NFL Betting News This Week | Jaxson Dart Hurt, New Odds and More | September 23, 2026

by Braulio Perez

Updated: September 23, 2026

It’s been a magical start to the NFL season, as Week 2 has come and gone. Now, people are fired up for Week 3 to get here, as teams are hoping to keep making some noise. However, one of the biggest takeaways from this past weekend’s action is that quarterback injuries took center stage, which understandably had fans worried sick. In Chicago, Caleb Williams was carted off the field, and you could hear a pin drop at Soldier Field.

Thankfully, Caleb Williams’ hamstring injury wasn’t as serious as initially feared, although he is considered week-to-week and is expected to miss some time. The same can’t be said for New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart, who suffered a serious-looking knee injury in the Monday Night Football loss to the Los Angeles Rams. We’ve got more on that below, as well as plenty of NFL betting analysis that fans should keep in mind moving forward.

The biggest NFL betting storylines this week

• You’ve got to feel terrible for Giants fans. In Week 2, Dart, the team’s franchise quarterback, hurt his knee on the opening drive and was able to walk to the locker room under his own power. He later underwent an X-ray at SoFi Stadium. Further testing revealed that Dart’s knee injury could be worse than initially thought, and season-ending surgery is a possibility. That’s not for sure, but this is something to monitor closely.
• Speaking of the Rams, they were able to bounce back in a big way after losing the season-opener to the 49ers in Australia. Despite Puka Nacua being out due to injury, Matthew Stafford put on a show throwing the ball all over the field, highlighted by his two touchdowns to Davante Adams. Adams turned back the clock there for a monster performance and more of the same will be needed moving forward.
• What in the world happened to the Steelers? With this being the final year of Aaron Rodgers in the NFL, Pittsburgh fans have been hopeful that the future NFL Hall of Famer will be able to lead this team on a deep run in the postseason. However, in the Week 2 loss to the Pats, Rodgers looked awful and the offense as a whole sputtered. The Steelers will look to get back on track in Week 3 against the Bengals, but Rodgers may not be able to rely on receiver Michael Pittman Jr. being out there, as he’s been out recently due to injury.
• Meanwhile in the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys are now 1-1 on the year after taking down the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium over the weekend. Dak Prescott was sensational, throwing for four touchdowns. Two of them went to CeeDee Lamb, who continues to look like one of the best wideouts in the game. In Week 3, the Cowboys will take on the Ravens and Lamar Jackson in what should be a thriller. Get your popcorn ready for that one.

Breaking: Further testing today revealed Giants QB Jaxson Dart’s knee injury is worse than initially thought, and the team and Dart now are facing the possibility of season-ending knee surgery, sources tell ESPN.

Of all the QB injuries suffered in Week 2, Dart’s is turning out… pic.twitter.com/mZkEiyv4kW

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 22, 2026

Biggest futures, outright and win total moves this month in the NFL

• One of the biggest shifts we saw in terms of the NFL betting odds was that the Ravens took a dive and understandably so. Baltimore suffered a stunning loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 2, which was inexcusable. With that, the Ravens now hold +950 odds to win the Super Bowl, which is a big-time drop from the week before. The Ravens need to wake up and fast, but things will be tricky in Week 3 against Prescott and the Cowboys.
• Another major fall? The Washington Commanders previously had a decent shot of reaching the postseason, but things are now up in the air there with quarterback Jayden Daniels suffering a serious elbow injury. Daniels went down early in the loss to the Cowboys, which now has Washington holding +640 odds to make the postseason. It’s a huge bummer for fans, but it’s going to be on Marcus Mariota to help keep things straight until Daniels is able to return.
• It’s time for people to start believing in the San Francisco 49ers again. After upsetting the Rams in Week 1 and taking down the Dolphins in Week 2, the 49ers now hold +1000 Super Bowl betting odds to win it this year. Funny enough, three of the top five teams with the best odds to win it all are from the NFC West: the Rams, Seahawks and 49ers. Brock Purdy is playing at an MVP level and that will need to continue for SF to make serious noise.

Most-bet NFL props and markets

In terms of NFL prop bets that keep getting a ton of attention, the MVP race early on sure has changed. Before the season got here, both Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson were neck and neck in the race. That’s no longer the case, as Allen is now the presumed favorite at +290, while Jackson has fallen a bit out of the hunt at +950. There’s plenty of time for Jackson to turn things around, but the rough loss to the Saints was eye-opening.

