Week 2 Main Slate Preview: Where The Projected Points Are
Eleven games, two projected shootouts, and one pace-up spot the field is likely to underrate.
M. Okafor · Sun Sep 20, 10:15 AM ET · 7 min read
The Week 2 main slate offers eleven games and a wide range of projected team totals, which is usually the setup that rewards disciplined lineup construction over pure chalk-stacking. With only one week of 2026 results on the board, projections lean more heavily on preseason baselines than they will in October.
Cincinnati at Baltimore carries the highest projected total on the board. Both offenses rank in the top eight in situation-neutral pace, and our model projects the game to finish within one score, which historically correlates with elevated passing volume in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta at Carolina is the pace-up spot most likely to be underrated. Carolina allowed the second-most expected points to running backs in Week 1, and Atlanta's projected script keeps its lead back on the field for the full game.
Buffalo's wind advisory will move ownership. Our projections apply only a modest downgrade at this wind speed, which creates a small leverage opportunity on both passing games.
As always, these are projections built on selected assumptions, not predictions of outcomes. Adjust your exposure to match your contest type and bankroll.