Week 2 gambling preview: Bet on George Pickens, plus other picks

The second Sunday of the 2026 NFL regular season will be here soon. It's time to sit back, relax, and enjoy some football. Before the second Sunday festivities of the year kick off, here are our gambling picks for the Week 2 slate.

Both the Bears and the Vikings exploded on offense in Week 1. Chicago scored a league-high 59 points while the Vikings put up 39, led by backup quarterback Carson Wentz . While the Vikings' defense will be a much more significant challenge for Chicago than Carolina's defense was, their offense looks like it's going to be hard to slow down this season.

Between Ben Johnson's aggressiveness and the Bears' lack of ability on the defensive side of the ball, it seems almost certain they will be in high-scoring affairs nearly every week. Just like they did in Week 1, look for both teams to score 24+ points and hit the over.

Week 1 was an absolute disaster for Drake Maye and the New England Patriots . As bad as the loss to Seattle was, a Week 2 home contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers should be a fairly soft landing spot. After losing star wideout A.J. Brown to an ankle injury, look for Maye to do it himself against Pittsburgh on Sunday and use his legs quite often.

Maye has surpassed 25 rushing yards in eight of his last 10 games played, and he should have a good chance to do so again on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants are coming off complete opposite outcomes in Week 1. The Rams, who are the heavy Super Bowl favorite, got dominated by the San Francisco 49ers in a shocking outcome. The Giants handed a division rival a beating of their own, taking it to our Dallas Cowboys .

This week, water finds its level on both sides, and the Rams get back to looking like the team we all thought they would be. If that happens, star wideout Puka Nacua will be the catalyst on the offensive side of the ball. Look for Nacua to dominate against New York's secondary, putting together a big day in a Rams' win.

Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys -4.5

The Pick : George Pickens 70+ receiving yards (+116)

After a quiet Week 1, look for George Pickens to break out on Sunday against a below-average Washington secondary. Pickens may draw the matchup against Commanders' cornerback Mike Sainristil throughout the course of this game, where he has a clear advantage.

Let us know what you think about our picks in the comments section.