NFL Best Bets Today, 8/22: 2026 NFL Preseason Week 2 Picks, Predictions & Player Props
Ten preseason games are on tap today, making it the biggest slate of Week 2 and one of the busiest days of the entire preseason. From an early morning kickoff to a night full of marquee names, there's a game for every part of the day, headlined by Patrick Mahomes sitting out again as the Chiefs visit Tampa Bay and A.J. Brown returning to Philadelphia's opposing sideline for the first time since his offseason exit. With this much football on the schedule, tomorrow is shaping up as one of the deeper slates of NFL best bets today all preseason.
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🔥 NFL Preseason Week 2 Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 8/22
Ten games make up today's massive Saturday slate, stretching from a 12 PM ET kickoff all the way into the evening. This is easily the busiest day of Week 2, giving bettors a full menu of matchups to work through as coaching staffs settle into their preseason philosophies. Some teams are treating this as a genuine dress rehearsal for their starters, while others are sticking to a strict hands-off approach no matter the opponent. That wide range of strategies across ten games makes NFL best bets today interesting to navigate.
With so much football packed into one day, the value comes from knowing exactly which teams are showing up with real intent, and which are treating this as little more than a formality. A handful of marquee storylines add extra juice on top of the matchups themselves, from a star receiver facing his former team to a former MVP QB continuing to sit out as he works back from injury. That blend of participation clarity and juicy subplots is exactly what makes NFL best bets today stand out.
👀 Best Matchups & Players To Watch Today
A trio of teams stick to their long-standing habit of never playing starters, no matter the opponent. Detroit's Dan Campbell keeps Jared Goff on the sideline again, Atlanta's Kevin Stefanski does the same with Tua Tagovailoa as the Falcons load up on joint practice reps instead, and Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay continues his career-long approach of holding Matthew Stafford out entirely. On the other side of those matchups, Washington's Jayden Daniels also won't play, Indianapolis reverses its Week 1 plan with Riley Leonard now starting over Anthony Richardson, and New Orleans gives Tyler Shough more run after resting him in the opener. Again, there is a ton to consider for NFL best bets today.
The evening window brings the marquee storylines. Patrick Mahomes sits out for a second straight week as Justin Fields starts for Chicago, while Tampa Bay's Todd Bowles has fully committed to playing his starters, Baker Mayfield included, against the Chiefs. Philadelphia and New England set up the top headline, with A.J. Brown facing his former team for the first time since his offseason departure, though it remains unclear if he'll actually play in the game itself. Dallas continues its own backup QB battle with Dak Prescott sitting, while Arizona, already deep into its preseason slate, may hold back as well. So, let’s see where we make the top pick from our NFL best bets today.
🏉 Buccaneers vs. Chiefs Prediction, Saturday, August 22nd: Tampa Bay -5.5 (Sign Up at EDGE Boost)
We’re going to target arguably the most popular matchup on the slate. Patrick Mahomes sits out for a second straight week as he continues working back from last year's knee injury, leaving Justin Fields to start and play into the second quarter before Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Oladokun take over. That kind of extended backup workload stands in stark contrast to Tampa Bay's approach, where Todd Bowles has fully committed to playing his starters, Baker Mayfield included. That imbalance in participation is exactly why this spread stands out among our NFL best bets today.
Mayfield gets a real chance to build rhythm with his top targets today, even without Emeka Egbuka in the lineup, giving Tampa Bay's starting offense a legitimate head start before Kansas City's rotating QB situation ever gets settled. Fields performed well in a limited look last week, but he and the rest of Kansas City's depth chart still lack the continuity that comes with a true starting unit taking the field. That gap in experience and preparation between the two sides makes this as clear as it gets for our NFL best bets today.
Preseason games built around this kind of participation mismatch tend to play out in a fairly straightforward way, with the team fielding real starters usually controlling the game longer than the number might suggest. Tampa Bay enters with a clear plan and a healthy QB under center, while Kansas City is once again piecing together production from backups and a rookie still finding his footing. That combination of a committed starting unit against a backup-heavy opponent makes the Buccaneers a strong side to lay points with today, and one of the cleaner NFL picks on the board.
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🔢 Best NFL Player Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 8/22
As we’ve shared all preseason, player props aren’t extremely prevalent like they are in the regular season. That said, you can add to your NFL predictions at Underdog with these player projections:
Passing Yards:
- Shedeur Sanders: Higher vs. Lower than 95.5 yards
- Baker Mayfield: Higher vs. Lower than 49.5 yards
Rushing Yards:
- Bucky Irving: Higher vs. Lower than 17.5 yards
Receiving Yards:
- Chris Godwin: Higher vs. Lower than 16.5 yards
- KC Concepcion: Higher vs. Lower than 23.5 yards
XP Made:
- Tyler Bass: Higher vs. Lower than 1.5
- Brandon Aubrey: Higher vs. Lower than 1.5
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