Elsewhere when it comes to the NFL MVP betting odds, Patrick Mahomes has seen his odds skyrocket thanks to the 2-0 start, as he’s now at +800. If the Chiefs keep winning in style, then Mahomes’ odds are only going to go up. This is of course something to keep a close eye on moving forward, as Kansas City missed going on a deep run last year due to Mahomes’ serious knee injury. Now, though, their NFL playoffs betting odds are quickly on the rise and the same can be said for Mahomes’ MVP chances.

Another prop bet that people are getting in on and following closely is the Offensive Player of the Year honor. In the blink of an eye, Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is flying up the board thanks to his incredible showing in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals. The former first-rounder posted a hat-trick of sorts, catching three TDs from backup quarterback Drew Lock. Should another big game come from JSN in Week 3, his +950 odds will only keep climbing.

NFL betting trends bettors are watching

As for the NFL betting trends that people are zeroing in on, we’ve got to bring up the San Francisco 49ers again. The NFC West side has been tremendous, with Purdy really taking his game to a new level. Thanks to SF’s strong play, they now hold +1000 odds to win the Super Bowl.

Let’s be real here, before the season started, plenty of people were quick to write them off, especially with the Rams and Seahawks in the same division. However, the campaign started by beating the Rams in a shocker, while also dominating the Dolphins. If Christian McCaffrey can stay healthy for the rest of the fall and winter, there’s no reason to believe San Francisco can’t keep making noise to win it all.

What could move NFL odds next?

All the talking is done and now it’s time for players to keep proving their worth on the field. As each week passes, we’re going to get a serious look at which teams are contenders and which teams are pretenders. Injuries are also going to play a massive role in how odds shift. We saw a bunch of QB injuries in Week 2, but might more concerning news arrive in Week 3? Let’s hope not. With that said, here’s how the division races are looking after the first two weekends of the NFL year:

• Buffalo Bills to win the AFC East at -210
• Cincinnati Bengals to win the AFC North at +110
• Jacksonville Jaguars to win the AFC South at +125
• Kansas City Chiefs to win the AFC West at -166
• Philadelphia Eagles to win the NFC East at -150
• Minnesota Vikings to win the NFC North at +194
• New Orleans Saints to win the NFC South at +130
• San Francisco 49ers to win the NFC West at +144

“Some of the stuff is the foot work, but most of what makes me ‘me’ is what is between the ears.”

Davante Adams breaks down his style of play and the benefit of having had smart qbs throughout his career 🧠

(via @patmcafeeshow) pic.twitter.com/LYRRIkFSgO

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 22, 2026

NFL previous news updates

• [September 2026]: The Giants shocked the Cowboys in Week 1 and the Rams’ loss threw people off, which impacted the Super Bowl odds.
• [September 2026]: The Los Angeles Rams made a huge splash, bringing back future Hall of Fame pass-rusher Aaron Donald out of retirement. 
• [August 2026]: The Eagles made some history this summer, signing Jalen Carter to a huge extension to make him the most expensive defensive tackle in NFL history. 
• [July 2026]: The Los Angeles Rams saw their Super Bowl odds skyrocket, and the belief is that the NFC West side will be in a strong position to win it all next season. 
• [June 2026]: The Myles Garrett trade by the Cleveland Browns turned the NFL world upside down, as the Rams defense is now looking unstoppable for next season. 
• [May 2026]: Rookie minicamps took place and major news arrived for the Rams with Matthew Stafford coming to terms with the Super Bowl favorites on a new big-money contract. 
• [April 2026]: The NFL Draft was completed, with betting markets gaining traction. Odds have been adjusted for teams after adding top talent throughout the seven rounds of the draft. On top of that, some more free agency moves have been posted.
• [March 2026]: National Football League trade activity impacts the board, with high-profile player moves causing immediate shifts in division and Super Bowl markets.
• [March 2026]: National Football League free agency reshapes futures odds, with teams adding elite quarterbacks or defensive pieces shortening from +2000 into the +1200 range.
• [February 2026]: Super Bowl LX closes the market, with the New England Patriots shortening late to win, driving final line movement as sharp money backed their defense.

Braulio Perez

Braulio Perez is a sports journalist with more than a decade of experience covering major US sports leagues and international soccer. Since beginning his journalism career in 2011, he has covered a wide range of topics, including college football, recruiting, the NFL, and global soccer, developing a strong understanding of the teams, players, and storylines ...

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