Ready or not, Week 3 is already underway in the NFL, and it’s keeping everyone on their toes. On Thursday, the Atlanta Falcons — who didn’t have a red zone trip all season to this point — went into Lambeau Field and dropped 35 points on the Green Bay Packers, notching their first win of the season with Michael Penix Jr. back at the helm. 

It just goes to show you that anything can happen in the NFL once these games kick off, so you better have your finger on the pulse on the comings and going with everything around the league. This week is especially important to make sure you have your ducks in a row as injuries have ravaged the slate, particularly at key positions (quarterback, wide receiver, etc.). Fortunately for you, it’s our job to keep tabs on all this so you don’t have to, and we’ve formulated our picks for Week 3 accordingly. 

If you’re just settling in to gear up for another week of NFL action and need some help putting together your picks for the slate, allow us to be of service. Below, you can find our five best bets for Week 3 along with picks for every other game on the docket. 

NFL odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills

• Sunday, 1 p.m. (Fox, Stream: Fubo, try for free)

The Chargers feel like they’re lost at the moment. They’ve dropped back-to-back games they should’ve won, if you look at it solely from a talent standpoint. In fact, they are the first team ever to start 0-2, with both losses coming against teams that lost 14 or more games the previous season. And we’re supposed to expect them to march into Buffalo and take down Josh Allen and the Bills? Jim Harbaugh and the defense just let Kirk Cousins throw for 253 yards through the air and three touchdowns. Allen is on an MVP trajectory over his first two games, totaling nine touchdowns. He’s a freight train, and it feels like the Chargers will be his next victim. Meanwhile, Justin Herbert hasn’t shown much through the first two games. The offense is averaging 14 points per game, and Herbert is being pressured at the second-highest rate (46%) in the NFL this season, despite being blitzed at the fifth-lowest rate (23%). He’s struggled mightily on throws that have traveled 10-plus air yards, throwing just one touchdown and three interceptions on such throws. This feels like it could get ugly. 

Projected score: Bills 31, Chargers 20
The pick: Bills -7

New York Jets at Detroit Lions

• Sunday, 1 p.m. (Fox, Stream: Fubo, try for free)

I feel like Fredo Corleone by turning my back on the Jets like this. We backed them over the last two weeks (straight up in Week 1 and then ATS in Week 2), and they cashed both times. But like Paulie said in Goodfellas: “Now I gotta turn my back on you.” 

With this line sitting below a touchdown, we’ll pounce on it in favor of Detroit. This is an offense that has put up at least 30 points in each of the last two games, and both contests turned into a track meet. While New York has been frisky this season (and I expect them to continue to be an ATS darling for the bulk of the year), I’m not sure Geno Smith and company keep up in this spot. Sure, this defense has allowed just 65.5 rushing yards per game over the first two weeks (second-lowest in the NFL), but that’s come against backfields led by Tony Pollard and MarShawn Lloyd. Jahmyr Gibbs is a totally different animal, and I don’t see that level of containment on the ground to continue. 

The Lions’ shaky defense admittedly gives me some pause. They are giving up 35.5 points per game and 457.5 total yards per game through the first two weeks, which rank 31st in the NFL. But as I said, if this turns into a shootout, I like Detroit’s chances with the slew of weapons they have, especially given the added rest after playing on Thursday. They are also 11-1 straight up and 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home games following a loss. 

Projected score: Lions 33, Jets 21
The pick: Lions -6.5

Kansas City Chiefs at Miami Dolphins

History will be made Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. Since 1970, the Chiefs have not covered a single game in which they are a double-digit favorite on the road. In those prior 11 instances, they are 0-10-1 ATS. That changes in Week 3. 

While Kenneth Walker III stole the show in Week 1, Patrick Mahomes is the one who really grabbed my attention. After a modest return in the season opener, where he still didn’t look quite comfortable throwing the football, Mahomes was BACK against the Colts, completing 32-of-47 passes for 382 yards and three touchdowns. If Mahomes is getting closer to his old self, throwing the ball, and Walker provides a much-needed burst out of the backfield, it’s hard to imagine the Dolphins having any chance of keeping this close.

Miami was nearly a two-touchdown (-13.5) underdog on the road last week against the Niners and couldn’t cover, losing 35-13. Brock Purdy sliced up the Dolphins’ secondary, missing just two of his 22 pass attempts on the day. Most of his production went to George Kittle (four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown), so you best believe Andy Reid will look to attack that same weakness with his star QB-TE duo of Mahomes and Travis Kelce. 

Projected score: Chiefs 33, Dolphins 16
The pick: Chiefs -10.5

Seattle Seahawks at Washington Commanders

• Sunday, 1 p.m. (Fox, Stream: Fubo, try for free)

It’s a bummer to see so many quarterbacks go down, especially Daniels. When he’s been healthy, he’s lifted the ceiling for a Commanders organization that desperately needed a shot in the arm. However, injuries have been an unfortunately large part of his story, and it rears its head again with this latest elbow dislocation. With Daniels sidelined, Marcus Mariota (who has lost six of his last seven starts) gets the nod, and I just have a hard time fathoming how the veteran can consistently put up points against this stellar Seattle defense. 

The Seahawks come into this Week 3 matchup after allowing just 17 total points over the first two weeks, which is the lowest through two games by any team since 2013. They are also lights out on the road, winning 15 of their last 16 games away from Lumen Field. Now, we get to pair that defense with their starting quarterback in Sam Darnold, who is making his return after missing time due to a glute injury. Drew Lock filled in admirably, but Darnold raises the ceiling for what is already a potent offense.  

Projected score: Seahawks 27, Commanders 17
The pick: Seahawks -7.5

Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints

Both the Raiders and Saints have been pleasant surprises to begin the season. Las Vegas is 2-0, which puts them multiple games above .500 for the first time since 2021. Meanwhile, the Saints have been one of the most potent offenses in the league through two weeks and just pulled off a notable upset over the Ravens in Week 2. Specifically, I think Tyler Shough is legit. The Saints quarterback was dynamite in the fourth-quarter comeback over Baltimore, completing 12 of 14 for 119 yards and a touchdown. He’ll present the toughest challenge of the season so far for the Raiders, who beat up against a lackluster Dolphins team and a Chargers club that, as I mentioned above, is lost. There is real buzz for New Orleans to win the NFC South this season, and I expect that buzz to be palpable when the Saints open up Caesars Superdome for the first time after beginning the year with back-to-back road games. 

Projected score: Saints 24, Raiders 20
The pick: Saints -3

Rest of the bunch

Panthers at Browns
Projected score: Panthers 24, Browns 21
The pick: Panthers -2.5

Texans at Colts
Projected score: Colts 26, Texans 23
The pick: Colts +1.5

Titans at Giants
Projected score: Titans 23, Giants 20
The pick: Titans +2.5

Bengals at Steelers
Projected score: Bengals 27, Steelers 20
The pick: Bengals -3.5

Patriots at Jaguars
Projected score: Jaguars 23, Patriots 21
The pick: Patriots +3

Cardinals at 49ers
Projected score: 49ers 33, Cardinals 23
The pick: 49ers -8.5

Vikings at Buccaneers
Projected score: Vikings 23, Buccaneers 21
The pick: Vikings -1.5

Ravens at Cowboys (in Brazil)
Projected score: Ravens 31, Cowboys 29
The pick: Cowboys +3.5

Rams at Broncos
Projected score: Rams 23, Broncos 20
The pick: Rams -2.5

Eagles at Bears (Monday)
Projected score: Eagles 26, Bears 20
The pick: Eagles -4.5