Best player prop to bet for each team on Wild Card Weekend
The NFL playoffs get underway on Saturday with Super Wild Card Weekend, which features six games across the three days: two on Saturday, three on Sunday and one on Monday night. There are some seriously intriguing matchups, including two divisional tilts in the AFC North and AFC East.
Looking at this weekend’s schedule, our NFL Wire editors picked one player prop to bet for each team – including a couple of interception props, tackle totals and an anytime touchdown scorer.
All odds are courtesy of BetMGM, unless otherwise noted:
Seahawks at 49ers
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Seahawks: Geno Smith over 0.5 interceptions (-150) – Geno Smith defied all expectations going in and put together the best season of his career in 2022, earning his first Pro Bowl nod. However, interceptions have been an issue for him in the second half of the year, especially since Week 11. Since then he’s thrown a total of seven interceptions in his last seven games and he’s had opponents drop several more. It’s not hard to imagine that trend continuing into Wild Card Weekend as he faces the top defense in the NFL. – Tim Weaver, Seahawks Wire
49ers: Brock Purdy over 0.5 interceptions (+105) – I’m copying Tim! I can get plus money on a rookie QB to throw an interception in his first playoff start?! Yes, please! It’s worth noting that ball security has been one of Purdy’s best traits since he took over for QB Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13. In five-plus games he’s tossed just three picks. One of them was an arm punt on a fourth down, and another was a fine throw that bounced off his receiver’s hands. However, he’s had a couple near misses with one INT vs. the Buccaneers called back due to a penalty, and another dropped by Seahawks S Quandre Diggs on a throw that hit him in the chest. This will be Purdy’s first time seeing a team for a second time, and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll should have a good plan for the inexperienced signal caller. A mistake from Purdy would be understandable, especially in bad weather, so take the +105 and run. – Kyle Madson, Niners Wire
Chargers at Jaguars
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Chargers: Austin Ekeler over 35.5 receiving yards (-120) – Ekeler will be a key piece in the passing game, just like he has been all season, especially if WR Mike Williams is out due to a back injury that he sustained last Sunday against the Broncos. Ekeler set the Chargers’ single-season record for receptions with his 107th catch in Week 18, surpassing Keenan Allen’s previous record of 106. Ekeler averaged 42.5 receiving yards per game during the regular season. He has a favorable matchup against Jacksonville, who allowed the second-most receiving YPG to running backs (48.8). – Gavino Borquez, Chargers Wire
Jaguars: JaMycal Hasty over 10.5 rushing yards (-120) – Picking against the Chargers rushing defense is usually a good choice. They finished the regular season last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per attempt and gave up more than 200 yards on the ground four times. While eyes will be on Travis Etienne Jr. to exploit that weakness, his snap count mysteriously dropped in Week 18. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson didn’t provide much of an explanation for why Hasty was on the field much more than usual. If that continues, Hasty should soar past 11 yards. Even if it doesn’t, Hasty should still get a few carries Saturday and it won’t take much for him to hit the over. – Adam Stites, Jaguars Wire
Dolphins at Bills
Dolphins: Elandon Roberts over 5.5 tackles + assists (-105) – Miami’s defense hasn’t been great this season, but Roberts has had a career year, recording a career-high 107 tackles in 2022. He went over 5.5 tackles in 10 contests this year, and he combined for 12 in their first two matchups against the Bills. With Buffalo running the ball more than they used to, Roberts’ skill set as a thumper should allow him to reach that number against the trio of Josh Allen, Devin Singletary and James Cook, who are all capable runners. – Mike Masala, Dolphins Wire
Bills: Josh Allen over 257.5 passing yards (-115) – We’ll admit it: Allen over 0.5 interceptions (+105) is enticing. He threw only one less than the NFL-leading total of 15 this year. However, the rubber-match statistics override that. Allen has faced the Dolphins twice this year but he did not throw a pick in either. Plus, combined, he threw for 704 total passing yards, an average of 352 yards per game. Not to mention, Bills Mafia knows that Allen just … seemingly saves his best football for the Dolphins. Even in the loss to Miami in Week 3, he had 400 passing yards (And Allen is 8-2 in his career against them). – Nick Wojton, Bills Wire
