NFL Preseason Week 2 Best Bets for Sunday's Games

Week 2 of the preseason concludes with a pair of games that feature NFC contenders.

First, the Green Bay Packers will likely have Jordan Love build on last week's smooth touchdown pass with a couple more series in the Mile High City. The home Denver Broncos are looking to potentially close the door on their quarterback battle in their first 2024 kickoff at Empower Field.

Secondarily, the San Francisco 49ers will host the New Orleans Saints at Levi's Stadium. Though Christian McCaffrey won't suit up with a calf issue, a few more of S.F.'s starters could be in the fold to host Derek Carr and this new-look NOLA attack under Klint Kubiak.

If we're looking to get in on the action, which bets stand out in these two contests' traditional markets?

All NFL preseason odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

Sunday's Best NFL Preseason Week 2 Bets

Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos

Over 39.5 Points (-105)

Even though it's preseason, a deficit of talent on the Broncos' defense should make games like last week's 34-30 shootout against the Indianapolis Colts fairly regular.

Denver has Pro Football Focus (PFF)'s 31st-ranked defensive line, 28th-ranked linebacker corps, and 16th-ranked secondary unit, and Patrick Surtain II -- doing the bulk of the heavy lifting for the latter -- probably won't play much on Sunday along with Denver's other key starters on defense. That Russell Wilson dead cap had to hit somewhere.

Even a couple of series for Jordan Love on the starters could get us well on this way to the total, but don't discount Sean Payton's Broncos to contribute against the Packers, who were numberFire's 18th-ranked schedule-adjusted defense a year ago.

Stakes are high in the Ponies' quarterback room, and it brought out the best of Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham. They combined to go 19-for-28 with 162 yards, a touchdown, and a pick last week.

Green Bay has topped 21 points in three straight road preseason games, and the Broncos have averaged 28.0 points per game in four preseason games under Sean Payton. The general tenor of this game feels like an over.

New Orleans Saints at San Francisco 49ers

49ers First Half Moneyline (-118)

Though I faded the 49ers in last week's 17-13 road loss, the circumstances are different here. It sounds like most San Francisco starters will play a series or two, including quarterback Brock Purdy.

If that's the case, I'll take them to scamper out to an early lead. The gap between numberFire's best overall schedule-adjusted team and its 22nd-ranked club is enormous when this is the first time that the 49er faithful will get to cheer on the Super Bowl odds-on favorites in person.

Particularly, the 49ers' elite pass rush had a 38.5% pressure rate a year ago (10th in the NFL) and should feast on PFF's worst offensive line in the entire league. NOLA was also the sixth-worst rushing team in the league a year ago.

It's possible the Saints have struck gold if new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak can turn this around in Sunday's small sample, but it's not lost on me that the Niners are -118 to win the first half yet just -115 to win the game. Against public perception, Shanahan is 12-10 straight up in the preseason, so it hasn't been a bad idea to back his scheme in exhibition tilts.

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