Fast Five Week 2

Last Week's Record: 3-2

Overall Record: 3-2

We are entering week 2 of the NFL season with an exciting Thursday Night Football matchup between two top NFC teams, the Washington Commanders and the Green Bay Packers. Both teams are hot coming off big week 1 wins, and we will be looking towards this game for our first play of the week:   

1. Jayden Daniels over 44.5 rushing yards 

   We are going back to a winner from last week for our first play of this week's slate. In Week 1 against the Giants, Jayden exceeded his rushing prop of 42.5 for us, gaining 77 yards on 11 attempts. Despite facing a much better defence in the Packers this week, the volume Jayden will continue to see in the run game is why we have continued to rely on it. Jayden got more attempts than all of his running backs, and this could continue for the time being as neither Ekler nor Bill Crosky Merit took a true handle of a bell cow role for now. In a closer game where we can see the Commanders and Coach Quinn get more aggressive on fourth downs, as we saw last season, we can expect Jayden to be relied on even more to make scramble plays and plays on his feet.  

   

2. Breece Hall over 57.5 rushing yards 

New Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made it very clear this offseason that he wanted this team to have the identity of a tough, run-heavy team on the offensive side of the ball.  After signing free agent quarterback Justin Fields to a new contract, they really did not have much of a choice. However, the new look Jets offence did not disappoint as they put up 32 points and 182 total rush yards against what should be a top-tier defence in the league, in the Steelers. Breece Hall showed some of the burst we remember from his rookie season as he went for 107 rush yards on 16 attempts.  

The Jets' opponent this week, the Bills, had a horrible day trying to stop the rush against Derek Henry and the Ravens as they gave up 238 rushing yards last week. Henry himself went for 18-169 and scored two touchdowns as well. 

Even with the threat of Fields taking some attempts away from Breece Hall, running mate Braelon Allen failed to show much of anything in his work against the Steelers, averaging 1.5 yards on 6 attempts. Breece will be the main back in this offence going up against a defensive front that looked very vulnerable against the run in week 1. 

With a much-improved Jets offensive line from last season with rookie Armand Membou, and with a running threat at the quarterback spot like the Ravens had, the Jets and Breece Hall should be able to find success on the ground.  

3. Ja’marr Chase over 83.5 receiving yards 

A big bounce back spot for Chase, and the entire Bengals offence really, as they came out in week 1 against the Browns looking nothing like they did last season. Despite the Bengals' usual slow and sloppy starts in September, I think this is a great spot for Chase and Burrow to get back on track. Chase went over this number of 83.5 last season in 10 of the 17 games he was in a favourable matchup. The Jaguars had the worst pass defence last year, giving up 257 yards in the air per game. In week 1 this year, going up against Bryce Young and a shaky Panthers offence, the Jags secondary looked improved. However, they did surrender 5-68 to a rookie in his NFL debut in the first round pick, Tet McMillan. Chase and Burrow are a big step up in competition, and the duo should get back into form in week 2.  

4. TB Buccaneers at HOU Texans: Under 42.5   

One of the lower totals of the week, and I still love the under. Coming in the first of the MNF double header, the Bucs are heading to Houston for the Texans' home opener. In week 1, the Bucs and their NFC South game against the Falcons had one of the highest point totals of the week, and the under hit. On the other side, the Texans week 1 game against the Rams went way under the projected total in the lowest scoring game of the week. 

Tampa has one of the best, most explosive offences in the NFL, led by Baker Mayfield. However, they also have a top-tier defence with Vita Vea anchoring a strong defensive front, and a young safety duo in Antoine Winfield and second-year Georgia Bulldog Tykee Smith. The Rams last week showed us that the Texans' o-line is vulnerable, and until Joe Mixon comes back, their run game seemed to be in trouble. 

Houston has a top 2 or 3 defense in the league, as they displayed in week 1, holding Stafford and the Rams to just 14 points. I am not saying that they will be able to hold Baker under 15; however, this defence is truly impressive, and they have playmakers at all levels. I expect the Texans d to keep them in this game and to keep it a low-scoring Monday night affair. 

5. Puka Nacua over 80.5 receiving yards 

   Puka is coming off a huge game in week 1 against one of the best secondaries in the league in Stingley, Lassiter, and the Texans. With the threat of another star beside him this season in Devantae Adams, Nacua still showed he was the alpha WR for Stafford and this Rams offence. He caught 10 of his 11 targets for 130 yards, going up against a much more difficult task in the Texans, and while going through an eye/head injury he suffered early in the game. Puka should have no problem in a pass-heavy offence going over his prop of 80.5 yards, even worth laddering this up to 100.  

Cortland Sutton last week caught 6 of his 9 targets for 61 yards, as he went over his receiving prop. Stafford is much better than Bo Nix, even going through whatever sort of back injury he may be going through, and the Rams offense is poised for a huge day against the Titans in week 2.