Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The five best NFL player prop bets to make for the upcoming week.
For this week’s picks we look at two quarterbacks using their legs – one good, one bad – a bell-cow running back doing his thing the conventional way, a running back excelling as a receiver, and a tight end continuing to expand his role in his offense.
Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook
A snapshot look at the NFL betting lines and odds for Week 15 sports betting and DFS action.
A good way to start your weekly homework for DFS (daily fantasy sports) play is to analyze the early Vegas odds around Week 15.
These guys have a long history of making money off of setting the right game spread and points scored. So it can be an early indicator of teams to target due to high-scoring potential, and teams to avoid for the opposite reason.
Note: Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook
OFF = No odds currently listed.
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The five smartest wagers to take to the pay window for Week 15.
For Week 15, we offer up a variety platter to choose from – a hot team on the moneyline in a hostile environment, a game to go Over, a game to go Under, the smallest favorite covering, and the biggest favorite doing the same.
Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook
Use our staff’s weekly pick’em against the spread and straight up for the win.
NFL picks are provided for straight up (moneyline) and against the spread (ATS) NFL pick pools.
Each week’s spread picks are graded by the line as of when the person entered their picks. This will create situations in which a movement of the line can result in two participants having the correct pick but with different teams chosen during an individual game.
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Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook
DMD – David Dorey, SG – Steve Gallo, HS – Harley Schultz, CC – Cletis Cutts, CJB – Cory Bonini, HCG – HC Green, KH – Kevin Hickey
A league-wide view into the best wagers to make for NFL Week 15 action.
Just when you think you have the 2023 season figured out, Week 14 happened. Of the 15 games played, 10 teams with the worse record coming in found ways to win.
Teams had a chance to put a stranglehold on division titles and failed. A final nail in a season had the chance to be hammered for teams on the brink and failed. A team scored three points and won.
There are weeks in every season when you shake your head and wonder what you just saw. Week 14 was one of those lightning-strike occurrences.
Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook
This is a really smaller Over/Under number (34.5 points at -110 for both Over and Under). However, the Raiders haven’t scored more than 17 points in their last four games, six of their last seven and 10 of 13 games this year. The Chargers have scored just 23 points in their last three games and don’t have Justin Herbert. Take Under 34.5 points (-110).
The Bengals are a small home favorite (3 points at -105 Vikings, -115 Bengals). From the investment currently needed to bet the Bengals, it looks like the line will move to 3.5 points, which is a better bet for our purposes. Take the Vikings plus 3 points (+100).
The Colts have won four of their last five games but are still modest home favorites (1.5 points at -110 for both teams). If the Steelers couldn’t beat the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots at home, there is little reason to think they can beat a legitimate playoff contender on the road. Take the Colts and lay 1.5 points (-110).
The Over/Under is pretty high (47.5 points at -110 for both). While the Lions have routinely topped this number, Denver plays a ball control, field position style that hasn’t gone over 48 points in its last eight games. Detroit should win, but they will likely play Denver’s style of game. Take Under 47.5 points (-110).
The Browns are small home favorites (3 points at -105 Bears, -115 Browns). The Bears have won two straight, but the Browns are a different team at home, having won five of six games. Cleveland’s defense will need to step up, but it has the talent to defend its yard. Take the Browns and lay 3 points (-115).
Both teams are currently in the playoffs and have a relatively low Over/Under (41.5 points at -110 for both Over and Under). This O/U point suggests that the game will be low scoring, but the Packers have scored 22 or more points in each of their last four games and allowed 19 or more in each of their last five. The Buccaneers have scored 20 or more in their last three and allowed 25 or more in three of their last four. Take Over 41.5 points (-110).
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The Over/Under is low given the firepower Houston has displayed this season (38 points at -110 for both Over and Under). But it’s because the Texans are already without Tank Dell and likely without C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins. Tennessee will want to grind the ball on the ground, so there will be a lot of time coming off the clock with sustained drives. Take Under 38 points (-110).
If not for blowing a 14-point lead in the final four minutes at Tennessee, Miami would be favored by more. (8.5 points at -110 for both teams). With Tyreek Hill a question mark, the Dolphins won’t be as explosive but should have enough to take care of business at home against the Jets. Take the Dolphins and lay 8.5 points (-110).
This is one of the lowest Over/Under numbers the Chiefs have seen in years (37 points at -110 for both Over and Under). The reason it’s so low is that the Patriots struggle to score and will have a difficult time moving the ball, much less score touchdowns. The Chiefs will win but may be forced to play the Patriots’ style of game. Take Under 37 points (-110).
The Giants have been a cute story but are still big underdogs (6 points at -110 for both Giants and Saints). The loud stadium environment will make things difficult for the Giants to operate, and the mistakes they make will be the difference. Take the Saints and lay 6 points (-110).
