Betsided

3 Best NFL Prop Bets for Week 2 (Target Gardner Minshew, Fade Jayden Daniels)

Looking at three prop bets to consider when locking in those Week 2 NFL wagers. 

By Shelby Dermer

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) looks to pass in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) looks to pass in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Week 2 of the NFL season kicked off Thursday with another Buffalo Bills’ victory over the Miami Dolphins. The NFL’s International Series won’t hold us over like it did in the opening week, but there are still 14 games scheduled for Sunday to attack from a betting perspective. 

We’ve gone over some ATS picks to make in Week 2 and now we’re singling out some players with prop bets. Here’s a trio to consider for Week 2. 

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

3 Best NFL Prop Bets for Week 2 

  • Gardner Minshew OVER 19.5 Completions
  • Jayden Daniels UNDER 52.5 Rushing Yards 
  • C.J. Stroud UNDER 265.5 Passing Yards

Gardner Minshew OVER 19.5 Completions (-105)

This handicap has to start with game script. The Ravens are 8-point favorites over the Raiders this Sunday, which projects Las Vegas having to throw the rock down the stretch to keep this matchup competitive. 

Minshew is more than capable of completing a high volume of passes, even if it doesn’t lead to many points. In Week 1, the Raiders were held to just 10 points, though Minshew completed 75.8% of his passes, going 25-of-33 for 257 yards against the Chargers. 

Las Vegas still has Davante Adams on the outside and a combined eight receptions on 11 targets for tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer in Week 1 is a good sign. Minshew is not a quarterback to burn many defenses deep, so we like the odds of the veteran journeyman quarterback taking what the defense gives him and finding receivers underneath. 

Baltimore’s defense, looking for a bounce back after a close loss to Kansas City, should be able to stop the Raiders’ sub-par rushing attack. Last week, Zamir White and Alexander Mattison combined for just 63 yards on 18 attempts. 

Jayden Daniels UNDER 52.5 Rushing Yards (-120)

If there was a bright spot for the Washington Commanders in their 17-point Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, it was that their rookie quarterback played turnover-free football and made plays with his legs. Daniels ran 16 times for 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Tampa Bay while completing 17-of-24 passes for 184 yards.

However, it’s not in Washington’s best interest to have the former Heisman Trophy winner running so much. Commanders’ head coach Dan Quinn said just as much when asked about Daniels’ 16 rushing attempts in practice this week. 

The New York Giants have been good against dual-threat quarterbacks, too. Last season, New York ranked ninth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed to quarterbacks, permitting just 14.8 yards per game. 

C.J. Stroud UNDER 265.5 Passing Yards (-115)

Turning our attention to Sunday night, the Chicago Bears were No. 1 in the NFL in pass-rush win rate in Week 1. That pressure forced some costly mistakes by Tennessee quarterback Will Levis and helped lead the Bears to an improbable comeback while its offense remained stuck in the mud. 

Getting pressure with four defensive linemen will be crucial for the Bears’ success in this matchup while its secondary tries to limit Houston’s high-powered passing attack of Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins and Tank Dell. In the season-opener, Stroud threw the rock 32 times but managed just 234 passing yards in a week where passing was down overall in the NFL. 

Defenses are shifting to a two-high safety look in the NFL, opting to keep everything in front and forcing offenses to slowly march down the field rather than gain big chunks. Since Chicago can force pressure with just its four defensive linemen, they can afford to blitz less and keep Stroud from burning them long. 

Houston could opt to run the rock like it did in Week 1 with newly-acquired running back Joe Mixon churning out 159 rushing yards against the Colts. With Houston currently sitting at 6.5-point favorites, the projected game script obviously calls for a clear-cut running situations down the stretch. Caleb Williams struggled mightily in his first NFL start and now makes his road debut on primetime. 

It’s possible the Chicago offense spits out another dud performance and Houston is nursing a two-scoring lead in the fourth quarter and turns to the ground game to chew up the remainder of the clock. 

No quarterback received love like Stroud did last season and for good reason. The Offensive Rookie of the Year led Houston to a division title and a playoff win. However, he’s now gone under this passing yardage prop in five of his last six games going back to last season and his props just seem too expensive at this rate. 

Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.

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