Giants at Vikings
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Giants: Daniel Jones over 40.5 rushing yards (-115) – The Giants are at their best when Daniel Jones is on the move. His scrambling ability adds a whole different element to the team’s offense and it’s one of the strongest parts of his game. DJ ended the regular season with 708 yards on the ground, which was fourth among quarterbacks, and his 5.9 yards per carry was fourth-most in the entire league. He also had 57 rushes for a first down, which was 10th-most in the NFL. – Dan Benton, Giants Wire
Vikings: Dalvin Cook over 16.5 receiving yards (-115) – The Vikings have developed their screen game over the last few weeks and will need it more than ever with starting right tackle Brian O’Neill out with a partially torn Achilles tendon. Drawing the Giants pass rush upfield and hitting them right behind it with a screen pass is going to calm down Wink Martindale’s aggressive approach. Plus, it could easily take Cook just one reception to hit it. If this doesn’t strike you, Cousins over 0.5 interceptions (+105) is enticing as well, especially with how he likes to push the ball down the field. – Tyler Forness
Ravens at Bengals
Ravens: J.K. Dobbins over 61.5 rushing yards (-120) – Dobbins is well-rested heading into Wild Card Weekend against the Bengals, as Baltimore rested him in Week 18 to prepare for the playoffs. The second-year rusher has slowly begun to look more and more like himself before his season-ending knee injury in 2021, and the Ravens could be without fellow running back Gus Edwards. Cincinnati boasts the 9th-best rush defense, but Baltimore’s 3rd-best rushing offense should still be able to dominate and might have to lean on Dobbins in the event of no Edwards or quarterback Lamar Jackson. – Kevin Oestreicher, Ravens Wire
Bengals: Anytime Touchdown Scorer Ja’Marr Chase (+105, Tipico) – Chase has scored nine times in 12 games this year and in three of his last four. With a vanilla playbook against the very same Ravens in Week 18, he caught eight of 13 targets for 86 yards and a score. It’s no secret where the ball’s going and he’s a threat to score from anywhere on the field. The Bengals will look to avoid an inefficient run game and jump to a lead via the passing game, too, hoping to put a Ravens offense with a likely backup quarterback under center in an uncomfortable position. – Chris Roling, Bengals Wire
Cowboys at Buccaneers
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Cowboys: Micah Parsons over 3.5 tackles + assists (+115) – On the surface this seems like an unbelievably easy over win. Parsons is an animal and the perception in everyone’s head is how the Cowboys deploy Parsons as a hybrid linebacker and edge rusher, because that’s what he was as a rookie. But in 2022, they’ve used him 4-to-1 as an edge and while his missed-tackle rate is a solid 8.9%, his tackle numbers have plummeted over the last half of the season. The under would have won six of the last seven games after losing nine of the first 10. So why take the over? Because one of those 10 was against this Tampa team in Week 1, and he’ll likely do it again. – KD Drummond, Cowboys Wire
Buccaneers: Chris Godwin over 6.5 receptions (-150) – Godwin led the Bucs with 104 receptions this season, despite missing two games (and not playing most of last week’s regular-season finale). Despite suffering a torn ACL last December, Godwin was back in the starting lineup for Week 1 this year, and resumed his role as Tom Brady’s go-to target in the short and intermediate ranges. From Week 12 through Week 17, Godwin had just one game with fewer than eight receptions, and caught six passes in the first half Sunday against the Falcons before he and the rest of the starters were pulled. Brady’s going to want to get rid of the ball early and often against the Cowboys’ dominant pass rush, so look for Godwin to be heavily involved in the quick/screen game, as usual. Trevon Diggs will probably spend most of his time locked up with Mike Evans, and with the rest of Dallas’ corner group banged up, Godwin should have more than enough opportunities to take advantage of the plus money on this bet. – Luke Easterling, Bucs Wire