The Falcons are small road favorites (3 points at -110 for both teams). Atlanta keeps taking a step back every time it starts gaining momentum, but the Falcons beat the Panthers by 14 points earlier this year, and that shouldn’t change. Take the Falcons and lay 3 points (-110).
The Rams are pretty big favorites (6.5 points at -110 for both teams). Washington has been blown out in its last three games by 12, 35, and 30 points. While two of those were against the Dallas Cowboys and Dolphins, the Rams can do damage offensively and should have enough to pull away from this team in transition. Take the Rams and lay 6.5 points (-110).
The 49ers are huge favorites (12.5 points at -110 for both). It’s always difficult to give away this many points, but the 49ers are just too powerful and now have the No. 1 seed in their own hands. The Cardinals just can’t keep up. Take the 49ers and lay 12.5 points (-110).
The Cowboys have been on a roll and beating teams up over the last month. The Bills have been streaky, so their typical home-field dominance hasn’t been as pronounced as in recent years. This is going to be determined by turnovers, and Buffalo’s main weakness is giving the ball away at critical times. Take the Cowboys on the moneyline (+110).
The Over/Under is eminently reachable (42.5 points at -110 for both Over and Under). The Ravens have put up more than 30 points in six of their last seven games and the Jaguars have gone over this O/U in each of the last four games. The Jaguars have allowed 65 points to the Bengals and Browns the last two weeks, and the Ravens should make it three straight of 30 or more. Take Over 42.5 points (-110).
The Eagles haven’t been as dominant as they started the season, and the point spread is low for a team that entered last week as the No. 1 seed in the league (4 points at -110 for both teams). The Seahawks have lost four straight, including the Cowboys and 49ers twice. They’re facing another elite team and they simply can’t compete with them for 60 minutes. Take the Eagles and lay 4 points (-110).
According to the latest odds at Tipico Sportsbook, LA is favored by 6.5 points.
The Seahawks have had a fun time the last couple of weeks beating up on inconsistent and terrible teams like the 49ers and the Texans. Now it’s time to face a worthy adversary in the person of the LA Rams, who already won in Seattle back in Week 5. Since then they’ve added Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. and currently have an 8-4 record, several games and a tie-breaker ahead of the Seahawks in the NFC West standings.
As expected, the Rams are considered the favorites for next Sunday’s matchup. According to the latest odds at Tipico Sportsbook, LA is favored by 6.5 points over Seattle.
The Rams will be facing the conference-leading Cardinals on Monday Night Football in a couple of hours. It will be interesting to see how the results of that game impacts the Week 15 odds, if at all. There’s also a new development to follow: both Jalen Ramsey and Tyler Higbee have been placed on their team’s COVID-19 list, which puts their status for next week into question.
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According to the early odds at BetMGM, Carolina has opened as a nine-point underdog for Saturday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers.
The Carolina Panthers have lost seven of their last eight games, including a couple of very winnable matchups against the Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos. It’s not about to get any easier, either. According to the early odds at BetMGM, Carolina has opened as a nine-point underdog for Saturday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers.
That figure is appropriate, considering that the Panthers just allowed Drew Lock to go off for his best game of the year. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers is playing about as well as he has since he won his second MVP award back in 2014. He currently leads the NFL in touchdown passes (39), adjusted yards gained per attempt (9.6), passer rating (119.7) and QBR (84.8).
As a team, Green Bay just beat the Detroit Lions to push their record on the season to 10-3. At the moment, they’d be the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Carolina’s latest loss dropped their record to 4-9, tied for the worst mark in the conference.
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The Panthers head into Week 15 in a tailspin.
The Panthers head into Week 15 in a tailspin. They have dropped five games in a row and six of seven going back to their blowout loss to the 49ers. Next up on the schedule: another NFC West heavyweight.
According to BetMGM, the Panthers are 5.5-point underdogs at home for this week’s game against the Seahawks.
That number represents a hard truth. Injuries have played a major role, but this team has seriously under-performed given the expectations heading into the 2019 season. It’s already cost coach Ron Rivera his job and more serious changes are certainly on the way soon.
As for Seattle, this isn’t the same team Panthers fans might be used to. Linebackers Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright are the only remaining familiar faces for what was an all-time defense only a few years ago. New pieces like Jadeveon Clowney and Quandre Diggs have paid off and kept the unit strong enough to remain competitive. These Seahawks are carried by the brilliance of Russell Wilson, though. He’s having his best season yet and deserves to finish No. 2 in the MVP vote behind Lamar Jackson.
Another reason to trust those odds is recent history has not been kind to Carolina in this matchup. The Panthers beat the Seahawks twice in that magical 2015 season. Other than that, it’s been all failure. Seattle has won every other game in this series since Pete Carroll became head coach.
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