Week 16 NFL Picks 2024: Early Odds to Exploit after Final Week 15 Results

Believe it or not, the NFL playoffs are right around the corner. Only three weeks remain in the 2024 regular season, meaning over half of the league will soon be out of action.

While teams like the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Chicago Bears have nothing to play for over the final few weeks, Playoff-bound teams and postseason hopefuls will generate plenty of drama.

Fans looking for other reasons to watch during the stretch run can consider these intriguing early Week 16 lines.

*Lines via DraftKings Sportsbook

Both the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers are in the playoff mix, so Thursday's showdown between the two will carry heavy playoff implications. The Broncos are underdogs, likely because they're on the road, but the points are attractive at this point in the week.

Denver's defense struggled a bit early against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but it eventually awoke, and Denver eventually pulled away in a 31-13 rout. The Broncos had to overcome a three-interception outing from rookie quarterback Bo Nix to mount the comeback, but they showed in the end why they could be a scary wild-card team.

The Chargers, meanwhile, appear to be far less threatening. L.A. has feasted on lesser opponents and largely struggled against top-tier teams. Its offense is a mess, and its defense was exposed during Sunday's 40-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Broncos did win the first meeting between these two teams, but that was back in Week 6. Nix has become a much more capable passer since then.

Star cornerback Patrick Surtain II is dealing with an ankle sprain, which could obviously impact Denver's defense. However, the Broncos still have a great chance to not only cover but to win outright in this AFC West rematch.

The Washington Commanders narrowly outlasted the banged-up and struggling New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Washington notched a one-point win after the Saints' two-point conversion attempt failed at the end of regulation.

Of course, New Orleans only scored its final touchdown because a mistakenly stopped clock left the Saints time they shouldn't have had.

"The covering official mistakenly stopped the clock in that situation," official Shawn Hochuli told reporters. "The clock should not have stopped."

Still, it was a disappointingly close call, given where Washington wants to be and the Saints currently are. The Commanders will have an even harder time with the Philadelphia Eagles this week.

Philly continues to be the hottest team in the NFL, and it has too many offensive playmakers for the Commanders to contain. Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and the passing game found a bit of a rhythm in Week 15, soothing one of the only warts on this team's resume.

A top-tier defense and an elite rushing attack led by Saquon Barkley should allow Philly to win convincingly in its rematch with Washington.

The Eagles won the first meeting by eight points, and Round 2 could have a similar result. This line is likely to expand in the coming days.

The Los Angeles Rams have largely leaned on Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams and their offense this season. What should concern the New York Jets, however, is the fact that L.A. found a way to win a defensive battle in Week 15.

The Rams defense isn't great, but it has a young, powerful defensive front that can get after opposing quarterbacks. It rattled Brock Purdy in last Thursday's win over the San Francisco 49ers. It can do the same to the statuesque Aaron Rodgers on Sunday.

The Jets have finally found their offense over the last few weeks, but their once-venerable defense has started to slip. It coughed up 421 yards and 25 points to the Mac Jones-led Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Slowing Stafford and Co. will be a much bigger challenge.

Even though Los Angeles' secondary is vulnerable, this is a horrendous matchup for New York. The Rams can force Rodgers into mistakes while controlling the game on the ground and getting the occasional big play in the passing game.

This is a fairly large line, considering the cross-country trip ahead of the Rams. However, it's not large enough.

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