Week 3 NFL Odds: Early Locks and Best Bets on the Schedule

We're only two weeks into the 2024 NFL season, which means that it's largely still hard to get a handle on which teams are good and which are not.

Week 1 tends to bring overreactions, while Week 2 brings overcorrection. The Dallas Cowboys, for example, played like a dominant Super Bowl-caliber team in Week 1 while failing to find answers for the New Orleans Saints' new-look offense on Sunday. Dallas followed its 33-17 win with a 44-19 loss.

The real version of the Cowboys likely falls somewhere between where those two outcomes might suggest. It may take a couple more weeks, however, to determine where they land.

While there's still some guesswork involved in dissecting the NFL landscape, a few early betting lines stand out as favorable. Here, you'll find some of our favorite team plays for Week 2, based on factors like recent performances, team health and individual matchups.

*Lines via DraftKings Sportsbook

Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams looked a lot more comfortable in Week 2 than he did in his NFL debut. However, he eventually started pressing against a talented Houston Texans team, which led to a pair of turnovers and a six-point loss.

The No. 1 overall pick in April's draft should be better yet in his third game, which comes against an Indianapolis Colts defense that is struggling.

On Sunday, the Colts failed to corral Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis, who had made just three NFL starts coming into the game. More important, perhaps, is that Indianapolis has been unable to contain the run at all this season.

The Colts have allowed an average of 5.1 yards per carry thus far in 2024.

Chicago should be able to lean on the run more than it did against Houston, and Williams is unlikely to have as many game-altering miscues as he did on Sunday. The Bears defense, meanwhile, has shown that it can be a top-10 unit.

In a matchup between young signal-callers—Anthony Richardson will be making his seventh career start—the team with the better defense should have a distinct advantage. Chicago can win this game outright, and it may actually be favored by the end of the week.

Under new head coach Mike Macdonald, the Seattle Seahawks defense has been much more effective than it was a year ago. Quarterback Geno Smith, meanwhile, has played at a much higher level than raw statistics might suggest.

Smith has thrown for 498 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 95.7 passer rating.

The Miami Dolphins, meanwhile, are in trouble. Miami's defense has looked average, and its offense has again lost quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a concussion. The 26-year-old does plan to play again "when he is ready," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t CNN's George Ramsay).

However, Tagovailoa shouldn't be expected to face Seattle. This means that Miami will either rely on Skylar Thompson and/or newly signed backup Tyler Huntley in Week 3.

The problem is that the entirety of Miami's offense is built around Tagovailoa, his accuracy and his quick delivery. The Dolphins cannot expect another quarterback to operate it as efficiently, especially on short notice, on the road in Seattle.

Cross-country trips are always difficult, and the Seahawks have one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL. This line may move significantly in the coming days.

Through two games, the Jacksonville Jaguars have yet to play a complete four quarters of football. They squandered a lead against Miami in Week 1 and failed to mount a comeback against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.

With the Buffalo Bills on the docket for Monday night, Jacksonville's up-and-down play is a real problem.

Buffalo doesn't appear to have hit its stride just yet. Quarterback Josh Allen is still developing chemistry with new receivers like Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman. The offense has remained efficient, though, because of budding star running back James Cook.

While it is banged-up, the Bills defense has also proven its ability to make game-changing plays. Offensive mistakes have provided Jacksonville's biggest issues, and with extra time to prepare, Buffalo can exploit this problem.

The Bills can also exploit a Jacksonville pass defense that has allowed an average of 6.5 net yards per passing attempt. This could very well be the game in which Allen and his new-look receiving corps finally click.

Expect Buffalo to hold serve at home and for this line to drift further in the Bills' favor between now and Monday night.

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