Week 2 is already underway, and it kicked off with a bang Thursday night. The Bills took the ball to open their new stadium and never let go, running past the Lions 41-31 while the total (54.5) got smoked before the fourth quarter even started. Now it's on to the rest of the slate, and if you're hunting for the best NFL games to watch this weekend, building a DFS lineup, or just trying to figure out which NFL games this week actually deserve your couch time, the board's already handed us the roadmap. Big spread? Somebody's about to get run off the field. Tight line? Strap in. Total pushing 48 or 50? Every fantasy manager I know already has three tabs open on it.

Here's the whole spread, my Game of the Week, the division fights worth staying up late for, the live dogs I actually like, and where the fantasy and DFS money's hiding this week.

 

Best NFL Games to Watch This Week

Five games separate themselves from the pack as the best NFL games to watch this week, and it's not just the number on the spread. Injuries, line movement, and a rookie's first real road test as the guy running the offense all factor in.

Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, 4:25 PM ET): This is the highest total on the entire board at 50.5, and Dallas is only laying 4 at home, so buckle up. Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, and Stefon Diggs are riding into Dallas with real confidence, and Washington's beat writers have already published their four keys to pulling off the upset. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens are the reason Dallas is favored at all, but a 4-point number against this Washington offense feels thin to me.

Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday Night Football): Kansas City's a 6.5-point home favorite with a 46.5 total, and after a 31-10 rout of Denver on Monday Night Football, Mahomes and Kelce are right back on the league's biggest weekly stage like they never left, even with Mahomes still working his way back from last December's torn ACL. Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and Alec Pierce have to travel into a building that's chewed up plenty of visiting offenses after getting run over 43-21 by the Ravens in their own opener, and they'll do it against a Chiefs secondary already banged up after rookie corner Mansoor Delane went down with a shoulder injury on Monday night. The bigger problem for Indianapolis might be Kenneth Walker, who ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns in his Chiefs debut and looked like the focal point of that offense, not just a complementary piece.

New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams (Monday Night Football): Los Angeles is favored by 7 with a 48 total, even after getting run off the field 27-7 by the 49ers in their own opener in Australia. The storyline here still writes itself: second-year back Cam Skattebo already told reporters he's not afraid of lining up across from Aaron Donald, saying it's going to be fun, and I love that kind of confidence heading into a tough road environment. It's an even bigger deal now that Donald's reportedly set to make his season debut after a two-year retirement. Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers have to try to keep pace with Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, though they'll catch a break up front with Myles Garrett now on injured reserve after knee surgery.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears: This one's moved since the odds sheet came out. Kyler Murray is in the concussion protocol after his Vikings debut ended early, so Carson Wentz gets the start, and the line has swung from 4.5 to as much as a touchdown-plus in Chicago's favor. Wentz, Justin Jefferson, and Jordan Addison still have to prove they can hang, and Chicago counters with Caleb Williams throwing to Rome Odunze while D'Andre Swift tries to keep the offense on schedule after the Bears dropped 59 points in Week 1.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers: A 43.5 total with the Chargers favored by 6.5 doesn't scream marquee on paper, especially with Los Angeles coming off a stunning 26-14 home loss to Arizona as a big favorite in Week 1. Las Vegas leans on Kirk Cousins, who threw for three touchdowns in the opener, running the show with Ashton Jeanty behind him, while rookie Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick, watches from the bench for at least one more week. Brock Bowers is doubtful after having his knee scoped, so Michael Mayer is in line for a bigger role at tight end. On the other side, Justin Herbert and David Njoku are waiting to make it a long afternoon if the Raiders aren't ready, though Los Angeles has its own question mark with Ladd McConkey trending toward doubtful after missing back-to-back practices with a rib injury.

NFL Game of the Week

My NFL Game of the Week is Commanders at Cowboys, and it's not close. A 50.5 total is the highest number on the board this week, and a 4-point home spread for Dallas is about as thin as a division favorite gets. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens have the horses to win a shootout, but Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, and Stefon Diggs are coming off a Week 1 performance confident enough that the beat writers are already publishing victory previews. NFC East football in prime real estate, with a total that says both sides are getting whatever they want offensively. Give me this one.

My strong runner-up: Colts at Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. Kansas City's only favored by 6.5, and Daniel Jones has already shown he can hang around with a competent supporting cast. But Kenneth Walker looked like the engine of that offense in his Chiefs debut, not a role player next to Mahomes and Kelce, and that makes this a tough ask for anybody walking into Arrowhead. Still, this is exactly the kind of measuring-stick game that tells you who Indianapolis actually is two weeks into the season.

Best Division Matchups

Five, count them, five division games on the Week 2 slate, and that's about as loaded as an early-season Sunday gets.

Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys (NFC East): A 4-point spread with a 50.5 total makes this the marquee division game of the week, no debate. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens against Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, and Stefon Diggs is as good a division fight as you'll find in Week 2.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears (NFC North): Carson Wentz gets the start for Minnesota with Murray still in the concussion protocol, and the number's swung hard toward Chicago after that 59-point outburst. Wentz and Justin Jefferson against Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze is still worth a look, even lopsided.

