NFL Preseason Week 2 Predictions & Odds

Week 2 of the NFL preseason schedule 2026 opens with a doubleheader on Thursday and concludes with a primetime matchup featuring the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks taking on the Tennessee Titans on Sunday night. First overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza made his NFL debut in Week 1 throwing a touchdown pass in a game the Raiders lost.

Fans will get a first-hand look at the future starter of the club when Las Vegas opens the Week 2 slate against Houston Thursday night on ESPN. Friday night. The Raiders are a slight underdog on the preseason NFL betting board.

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NFL Preseason Games This Week

Week 1 of NFL preseason games went about as expected. We saw standout performances from rookies like Mendoza and some starters saw limited reps. A development to keep an eye on as the preseason continues is the quarterback battle in Cleveland. Playing for the first time in nearly two years Deshaun Watson led the Browns on two scoring drives. Cleveland lost the game allowing 34 unanswered points after taking a 10-0 lead. The competition continues in Week 2 when the Browns host Buffalo on Saturday.

Thursday, August 20

• Raiders at Texans, 8 p.m. ET
• 49ers at Chargers, 10 p.m. ET

Friday, August 21

• Jets at Steelers, 7 p.m. ET
• Panthers at Jaguars, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Packers at Broncos, 9 p.m. ET

Saturday, August 22

• Commanders at Lions, 12 p.m. ET
• Bills at Browns, 1 p.m. ET
• Falcons at Colts, 1 p.m. ET
• Ravens at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
• Saints at Rams, 4 p.m. ET
• Giants at Dolphins, 4 p.m. ET
• Bears at Bengals, 7 p.m. ET
• Eagles at Patriots, 7 p.m. ET
• Chiefs at Buccaneers, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Cowboys at Cardinals, 10 p.m. ET

Sunday, August 23

• Seahawks at Titans, 8 p.m. ET

Featured NFL Preseason Week 2 Matchups to Watch

• A total of seven Week 2 NFL preseason games will be televised live on NFL Network starting with Thursday’s all-California matchup between the 49ers and Chargers. Both teams went exclusively with reserves in Week 1 with the Niners losing to Tennessee and the Bolts beating Houston.
• ESPN will air the NFL preseason 2026 Week 2 opener between the Raiders and Texans. Fernando Mendoza is expected to take a significant number of snaps to help in his development. In his NFL debut Mendoza was 10 of 16 for 97 yards and a TD.
• We get our first network televised game of the preseason in the form of Sunday Night Football when the Seahawks take on the Titans. Tennessee had a good start to its preseason beating San Francisco, 19-14, in Week 1.
• Three of the games on the slate are past Super Bowl rematches. On Friday night Green Bay visits Denver. The clubs met in Super Bowl XXXII. Saturday night features a rematch of Super Bowl LII when New England hosts Philadelphia. Kansas City and Tampa Bay also square off on Saturday in a rematch of SBLV.

NFL Preseason Schedule 2026

The NFL preseason schedule 2026 started with the annual Hall of Fame Game on August 6 and concludes on Saturday, August 29 with the final games of the preseason Week 3 schedule. Every team plays three exhibition games with the exception of the Hall of Fame Game participants.

The shorter preseason schedule was introduced for the 2021 season when the NFL increased the number of regular season games to 17. Teams alternate years hosting an extra game. In a season where a club plays nine regular season home games it will play one preseason game at home. When a team is scheduled for eight regular season home games it will host two preseason contests.

When Does NFL Preseason Start?

• The NFL preseason schedule 2026 officially started with Week 1 that ran from Thursday, August 13 through Saturday, August 15.
• The exhibition game schedule opened on August 6 with the Hall of Fame Game where the Carolina Panthers beat the Arizona Cardinals, 33-30.
• Every team except Arizona and Carolina will play three preseason games in preparation for the start of the regular season on September 9.

NFL Preseason Odds for This Week

Official Week 2 NFL preseason odds are still developing at the time of this writing. Because NFL betting lines for NFL preseason games are fluid and can change quickly based on late-breaking coaching decisions in regards to playing time of key personnel, market-wide points spreads fluctuate between 1- to 3.5-points. Game totals are on the low-end compared to regular season games typically around 36.5 to 39.5 points.

For the most part the coaching staff got what they wanted in Week 1. Rookies and first-year players saw plenty of time and position battles were tested in a live-setting. The results were astonishing with nine of the 16 games decided by at least 10 points. With 13 Week 1 games posting a closing total of less than 40 points, a preseason trend continued with 12 games going UNDER the total.

How to Read NFL Preseason Betting Odds

• NFL preseason odds are posted just like they would be for a regular season game. The difference being that preseason game totals are usually much lower than during the regular season since backup offenses struggle to score.
• It’s a good idea to stay away from straight moneyline bets for NFL preseason games since they are known for being unpredictable. Winning is not a priority and the outcome is left in the performance of third- and fourth-string players.
• Even with totals marked down significantly UNDER bets are hugely popular. We saw that in Week 1 with 12 of the 16 games cashing the UNDER.

Factors That Move NFL Preseason Odds

• Unlike the regular season, NFL preseason odds are heavily influenced by information regarding who will actually be playing.
• With starters and regulars not playing or seeing limited snaps, NFL preseason games are decided by depth players. Teams with veteran backups hold a significant edge.
• Along with who will be taking snaps, coaching strategies and public betting volume are primary factors that move NFL preseason odds.

NFL Preseason Predictions and Analysis

NFL preseason predictions are difficult and much harder than the regular season. There are so many variables in play that oddsmakers even struggle. The good news is that bettors are on an equal playing field with the people who set the stakes, and NFL preseason odds are typically bland. Point spreads are around 3-points and game totals are between 34 and 38 points. There are the exceptions, of course, but for the most part you have vanilla lines.

NFL Preseason Picks for Week 2

• Throughout his career Sean McVay has kept verified starters on the bench for the duration of the preseason. The scene was no different in Week 1 with Ty Simpson leading a comeback win over Kansas City. A number of LA’s backups will be playing either for the Rams or elsewhere once the season starts.
• Houston’s DeMeco Ryans has notably sat starters and core players to minimize injuries. I can see Vegas’ Fernando Mendoza being more comfortable behind center showing off his preseason form in a win over the Texans.

Best Betting Angles for NFL Preseason Games

• One of the best betting angles for NFL preseason predictions is backing teams with quarterback competitions for the backup job.
• Head coaches with a losing preseason record and who tend to sit starters obviously don’t care about the outcome of games. They’ll win a few matchups, but for the most part it’s a good idea to bet against those coaches.
• Pay attention to news from the team you’re looking to back. Not all coaches rest regulars and some announce their intentions ahead of time giving you a chance to throw down before the markets adjust.

NFL Preseason Standings and Team Trends

NFL preseason standings are meaningless and not even worth looking at if you’re planning to wager on games. Last year the Jacksonville Jaguars went 0-2 with a tie in the preseason then went on to win 13 games, the second-most in franchise history, and the AFC South title. On the other hand the Giants won all three NFL preseason games last year and proceeded to lose their first three regular season games and finished at 4-13.

Do NFL Preseason Standings Matter?

• We’ve established that NFL preseason standings don’t mean a thing and hold no value in regards to regular season success.
• Bettors should focus on historical franchise trends, the strategy and motivation of coaches, and roster news about playing time to spot NFL betting value.
• There are historical patterns that bettors can exploit in NFL preseason games. The Bears have scored at least 24 points in every preseason game under Ben Johnson with the OVER going 3-1.
• Face the Broncos at your own risk during the preseason. Their 27-7 win and cover in the opener was their eighth straight dating back to the 2023 season.