Week 3 of the 2020 NFL schedule will feature eight games with NFL spreads of four points or fewer. As a result, picking which NFL Vegas lines to target as you make your Week 3 NFL bets could be a challenge with so many major injuries changing the dynamic. The Panthers will have to figure out how to move the football without star running back Christian McCaffrey, who suffered a high-ankle sprain. Carolina is a 6.5-point underdog against the Chargers in the Week 3 NFL odds from William Hill.
The 49ers were decimated by injuries in Week 2, but the defending NFC champions are still 3.5-point favorites on the road against the Giants in the Week 3 NFL Vegas spreads. The Giants won't have Saquon Barkley, but San Francisco lost Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas on defense, which could dramatically change the complexion of that game. All of the Week 3 NFL lines are listed below, and SportsLine's advanced computer model has all the NFL betting advice and predictions you need to make the best Week 3 NFL picks now.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NFL game 10,000 times and is up over $7,300 for $100 players on its top-rated NFL picks since its inception five years ago.
It's off to a strong 5-2 roll on top-rated NFL picks this season. The model enters Week 3 on an incredible 101-67 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. The model also ranked in the Top 10 on NFLPickWatch in three of the past four years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 95 percent of CBS Sports office pool players three times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, it has examined the latest Week 3 NFL odds and NFL betting lines, simulated every snap, and its predictions are in. Head to SportsLine now to see them all.
Top NFL predictions for Week 3
One of the top Week 3 NFL predictions the model recommends: Cleveland covers as a seven-point favorite at home against Washington. The Browns are 1-1 and coming off a 35-30 win over the Bengals last Thursday. The extended rest should serve them well against Washington.
The Browns breezed to a cover the last time they had 10 days off, winning 41-24 as 11-point favorites against Miami last year. Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns in the victory, while Nick Chubb had 106 yards rushing and a score.
The Browns rushed for 215 yards last week against the Bengals, while Washington's defense gave up 160 yards on the ground to the Cardinals in a loss last week. That's why the model predicts nearly 140 combined rushing yards for Chubb and Kareem Hunt as the Browns cover in well over 50 percent of simulations.
Another one of the top Week 3 NFL picks from the model: The Buccaneers (-5.5) cover as road favorites against the Broncos. Denver has been one of the hardest-hit teams when it comes to injuries.
The Broncos entered the season without linebacker Von Miller (Achilles), and they've since lost receiver Courtland Sutton (ACL) for the season and quarterback Drew Lock (shoulder) for the foreseeable future. Running back Phillip Lindsay (foot), meanwhile, is doubtful, while rookie receiver Jerry Jeudy (ribs) is questionable.
The model projects that those injuries will take a toll against a Tampa Bay defense that is giving up fewer than 350 yards per game. The simulations also show Bucs QB Tom Brady pushing for 300 passing yards, while running back Leonard Fournette finds the end zone. Tampa Bay covers well over 50 percent of the time, while the teams combine for 44 points, clipping the over (42.5).
How to make Week 3 NFL picks
The model also has made the call on the big Chiefs vs. Ravens matchup on Monday Night Football as well as every other game on the Week 3 NFL schedule. It's also identified a Super Bowl contender that goes down hard. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine.
What NFL picks can you make with confidence in Week 3? And which Super Bowl contender goes down hard? Check out the latest NFL odds from William Hill below and then visit SportsLine to see which NFL teams are winning more than 50 percent of simulations, all from the model that is up over $7,300 on its top-rated NFL picks.
NFL odds, matchups for Week 3
Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots (-5.5, 47)
Los Angeles Rams at Buffalo Bills 9 (-1.5, 46.5)
Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers (-4, 45.5)
San Francisco 49ers at New York Giants (+3.5, 42)
Tennessee Titans at Minnesota Vikings (+2.5, 49.5)
Washington Football Team at Cleveland Browns (-7, 45)
Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles (-4.5, 47.5)
Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons (-3.5, 47)
New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts (-11.5, 44)
Carolina Panthers at Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5, 43.5)
Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (-5.5, 55)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Denver Broncos (+5.5, 42.5)
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks (-5, 57)
Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints (-3, 53)
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens (-3.5, 54.5)
