New Orleans Saints vs Los Angeles Chargers Odds & Spread – Preseason Week 2 Picks

• New Orleans is listed as a 3.5-point favorite in Sunday’s Saints vs Chargers odds
• Justin Herbert has never played a preseason snap in his career
• Check out the latest Saints vs Chargers odds and spread below

The biggest story ahead of the Week 2 preseason game between the Saints and Chargers isn’t the play on the field. It’s the pending storm that’s set to rock California. Read on for an analysis of Saints vs Chargers.

Hurricane Hilary is expected to hit the Los Angeles area tonight, and multiple professional sports leagues have already moved their scheduled games. Not the NFL though, as they’re determined to play this contest before the weather turns nasty.

Both New Orleans and LA are fresh off wins in their 2023 preseason debuts, and online sportsbooks are bullish on the Saints to claim another victory in Week 2.

Saints vs Chargers Odds

New Orleans is currently a 3.5-point favorite in the NFL odds, in a game with a total of 37.5. Kickoff for this preseason matchup is set for 7:05 pm ET at SoFi Stadium, in Los Angeles, CA, and on NFL Network, with rain expected throughout the contest.

Odds as of August 20 at BetMGM. Get a BetMGM promo code to bet on NFL preseason action this weekend.

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Saints vs Chargers Public Betting

The Saints are drawing nearly half of the money in the ATS market, despite garnering only 38% of the spread tickets.

Total wise, money is pouring in on the over but as we’ll discuss that may be a poor decision. 85% of the handle is banking on a high-scoring game, with that money coming from 83% of the total tickets.

A big reason bettors are bullish on offense is likely due to what they saw in Week 1. Both teams were involved in high-scoring games, with each matchup producing 50+ points.

Saints Betting Analysis

New Orleans enters the 2023 campaign with the oldest roster in the NFL. The Saints seem to be allergic to rebuilds in the Micky Loomis era and brought in Derek Carr hoping to revitalize an offense that finished 22nd in DVOA.

Both Carr and Jameis Winston split the bulk of the preseason reps in Week 1, combining for 162 yards and two scores against KC. New Orleans played nearly all of their starters, but we shouldn’t bank on that again tonight.

Last year, Dennis Allen played his starters in the opening preseason game and then sat them in Week 2. He elected to play Ian Book over Winston and  Andy Dalton at QB, as he saw enough from the ladder two to give them a night off. A similar strategy is possible versus the Chargers, paving the way for plenty of snaps for Jake Haener.

Me on my way to rescue the #Saints after they play the Chargers during Hurricane Hilary pic.twitter.com/cRDFqJuluY

— ItsASaintsThing (@ItsASaintsThing) August 19, 2023

The Fresno State rookie was 10-of-17 in Week 1 for 105 yards, a TD, and a pick. We shouldn’t expect to see too much of budding superstar Chris Olave or injury-prone Michael Thomas tonight, and we definitely won’t see Jimmy Graham. The 36-year-old was arrested for public intoxication on Friday evening, after practicing earlier that day.

That leaves a largely unproven cast of pass catchers for the Saints QBs to work with. The RB situation tonight is murky as well. However, given the fact that Alvin Kamara is suspended for the first three games of the season, Allen could elect to give him more preseason reps than he normally would.

Chargers Betting Analysis

Regardless of who New Orleans suits up, we know they’ll be facing a ton of Chargers backups. Brandon Staley has treated his starters with kids’ gloves since taking over in LA, resting his key players for the entire exhibition slate.

Justin Herbert has never taken a preseason snap since entering the league, and the Chargers want to get a better look at potential backup Easton Stick. The North Dakota St. product was 14-of-21 in Week 1 versus the Rams, for 109 yards and a TD.

Easton Stick with a laser beam throw here. pic.twitter.com/Yq4H6fFYNl

— Dom Izzo (@DomIzzoWDAY) August 13, 2023

Expect Stick to get the majority of the reps tonight, with Max Duggan picking up the scraps. Duggan struggled in Week 1 taking three sacks on only a handful of dropbacks, and with him in the game LA switched to a more run-focused attack. That suits Duggan’s skillset as he rushed for 20 yards on four carries. The TCU product is very raw, and scoring expectations should be kept low when he’s in the game.

A major standout in Chargers camp this year is running back Elijah Dotson, and he was the star in Week 1. The rookie piled up 92 yards and 2 TD on six carries, as he fights for a backup RB role.

Defensively, LA’s second and third stringers held the Rams to only 263 total yards in Week 1, piling up four sacks along the way.

Saints vs Chargers Prediction

The total may be moving up, but this is a prime spot to pivot. We know the Chargers are sitting their starters and there’s a chance the Saints do as well. The offensive uncertainty is too great to bank on a plethora of points, and the rain and looming storm could produce a sloppy effort on both sides.

As always, make sure to shop the best number. The total at some online sportsbooks sits at 38.5, while others are down to as low as 37 as of Sunday morning.

Pick: Under 38.5 (-110)

2023 Preseason Betting Record: 1-0, +0.91 units