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons (NFC South): Carolina's only favored by 2.5 on the road, and that's a shaky number after the Panthers allowed a franchise-record 59 points and 291 rushing yards in a Week 1 blowout loss to the Bears. Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, Chuba Hubbard, and Darren Waller now have to turn around and figure out a Bijan Robinson-led Falcons offense that's fresh off holding its own in a tight Week 1 loss to Pittsburgh.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers (AFC West): Kirk Cousins gets Las Vegas' first real road division test of the year against Justin Herbert and a Chargers team that expects to contend all year. Ashton Jeanty gives the Raiders a puncher's chance on the ground, with No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza still developing on the sideline behind Cousins.

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals (NFC West): Seattle's only favored by 4, though that number was likely set before Sam Darnold was ruled out with a hip injury suffered in Week 1. Drew Lock, who came off the bench to beat New England, gets the start now, and he and Jaxon Smith-Njigba against Jacoby Brissett, Marvin Harrison, and Trey McBride is tighter than the number suggests. Zach Charbonnet is still working his way back from the ACL tear that ended his playoff run, so rookie Jadarian Price has the early-season backfield to himself.

Potential NFL Upsets This Week

Want value on the underdog side? These are the NFL games this week where I think the numbers say an upset is squarely in play, and I'm not afraid to say it.

Cincinnati Bengals (+2.5, +130 ML) @ Houston Texans (-2.5, -150 ML): A +130 price on a 2.5-point road dog is real value. Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins have the firepower to steal this outright if Houston's passing game, already without Nico Collins, stalls even a little behind C.J. Stroud, Kayshon Boutte, and David Montgomery.

Jacksonville Jaguars (+2.5, +130 ML) @ Denver Broncos (-2.5, -150 ML): Trevor Lawrence, coming off a 34-10 rout of Cleveland, against a Denver team that's only laying 2.5 at home is the kind of number I'll take a shot on every time. Brian Thomas is dealing with a shoulder injury and managed just three catches in the opener, so Parker Washington, who found the end zone in Week 1, looks like the more consistent option in this offense right now. Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton are good, but this line's too tight to call it safe.

Carolina Panthers (-2.5, -150 ML) @ Atlanta Falcons (+2.5, +130 ML): +130 on a division dog at home is exactly the kind of price I look for. Cooper Rush, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London have enough juice to flip this one if Bryce Young and Carolina's offense sputters even once.

Washington Commanders (+4, +175 ML) @ Dallas Cowboys (-4, -210 ML): A 4-point home number with a 50.5 total is not a lock, and +175 on Washington after the way Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, and Stefon Diggs looked in Week 1 is real value in a shootout environment.

Seattle Seahawks (-4, -200 ML) @ Arizona Cardinals (+4, +170 ML): +170 on a 4-point road dog inside the division is a price I'll take. Jacoby Brissett, Marvin Harrison, and Trey McBride are more than capable of hanging with Drew Lock and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for four quarters, especially with Seattle turning to its backup quarterback after Sam Darnold's Week 1 hip injury.

Best Games for Fantasy Football

If you're setting lineups, these are the best NFL games this week to chase for fantasy production. Vegas already told us which offenses are getting turned loose. Listen to them.

Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys (50.5 total): The highest total of the week, no contest. Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, and Stefon Diggs all have paths to a big day, and Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens are about as safe a stack as exists in football right now.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears (48 total): Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison give Wentz two real weapons, while Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, and D'Andre Swift carry plenty of appeal for a Bears offense that should be moving the ball plenty in this one.

New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams (48 total): Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers likely have to throw from behind, which only boosts their volume, especially with the Rams front now missing Myles Garrett. Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, meanwhile, lead a Los Angeles attack that should be humming right along at home.

New Orleans Saints @ Baltimore Ravens (46.5 total): Baltimore's a near-double-digit favorite, but that total says the game script won't shut anybody down completely. Chris Olave, Travis Etienne, and Alvin Kamara give Tyler Shough somewhere to go in what's likely a pass-heavy comeback script, while Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry lead one of the league's most explosive offenses regardless of opponent.

Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs (46.5 total): Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and Alec Pierce have to throw more than they'd like against a good Chiefs team, and Kenneth Walker, coming off a 173-yard breakout in his Chiefs debut, is squarely in play alongside Mahomes and Kelce regardless of the number.

Best Games for DFS

For DFS, you want a high total paired with a spread tight enough to keep both offenses on the field deep into the fourth quarter. That combo is where the real, usable value hides on any given slate.

Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys: A 50.5 total next to a 4-point spread is exactly the split-game environment DFS sharks build around. Dak Prescott into CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens, and Jayden Daniels into Terry McLaurin or Stefon Diggs, are the natural pivots.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans: A 46-point total with just a 2.5-point spread gives you a genuine two-way build. Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins anchor the Cincinnati side, while C.J. Stroud and Kayshon Boutte headline Houston's thinned-out passing game.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos: A 45.5 total and a 2.5-point spread is another clean split-game build. Trevor Lawrence and Parker Washington, the more consistent option with Brian Thomas banged up, against Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton, and Jaylen Waddle gives you plenty of paths to be right.

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons: A 44-point total with a 2.5-point spread inside the division keeps both offenses live deep into the fourth quarter. Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, and Darren Waller against Cooper Rush, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London gives you options on either side.

Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets: A 44.5 total with a 3.5-point spread rounds out the split-game slate nicely. Jordan Love, Christian Watson, and Matthew Golden carry the Green Bay side after Watson went off for 147 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, with MarShawn Lloyd handling the backfield now that Josh Jacobs is on the commissioner's exempt list. Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall lead the way for Geno Smith and New York.

Best NFL Games to Watch This Sunday 9/20

Sunday, September 20 is carrying the bulk of the Week 2 slate, and it's stacked from kickoff to kickoff. Here's how the day breaks down by window.

1:00 PM ET Window

Cincinnati Bengals @ Houston Texans: Texans favored by 2.5, total of 46. Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins against C.J. Stroud and Kayshon Boutte, who's stepped into the No. 1 receiver role for Houston with both Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins out.

Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Buccaneers favored by 8.5, total of 41.5. Baker Mayfield, Emeka Egbuka, and Bucky Irving look to keep piling up points against a Cleveland offense still trying to find its footing.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots: Patriots favored by 5, total of 41.5. Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and Jaylen Warren travel to Foxboro fresh off a 20-13 win over Atlanta, while Patriots fans are reportedly already anxious after a 13-10 season-opening loss to Seattle. Drake Maye will have to lean on Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, Pop Douglas and Kyle Williams with A.J. Brown now on injured reserve after a high-ankle sprain in his Patriots debut, an injury expected to keep him out at least a month. Pittsburgh will also be without cornerback Joey Porter again. He's missed time with a back injury amid a contract standoff, and both the Lions and Chiefs have reportedly emerged as trade suitors.

Green Bay Packers @ New York Jets: Packers favored by 3.5, total of 44.5. Jordan Love and Christian Watson, coming off a 147-yard, 2-touchdown Week 1, against Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, with MarShawn Lloyd running behind Love in place of Josh Jacobs, still on the commissioner's exempt list.

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons: Panthers favored by 2.5, total of 44. Bryce Young, Tetairoa McMillan, and Darren Waller against Cooper Rush, Bijan Robinson, and Drake London.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans: Eagles favored by 7, total of 39.5, the lowest of the day. Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley against Cam Ward, Tony Pollard, and Wan'Dale Robinson.

New Orleans Saints @ Baltimore Ravens: Ravens favored by 8.5, total of 46.5. Chris Olave, Travis Etienne, and Alvin Kamara against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears: Bears heavily favored now that Wentz has replaced Murray under center; total of 48, the highest of the early window. Carson Wentz and Justin Jefferson against Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze, and D'Andre Swift.

4:05 PM ET Window

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Denver Broncos: Broncos favored by 2.5, total of 45.5. Trevor Lawrence and Parker Washington against Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton, and Jaylen Waddle, with Brian Thomas (shoulder) expected to play but limited.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers: Chargers favored by 6.5, total of 43.5. Kirk Cousins and Ashton Jeanty against Justin Herbert and David Njoku, with Raiders TE Brock Bowers doubtful and Chargers WR Ladd McConkey trending toward doubtful (rib) on the other side.

4:25 PM ET Window

Washington Commanders @ Dallas Cowboys: Cowboys favored by 4, total of 50.5, the highest of the day. Jayden Daniels, Terry McLaurin, and Stefon Diggs against Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens.

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals: Seahawks favored by 4, total of 41. Drew Lock and Jaxon Smith-Njigba against Jacoby Brissett, Marvin Harrison, and Trey McBride, with Sam Darnold sidelined by a hip injury.

Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers: 49ers favored by 13, the largest spread of the week. Malik Willis, Malik Washington, and De'Von Achane try to keep it respectable for a Dolphins team that traded away Jaylen Waddle and released Tyreek Hill, leaving Miami's receiving corps thin around its new starting quarterback, while Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and Ricky Pearsall look to run the score up early.

8:20 PM ET Window

Indianapolis Colts @ Kansas City Chiefs: The Sunday Night Football headliner, Chiefs favored by 6.5, total of 46.5. Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and Alec Pierce against Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Kenneth Walker.

Monday Night Football (9/21)

New York Giants @ Los Angeles Rams: Rams favored by 7, total of 48. Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers against Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, with Aaron Donald making his season debut and Myles Garrett out. Closing out the week on ESPN and ABC.

Wherever your weekend takes you, this slate delivers. Bookmark this page before kickoff, and check back every single week for the best NFL games to watch across Thursday, Sunday, and Monday all season long.