We’re through two weeks of the NFL, and we’ve already been hit by plenty of surprises. The Chiefs starting out 0-2, Daniel Jones looking like a star, and some massive field goals. Through the chaos, though, are spots of value. With the league far from settling out, you can find great lines if you look hard enough. So let's deep dive into DraftKings to see some of the best early lines for the upcoming Week 3 slate of games!
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Even though Carolina hasn't seen a win yet, the offense is starting to show signs of improvement. Young is still struggling to keep the ball moving and safe but is beginning to look like a reliable quarterback. Hubbard has been a notable player in the offense, especially alongside rookie Tetairoa McMillian. When it comes to red zone targets, Hubbard has been the workhorse for the Panthers so far. With 2 receiving touchdowns this season already, he’s clearly the favorite option for Carolina. Facing the Falcons this Sunday won’t be easy, but with home-field advantage, Hubbard should get some scoring chances again. Sitting at +140 on DraftKings, this might be one of the best lines for his touchdowns. Since this line has hit both weeks so far, and with limited offensive options for Carolina, expect Hubbard to have a solid workload in the red zone once more.
Are two games enough to believe the hype around Daniel Jones and the Colts? Probably not, but going against the Titans in week three, their spread looks solid. This will be their first road game, but looking at the Colts' roster, it’s a fairly strong group if Jones can keep his level of play. With Jonathan Taylor looking like a top back again, this offense has more punch than many expected. Jones is completing 71% of his passes, has run in 3 TDs himself, and only has 2 sacks; he could be this year’s Sam Darnold. However, sneakily, Spencer Shrader has been the secret weapon on the Colts' offense. Already hitting a perfect 9/9 FGs this year, he’s been keeping the offense potent as soon as they cross over the 50-yard line.
Going against the Titans is where the real value lies in this line, though. They’re struggling to find much push on offense, which has kept them at 0-2 so far. Even though Cam Ward passes the eye test on the field, his stats look rough. He’s already been sacked 11 times for a total loss of 82 yards in just two games. The offensive line isn’t doing him any favors, but Ward simply isn’t getting the ball out fast enough. Pair that with a weak defense, and this line starts to make a lot more sense. Especially with Indiana's success still under scrutiny, if this is just the team they are now, then a 4-point victory should be well within reach.
Following a disappointing Monday night football game against the Chargers, the Raiders may not be as prepared as expected. Pete Carroll has them trending upward, reuniting with Geno Smith, but a lack of WR targets has Smith desperate out there. Throwing three INTs against LA, he couldn’t consistently find Bowers or Meyers with the Chargers' defense smothering them. At the same time, the run game with Jeanty wasn’t able to find much traction either. Now, heading to Washington to face the Commanders, I don’t see the Raiders' season struggles improving.
Meanwhile, the Commanders haven’t looked as dangerous as last year, but they are still a tough team. They did lose Austin Ekeler to a knee injury last week against the Packers, leaving rookie Croskey-Merritt as the lead back. However, Daniels' passing game has been solid with Samuel and Ertz, and the McLaurin connection is gradually improving. Daniels is questionable for the game at the moment, but it seems likely he will play. Overall, I think we’ll see the Commanders come out strong Sunday and cover the spread easily.
This might be one of my favorite early lines to pick now. Sitting at -2.5 for the Chargers at home this Sunday looks promising. With Jim Harbaugh starting this team off strong, they’ve already secured two solid wins. Winning game one against the Chiefs in Brazil, then defeating the Raiders in Vegas, this group is solid. Justin Herbert has already made a leap with a strong year, both passing and rushing. This is the version of Herbert fans have been asking for years, as he's much more willing to pick up yards with his feet. This might also be the most talented receiving core Herbert has played with, as McConkey, Johnston, and Allen have all been dominating. However, the Broncos may be the Chargers' most significant challenge yet.
The Broncos were probably victims of preseason overhype, which set unfair expectations for them. After winning against the Titans in week one, they lost game two to the Colts. However, this team doesn’t seem as engaged as we expected. Bo Nix hasn’t been as polished as last season. He’s already thrown three INTs this year, which has significantly held back the offense. Overall, the offense remains strong, with JK Dobbins looking excellent, and rookie RJ Harvey already making an impact in games. But facing a tough opponent like Herbert, Denver will need to play a perfect offensive game, which seems unlikely. I believe the Denver defense will be the more critical factor in this game. Still, I’m leaning towards LA to win, and with the spread under a field goal, it looks like great value.
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