5 key spots to consider on NFL's lookahead lines
Picking apart lookahead lines in the NFL - games played between Week 2-16 - can give bettors an edge when they're higher or lower on certain teams or have angles they want to apply as the season goes on.
While bettors are gearing up for the opening week of the NFL season, here are some other spots down the road that are worth considering.
Week 2 - Cowboys (-1) at Redskins
I'm low on the Cowboys for 2019, but I'm even lower on the Redskins, who are in flux heading into the year. If you were buying a team strictly based off strength of schedule for the upcoming campaign, you'd love Washington, which faces the easiest lineup when factoring in last season's opponents' combined record. But that's about all you can like at this point.
The offense will either be led by a declining Case Keenum or a rookie in Dwayne Haskins. Whoever gets the nod at quarterback will have a shortage of playmakers and will be throwing behind a depleted offensive line. Whether or not Ezekiel Elliott is in the fold, Dallas feels like a bargain at this price. It wouldn't be surprising if this line closes -3 by the second week of the season.
Week 2 - Bengals (+2) vs. 49ers
While Week 2 could be crowned "Overreaction Week," it's also a good time to fade teams playing their second consecutive road game to start the year. There are a handful of teams that fall into the situation, but my favorite pick is the Bengals getting points at home against the 49ers. Not only are road teams on a 5-22 run straight up in this spot, but it's also a scenario in which a West Coast team plays an early 1 p.m. game.
Week 13 - Raiders (+13) at Chiefs
For starters, head coach Andy Reid hasn't been great when laying double-digit points with the Chiefs. He improved to 2-5 against the spread overall in Week 17 last season against these same Raiders, though you can’t put much stock in covering against a collapsing Oakland squad in the final week of the campaign. Reid and the Chiefs are in a similar spot here come Week 13 with other angles involved, notably a lookahead game in general with the Patriots in Week 14.
Week 13 - Chargers (-1) at Broncos
It was last year in Week 7 when we alluded to playing road favorites off a bye. Those teams, at the time, were on a 50-25 run against the spread. Like clockwork, the Lions went down to Miami and beat the Dolphins by 11 points. This is the best spot for the upcoming season: The Chargers, perhaps in the playoff mix, will finally get to hit the reset button with a late bye and will face a Broncos team that has to travel back from an East Coast game against the Bills.
Week 15 - Eagles (-3.5) at Redskins
Here's another fade on the Redskins, who play the Eagles in mid-December. There a significant talent gap between Washington and the NFC East favorites, and the teams should be trending opposite directions this late in the season. Lay the chalk in this spot.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.