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Five prop bets for Week 3 to add some cash to your wallet.
Week 3 is going to be a statement weekend in a lot of the NFL divisional races, and the players selected for this weeks player prop bets are going to have a significant role in whether their teams rise up or drop down in that effort.
We will look at one quarterback, two running backs, a wide receiver and a tight end – all of whom will be critical to the outcome of their respective games.
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Five NFL Wild Card Weekend prop bets to put some extra cash in your pocket.
The NFL field has been whittled down from 32 to 14 and the intensity ramps up the closer a team gets to the Super Bowl. We’ve picked five high-profile players from this week’s field and come up with reasons why we are convinced we’ll being heading the pay window with this Fab Five.
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook (updated Friday, Jan. 14 at 7:10 p.m. ET) … If you’re in CO or NJ, place all of your legal, online sports wagers with Tipico Sportsbook.
There’s no doubt that Joe Mixon is the player who Cincinnati’s offense revolves around. However, he has a very interesting Over/Under for volume expectations (19.5 rushing attempts at -105 Over, -123 Under). To hit the Over, Mixon will need 20 carries – something he did just four times during the regular season and just twice since Week 3. It should be noted that one of those two over the last 15 games was a season-high 30 against the Raiders. But that was a game the Bengals jumped out to a huge lead and leaned on Mixon to keep it a huge lead. If the same situation happens, the Bengals will likely pull Mixon and let Samaje Perine or Chris Evans share the load. Mixon has come 17 or more carries in four of his last five games, but hasn’t hit 20 in any of them. It may get close, but Take the Under (-123).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski has a huge reception Over/Under for a tight end (5.5 catches at -102 Over, -127 Under). The clear indication here is that he won’t get to six receptions. However, in the two games that the Bucs were without both Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown, Gronk caught seven passes in each game and had 252 receiving yards. He missed the first game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but you can bet without a couple of his top weapons, Tom Brady will be locked in off the snap on Gronk up the seam. Six catches is a high bar for a tight end, but this is the postseason and that is Brady and Gronk. Take the Over (-102).
Of all the players who have been spotlighted in the second-half run by the San Francisco 49ers, WR Brandon Aiyuk has been overlooked despite making a significant contribution. The 49ers needed to win their last two games to make the playoffs and Aiyuk was more productive (10-201) than either Deebo Samuel (7-158-1) or George Kittle (6-39). The Dallas Cowboys defense is going to pay inordinate attention to Samuel and Kittle, which will leave Aiyuk in single man coverage. His Over/Under is modest (49.5 receiving yards at -114 for both the Over and Under). It may only take three receptions to hit that number because the Cowboys give up a lot of downfield splash plays and their attention will be on George and Deebo. Take the Over (-114).
Sometimes a number is set that you think should go one way. but it doesn’t … Such is the case for Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson. His Over/Under for receptions is high (6.5 receptions at -106 Over, -122 Under). In the 16 games he played this season, he caught seven or more passes in six games, and this game has all the makings of a 38-14 blowout that sees Ben Roethlisberger throwing 50 passes. However, as the weather has become colder late in the season, the Chiefs have become much more of a running/short-passing team willing to take a 14-play drive that eats eight minutes off the clock. Johnson is clearly capable of catching seven passes, but he may not get the opportunities he needs because the Steelers defense is on the field for 35-40 minutes. Take the Under (-122).
I’ve made more money on Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp than any other player. He has been seeing absurd Over/Under numbers for receiving yardage. There’s a reason for that. In 17 games this season, he topped 100 yards in 11 of them and had 92 or more in all but one game – the first meeting with the Arizona Cardinals. His Over/Under, as expected, is incredibly high for this week (106.5 receiving yards at -114 for both the Over and Under). Even in his worst statistical game of the season (5-64), Kupp was targeted 13 times. He was targeted 15 times in their second meeting and produced (13-123-1). That stat is telling. The Rams learned from the first game, when he caught just five of 13 thrown his way and changed it up – he caught 13 of 15 – mostly slant passes – the second time around. It’s hard to give away 106 yards, but this is Kupp. Take the Over (-114).
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These Week 2 player prop bets are money in the bank!
As we get into Week 2, there is a paranoia among the 16 teams with a 0-1 record. Drop to 0-2 and you have a hole you’re digging out of for a month or more.
The prop bets for this week are based on the belief that the number adjustments on prop bets is being made a little too hastily.
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook (updated Friday, Sept. 17, at 10:50 p.m. ET) … If you’re in CO or NJ, place all of your legal, online sports wagers with Tipico Sportsbook.
In Week 1, the Dallas Cowboys decided they were going to play Tampa Bay’s game and throw 100 times between them. How did that work out? They lost. A week later, the Cowboys are an underdog against the Los Angeles Chargers – a far lesser team. By his standards, Ezekiel Elliott has a shockingly low rushing yardage Over/Under (60.5 yards at -114 for both the Over and Under). Dallas won’t come into this game assuming it has to get into a track meet. The Cowboys will take their time and pick their shots. If Elliott gets more than a dozen carries, he should hit this number. If he gets 20? He blows it out of the water. Take the Over.
In the opener against the Cowboys, Tom Brady threw 50 times, while his team ran the ball just 13 times with its two-headed running back tandem of Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones. Against the Atlanta Falcons, they should be able to take care of their business to the point that they take their foot off the gas and don’t feel obligated to get into the same kind of pass-happy mindset. Brady has an absurd passing yardage Over/Under (312.5 yards at -144 Over, -114 Under). The Bucs should run the ball 25 or more times in this game, which makes achieving that number very hard to hit, barring an assignment collapse. Take the Under.
Christian McCaffrey returned healthy to the Carolina Panthers after an injury-marred 2020 season and did what he does – account for 180 total yards with nearly equal amounts rushing and receiving. Against the New Orleans Saints, he has a modest rushing yardage Over/Under (66.5 yards at -114 for both the Over and Under). Coming off their big win against Green Bay, then Saints are chest-thumping knowing that, historically, they have kept McCaffrey in check in the run game. One big run will get half of this total covered. It’s what he does with the other 15+ that will get the job done. Take the Over.
One thing Kirk Cousins isn’t adept at is being able to make up for a bogus offensive line and put an offense on his shoulders. His passing yardage Over/Under (268.5 yards at -114 for both the Over and Under) is significant. With an offensive line incapable of holding up in a 7-yard drop situation, his options are to try to Dalvin Cook as long as is practical or complete short slant passes before he gets hit. To hit this number, he either needs to complete 30 passes or be so far behind that the run game isn’t an option. The Vikings should hang around long enough that the panic button doesn’t get hit too early. Take the Under.
It’s always tough to predict yardage Over/Under numbers for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. He’s going to get his, it’s only a matter of what he does when he gets the ball in his hands in traffic. However, his reception Over/Under (5.5 receptions at -144 Over, -114 Under) is far less of a gamble. The Indianapolis Colts secondary is weakened and, even if Kupp catches six passes for 40 yards, he still hits the number needed to head to the pay window. Take the Over.
Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).
