Best NFL Picks and Predictions Today (How to Bet Commanders vs. Packers on Thursday Night Football in NFL Week 2)

Breaking down some of the best picks and props for the Washington Commanders-Green Bay Packers matchup on Thursday night.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs is a solid prop target in Week 2. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Thursday Night Football is back, and Week 2’s matchup between the Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers could be an absolute barnburner.

Green Bay enters this game as a 3.5-point favorite at home after beating the Detroit Lions by double digits in Week 1. The Packers have been an elite home team under head coach Matt LaFleur, going 39-12 straight up in the regular season.

Jordan Love and the Green Bay offense scored 27 points in Week 1, but Micah Parsons’ debut with the Packers was the story, as Green Bay sacked Jared Goff four times in the win.

It won’t be nearly as easy to get to Jayden Daniels, who is coming off an Offensive Rookie of the Year award in the 2024 season and led the Commanders to a 15-point win over the New York Giants in Week 1.

Washington and Green Bay both have playoff expectations in 2025, but which team has the edge in this matchup?

The SI Betting team has you covered with picks for the spread, player props and more for this Week 2 matchup. 

Best NFL Picks and Predictions for Commanders vs. Packers

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Green Bay Packers -3 (-120) vs. Washington Commanders – Iain MacMillan
• Josh Jacobs Anytime TD (-180) – Peter Dewey
• Jayden Daniels OVER 43.5 Rushing Yards (-114) – Peter Dewey
• Jayden Reed UNDER 43.5 Receiving Yards (-114) – Peter Dewey

Green Bay Packers -3 (-120) vs. Washington Commanders – Iain MacMillan

I love the Packers to win and cover in this game, which I shared in our betting preview at SI, and SI NFL betting insider Iain MacMillan backed that up with a pick in his Road to 272 column – where he bets every game, every week.

However, MacMillan was able to grab this one at Packers -3 before the line moved a bit in their favor: 

There might not be another team I was impressed with more in Week 1 than the Green Bay Packers. They cruised past the Detroit Lions, racking up a Net Yards per Play of +1.9, and looked solid in every facet of the game.

Despite the Commanders getting the job done in Week 1 against the Giants, I'm still not sold on this team, and I'm willing to bet on us seeing some regression from them after their unbelievable run in 2024. Their holes on defense will be exploited by a dynamic Packers offense, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Green Bay run away with this game on Thursday Night Football. 

Josh Jacobs Anytime TD (-180) – Peter Dewey

This isn’t a flashy pick, but Jacobs is on a massive touchdown run, making him an easy target on Thursday night: 

Dating back to last season, Josh Jacobs has scored in nine straight regular-season games and 10 games overall (he scored in the team’s lone playoff game) heading into Week 2 on Thursday night.

Jacobs saw 20 touches in Week 1, and while he only mustered 70 total yards (66 on the ground, four through the air), he did find the end zone against a stout Lions defense. 

Washington gave up 18 rushing scores in 2024, although it held the Giants to just 3.2 yards per carry in Week 1 of this season. 

Still, Jacobs is a near lock to receiver 15 or more touches (his carry prop is set at 18.5) making him tough to pass up in this market. Plus, the Packers star has scored in nine games in a row in the regular season. I’ll trust him to make it 10 on Thursday.

Jayden Daniels OVER 43.5 Rushing Yards (-114) – Peter Dewey

If you’re looking for a Commanders prop in Week 2, Daniels is the easiest player to target after a strong all-around game against New York: 

In Week 1, Daniels carried the ball 11 times for 68 yards, and I expect him to use his legs a ton against a Green Bay pass rush that registered four sacks in Week 1.

Rashan Gary and Micah Parsons are going to be chasing Daniels out of the pocket as much as they can in this one, and we know that the second-year quarterback is more than comfortable with tucking the ball away and seeing what he can get on the ground.

He outcarried both Jacory Croskey-Merritt (10 carries) and Austin Ekeler (six carries) in Week 1, and Daniels had 10 games in 2024 where he cleared 43.5 rushing yards.

Jayden Reed UNDER 43.5 Receiving Yards (-114) – Peter Dewey

Even after a strong Week 1, Jayden Reed is a clear fade candidate in my eyes as he deals with a foot injury ahead of this game: 

Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed finished with three catches on a team-high five targets in Week 1, but I’m fading him in Week 2.

Reed may have finished with 45 receiving yards and a score in Week 1, but he actually played the fourth-most snaps amongst Packers receivers (37.5%) against Detroit.

Right now, Reed is working his way back from a foot injury and reportedly is dealing with a Jones fracture. That means it’s likely that the Packers will limit his workload, and now he has a short week to recover and play on Thursday.

That sounds like a recipe for disaster. 

Even though Reed led the team in targets in Week 1, I’m not going to expect that to happen again in Week 2, especially if his snap count is under 50 percent again.

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