions and Picks for Preseason Week 2

New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers (Fri, 7 p.m. ET)

Steelers Moneyline (+110)

The Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback situation makes Pittsburgh one of my favorite sides of the week for their home clash with the New York Jets.

Mike McCarthy has announced that Will Howard will start before giving way to rookie Drew Allar while Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph will sit. But despite Pittsburgh sitting their two vets, there are reasons for optimism as both young quarterbacks were excellent against the Green Bay Packers last week.

Howard completed 7 of 9 passes for 86 yards and directed an eight-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. Allar was even better, completing 10 of 13 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground.

Pittsburgh finished the game with 313 passing yards in a 28-9 victory. That's a pretty encouraging preseason quarterback combination, particularly when the Steelers are slight home ‘dogs.

Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos (Fri, 9 p.m. ET)

Broncos -5.5 (-110)

Laying more than a field goal in the preseason isn't always appealing, but the Denver Broncos have enough working in their favor to justify the bigger number.

The biggest development is Bo Nix's expected preseason debut. The Broncos held Nix out of Denver's opener but said beforehand that the plan was for him to play against Green Bay.

Denver also has useful experience behind him with Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger. Stidham and Ehlinger each received a half of work in the opener, giving the Broncos three quarterbacks capable of operating the offense effectively this week.

It sounds like the Packers may give Jordan Love some run, as well, but potentially for only one series. After that, it’ll be Kyle McCord and Tyrod Taylor.

I think Denver will have the edge once the backup signal-callers come in, and home field in altitude is another modest positive, too.

Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions (Sat, Noon ET)

Lions -4.5 (-110)

The Detroit Lions‘ approach to the preseason makes this matchup especially interesting.

Dan Campbell rested most of his established starters in the opener but pointed toward the Washington game as the spot where more of them could see action. That potential jump in first-team participation comes at a good time for Detroit.

Washington's quarterback depth took a hit when Marcus Mariota was injured in the preseason opener. That leaves Sam Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis in line for substantial snaps behind Jayden Daniels, who may not play at all.

Kaliakmanis flashed in his debut, so Washington isn't completely devoid of quarterback upside. But Detroit potentially has a large advantage at the beginning of the game before turning things over to veteran Joshua Dobbs and rookie Luke Altmyer.

With the Lions also playing their only home preseason game, I'll lay the points with Detroit.

Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots (Sat, 7 p.m. ET)

Under 36.5 Points (-108)

Instead of picking a side here, I'll attack the total.

The Philadelphia Eagles‘ offense struggled badly in its preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens. Andy Dalton completed 3 of 6 passes for only 20 yards, while Tanner McKee went 6 of 10 for 35 yards. The Eagles produced just 100 yards on their first 31 offensive plays and didn't score until late in a 24-7 loss.

The New England Patriots‘ offense wasn’t explosive in their opener, either. New England tied the Indianapolis Colts 13-13. Tommy DeVito was respectable, completing 13 of 22 attempts for 138 yards and a touchdown, but rookie Behren Morton struggled to create offense after halftime.

With starters unlikely to see much action following two joint practices between these sides, this game should feature a heavy dose of reserve quarterbacks and fringe roster players. Plus, those joint practices may give an edge to the defenses.

Check out the full NFL Preseason Week 2 schedule with betting odds for every game.

NFL Frequently Asked Questions

When does the 2026 NFL regular season begin?
The 2026 NFL regular season kicks off Wednesday, September 9th at 8:20 p.m. ET with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seahawks and Patriots.

How many games does each team play?
Each NFL team plays a 17-game regular season schedule over 18 weeks, with one bye week.

How many teams make the playoffs?
Fourteen teams qualify for the playoffs — seven from the AFC and seven from the NFC. The top seed in each conference receives a first-round bye.

When do the playoffs start?
The NFL playoffs begin on January 16, 2027 and conclude with Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027.

Who are the Super Bowl favorites?
Per FanDuel Sportsbook’s Super Bowl odds, the Rams have the shortest Super Bowl odds at +550, followed by the Seahawks (+1100) and Bills (+1100).

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.