It’s the final week of the regular season, and we’ve decided to take five big-name players with something to play for as our picks as they look to either solidify their playoff positioning or get the win they need to get to the postseason. Below, we look at 5 NFL player prop bets for Week 18, and make our best NFL picks, predictions and bets.
Week 18 prop bet picks and predictions
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:10 a.m. ET.
Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill OVER 66.5 receiving yards (-114)
I always love betting on Hill to hit an Over because it typically only takes one classic highlight film play of 40 yards or more to do the damage needed to hit a high number. This isn’t a high number, likely because he hasn’t hit the Over on that number in his last three games against the Broncos, but I love going with a guy like Hill, who only needs three or four catches to hit a point this low. When the number is low enough for a guy like Hill that he can hit the Over on a single reception, you got to go with it.
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Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor OVER 115.5 rushing yards (-114)
There are two players who have erupted to the point that the Over/Under has become so absurdly high that it’s hard to accept – Taylor and Cooper Kupp (see below). Taylor has rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of his last nine games, including 116 in his first meeting with the Jags. If the Colts win, they’re in, and if they want to win, they need to keep riding Taylor, who can pass some elite company in his final game of being the bell cow of the Colts offense.
Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp UNDER 120.5 receiving yards (-114)
The Rams are the No. 2 seed in the NFC but haven’t won their division yet. The San Francisco 49ers are the No. 6 seed but haven’t clinched a playoff spot yet – despite No. 7 seed Philadelphia having already punched its playoff ticket and having lost to the Niners in Week 2. Before their meeting in November, Kupp had never had more than 41 yards against the 49ers defense. In their earlier meeting, he racked up 122 yards but needed 11 receptions to accomplish that. I’ve made some solid money being ahead of the curve on the Matthew Stafford-Kupp love affair, but in a game with such huge implications, it’s hard to imagine the 49ers aren’t going to double Kupp downfield and force him to catch short passes, which makes hitting 121 yards a big ask. We were going under before this number steamed up two more yards, and we’re sticking with it.
Tennessee Titans WR A.J. Brown OVER 70.5 receiving yards (-114)
The Titans need a win to lock down the No. 1 seed in the AFC and get an extra week to potentially get Derrick Henry back. Henry has been designated to return, but there is no word on whether he’ll play this week. Brown has 114 or more receiving yards in three of five games against the Texans, but none of those games have had the gravity that this one does. Without Henry to potentially carry the ball 30 times or more, the Titans are going to have to keep the offense balanced against a defense that struggles to stop the pass. Look for Brown to dominate his matchups and potentially top 100 yards for the fourth time in six games.
Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews UNDER 69.5 receiving yards (-114)
Andrews has been on fire the last month with Tyler Huntley, piling up 465 yards in the last four games. But, before that, he had four catches for 50 yards against the Steelers. That shouldn’t come as any surprise. The Steelers make Andrews a focal point of their game plan in their semi-annual bloodbath with the Ravens. The 50 yards Andrews gained was the most he ever has against the Steelers. In five career games, he has caught just 17 passes and never scored a touchdown. Mike Tomlin makes a point not to let Andrews hurt him, so he may need six or seven receptions to hit the Over… and he has never caught that many passes against a Pittsburgh defense.
Also see: All Week 18 odds and lines
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