“Weekend Wins” is a monthly column by Katie Mest, finding the subtle wins of life and the NFL season. In its debut, Katie reflects on the best moments of the opening weekend and her favorite NFL week 2 bets.
If your Week 1 went like mine, you are ready to move on and start fresh here in Week 2. That’s exactly what “Weekend Wins” is all about.
Forget about the bad luck that fell upon the kickers league-wide, Dak Prescott’s injured hand, Keenan Allen’s hamstring and whatever issues are currently plaguing your running backs. (I probably shouldn’t even mention all the bets you placed with early season excitement that left you out to dry.)
Leave it all in Week 1.
We have new matchups and fresh perspectives, so let’s focus on what we should be celebrating and where we can go right this next week.
The Comeback Kids
As we found our way back to our couches for another season of the weekly seven hours of commercial-free football, we had our buffalo chicken dip in one hand and our nerves in the other. But while our fates lay in our fantasy games, there were a few players whose fates on the field in Week 1 would undoubtedly set the tone for their seasons this year and beyond.
First, Saquon Barkley is back. The man had a lot to prove. I’d say his performance more than showed that he is ready to step up this season. As the highest-scoring fantasy RB in the first week, he had 164 yards on 18 carries for a touchdown. He will carry that momentum into the matchup with the Panthers on Sunday. You can blame my Lehigh Valley, Pa., bias on this one if you want, but Barkley will always be a fun one to root for in 2022.
Now, I won’t call it a comeback, but the Broncos-Seahawks game was another cause for commotion in Week 1. I give Russell Wilson credit for his fight against his old team, but Geno Smith is really the one that captivated my attention. He’s found a comfortable rhythm leading his offense, and it’s evident he doesn’t have a problem remaining cool under pressure. I look forward to watching his playmaking unfold over the next few weeks.
It’s stories of perseverance like these that inspire us to continue forward when life’s obstacles get in our way. If these two can come back strong, then you certainly can too after last week’s inevitable betting losses (I’m assuming we’re all in the same boat here).
For our first “Weekend Win” quick picks, we are going to Ford Field as the Commanders (1-0) take on the Lions (0-1).
NFL Sunday DraftKings Same Game Parlay
Washington Commanders vs. Detroit Lions: Sunday @ 1 PM
• Curtis Samuel: Over 29.5 Receiving Yards (-275)
• Terry McLaurin: Over 44.5 Receiving Yards (-215)
• Antonio Gibson: Over 54.5 Rushing Yards (-270)
The Lions allowed four rushing touchdowns last week against the Eagles. Washington should have plenty of opportunities to make something happen. Curtis Samuel led Washington in Week 1 with 11 targets, resulting in eight receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Additionally, he had four carries for 17 yards, showing versatility that should earn him a solid target share in Detroit. Meanwhile, as for Terry McLaurin, his two receptions on four targets may have looked underwhelming on paper. Yet, his football smarts landed him in the end zone in the fourth quarter.
Carson Wentz has been building chemistry with his offense, which was consequently evident through Antonio Gibson’s career-high eight targets on top of 14 carries. With Brian Robinson still out, Gibson expects to see a bulk of the carries in the following weeks, making him one of my favorite NFL Week 2 bets.
Total parlay odds: +306
Here’s to Week 2, the freakin’ weekend and new opportunities to win. Follow me on Twitter @km_betweenFF.