We’ve now had two full weeks of football! Yes, it is just preseason. Coaches hold back on their playbooks, they try different personnel, and sometimes, starters don’t play at all. However, we can still start to get a feel for how teams will flow. Let’s take a look at the NFL Preseason Week 2 recap, see what we learned, and how it affects the NFL futures we’d like to place. I’ll break down specific games, but leave a shorter note on all the others.
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NFL Preseason Week 2 Recap: What We Learned And NFL Futures
Chicago Bears @ Buffalo Bills
The first NFL Preseason Week 2 game to recap is the Chicago Bears at the Buffalo Bills. The Bears thumped the Bills, 38-0. They put up 540 yards of offense compared to the Bills’ 197 yards of offense. Does this concern me or make me worried about the Bills? No.
I’m not worried about the Bills because they had their backups in for the complete game. The starters didn’t touch the field. While there are some concerns systematically, if starters begin getting hurt in the regular season, can the backups hold up their end of the bargain? Almost makes you want to fade the Bills’ win total.
However, I’m not going to focus on the negatives of the Bills. You also have to keep in mind that while the Bears’ offense looked great, it was against backups. The starters didn’t play too long, but they played long enough for me to realize something. In fact, it makes me feel confident in a bet I’ve been talking about the majority of the offseason.
Caleb Williams and most of the starters played the first two series. Williams completed six passes. Two were to DJ Moore, one was to Cole Kmet, and one was to Olamide Zaccheus. The other two went to rookie Colestand Loveland.
The Bears drafted in the first round with their 10th overall pick. I’m a Bears fan, and I wasn’t thrilled about it. However, the closer the offseason gets to the regular season, the more I realize it was a great move. Ben Johnson has already compared him to Sam Laporta. Laporta had 889 yards in his rookie season under Ben Johnson.
I’m confident Loveland gets involved enough in this offense and in this scheme to hit his over receiving yards for the season total.
NFL Futures Based on What We Learned in the NFL Preseason Week 2 Game: Coleston Loveland over 600 receiving yards (-150), over 700 (+125), over 800 (+250), over 900 (+400).
Kansas City Chiefs @ Seattle Seahawks
The next Week 2 NFL preseason game to recap is the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Seattle Seahawks. Much like the first game, one of these teams played its starters. The other only had the backups in. So while the score 33-16, the Seahawks prevailing, may not mean much for the Chiefs, we did see some info we can use.
This is based on a systematic approach. Sam Darnold went 4/4 for 34 yards. While he didn’t throw a touchdown, it looked like he was in the same high-accuracy form as last year. Darnold being a consistent quarterback for the Seahawks will open up their run game.
The Seahawks have two talented running backs in Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet. In Walker’s young career, he’s been fairly solid, aside from getting injured last year. In his first two seasons, he ran for 1,050 yards and 905 yards.
Last year, in 12 games, he finished with 573 rushing yards. Technically, it was 11 games as he had no stats in the 12th game prior to exiting with an injury. That would have put him on track for 885 rushing yards. I’m not looking to fade Walker or that run game anytime soon.
NFL Futures Based on What We Learned in the NFL Preseason Week 2 Game: Kenneth Walker over 875.5 rushing yards (-110)
New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings
The next big Week 2 NFL Preseason Game to recap is the New England Patriots. Once again, one team played its starters and the other did not. However, once again, something stuck out that got me excited enough to start looking at futures.
The Minnesota Vikings played backups and their reserves throughout the game. They lost the game in Minnesota, 20-12. A friend of mine who went to the game described the outing as pathetic. Preseason or not. We’ll see how they finish the preseason before opening up in Week 1 against the Bears. (Take the Bears moneyline by the way).
However, do you know who wasn’t pathetic for the second straight week? Treveyon Henderson. I know, I know. I already touched on his stats last week and said to take his futures. It doesn’t matter. As long as he’s backing it up and the numbers are as good as they are, you have to put a little on him.
Henderson carried the ball four times for twenty yards and a touchdown. He’s electric when he touches the ball. He’s going to run for touchdowns and he’s going to catch touchdowns. Henderson has already shown that he’s also going to return kickoffs and punts for touchdowns. This guy is a star in the making, and the Patriots knocked it out of the park with this spick.
NFL Futures Based on What We Learned in the NFL Preseason Week 2 Game: TreVeyon Henderson, Rookie Of The Year +2000; HIGHER than 4.5 rushing touchdowns.
Carolina Panthers At Houston Texans
I gotta admit, I have my doubts about the Houston Texans this year. I don’t know if its the way they were a little slow last year. Or perhaps the offensive line that I don’t trust. Maybe it’s the run game that concerns me with Joe Mixon nursing an injury. I don’t know if I fully believe in Nick Chubb. Perhaps Woody Marks can “Make his Marks” if you will.
There is one thing that I do think about the Texans, though. One thing I’m confident in. They showed it at the start of this game as CJ Stroud and the starters took the field. The Texans would go on to win the game 20-3. However, you may find yourself wondering what exactly I learned.
I learned that Nico Collins is still the alpha of this team. As the starters drove down the field, he may have only caught two passes for 13 yards. However, he still scored a touchdown. Since the Texans drafted CJ Stroud, Nico Collins has scored eight receiving touchdowns and seven receiving touchdowns. Last year, that was in only 12 games. If there’s one thing I trust about this team, it’s that Nico Collins will find the end zone.
NFL Futures Based on What We Learned in the NFL Preseason Week 2 Game: Nico Collins over 6.5 receiving touchdowns (-130)
A Couple Of Other Notes
Here’s just a quick other note to finish out the NFL Preseason Week 2 recap.
San Francisco @ Las Vegas: Ricky Pearsall looks like he’s ready to lead this receiving unit. Over 824.5 receiving yards is starting to feel good.
Jacksonville @ New Orleans: The Jags’ backfield feels like a mess. I like taking Travis Etienne LOWER on 524.5 rushing yards.
Denver @ Arizona: The historical data on players rushing over 374 times in their last year of college would lean towards Ashton Jeanty having less than 1000 rushing yards. RJ Harvey is +350 to lead the division in rushing yards, and I’m starting to buy in.
