My first bet: Early picks for NFL Week 6 - ESPN

The 2024 NFL season is cruising along, as each team has played as least four games and most have played five. Divisional races are beginning to take shape and meaningful storylines and trends are becoming more apparent.

Week 6 features a number of interesting games, including one featuring two of the leagues hottest quarterbacks, the Washington Commanders' Jayden Daniels and Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson. The Detroit Lions head to AT&T Stadium to face the Dallas Cowboys in the late afternoon game and in the «Sunday Night Football» matchup Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals look to bounce back against the New York Giants.

The final game of the week features Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on «Monday Night Football.» (8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN).

Our betting analysts take an early look at Week 6 lines to find some value before things move closer to game time.

Odds current as of publish time, courtesy of ESPN BET

(Last week: Vikings -2.5 against NYJ. Line closed at -2.5. Vikings won, 23-17.)

The look-ahead line here was Cincinnati (-5.5), so we're getting the Bengals at a price that's two points cheaper than last week. Ruminate on that for a second because I just upgraded my power number for Cincinnati after Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense posted 520 yards and 38 points on Baltimore's defense. Cincinnati may be 1-4, but it has four one-score losses… and those losses have come by a combined 15 points. This is a good buy-low spot on the Bengals, who face a Giants team that is 1-14 straight-up in prime time with quarterback Daniel Jones under center.

(Last week: Commanders -3 vs. Browns. Line closed at 3. Commanders won, 34-13.)

The Chargers and Broncos face off