NFL Week 1 Player Props and Best Bets: Three Predictions for Sunday
What can we expect on Sunday afternoon from Ja’Lynn Polk, Jerry Jeudy, and Ladd McConkey? Follow along as our NFL betting expert, Nick Galaida, breaks down three of his favorite NFL prop bets for Sunday, September 8, 2024. Get all of Nick’s picks, including more football props, at ScoresandOdds.
NFL fans have been treated to a pair of extremely competitive, exciting matchups between high-profile teams to begin the 2024 regular season – the good news is that we are still only 13% of the way through the Week 1 slate! On Sunday, the NFL has 8 games scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff, with 4 games in the late-afternoon time slot before we get to Sunday Night Football.
If looking to wager on NFL player props for Week 1, we have three prop leans to consider for Sunday afternoon’s 13-game slate!
NFL Week 1 Props Bets
- Ja’Lynn Polk Over/Under 29.5 Receiving Yards
- Jerry Jeudy Over/Under 37.5 Receiving Yards
- Ladd McConkey Over/Under 34.5 Receiving Yards
Ja’Lynn Polk OVER 29.5 Receiving Yards (-113), FanDuel
This past summer, New England used a second round draft pick on Ja’Lynn Polk to help elevate the skill in their wide receiver room. Polk reportedly impressed during the preseason, with one local media report saying that he was “usually good for a handful of catches during competitive periods at practice.” Though training camp talk for young players is often overly complimentary, it’s worth noting that Polk managed multiple receptions in each of the team’s preseason games as well, despite a very limited workload. Head coach Jerod Mayo also complimented Polk as a blocker, which should help him stay on the field on a consistent basis.
Polk should have plenty of opportunities in Week 1 against a Cincinnati secondary unit that features a couple of very beatable outside cornerbacks. Polk also saw a fair amount of work in the slot during the preseason, which could allow him to rack up yards after the catch if he’s able to get open across the middle of the field. This is a targetable number for Polk in a New England pass offense that lacks a clear and definitive WR1.
Jerry Jeudy OVER 37.5 Receiving Yards (-112), Bally
This past offseason, Jerry Jeudy was acquired by the Browns and given a 3-year, $58 million contract extension before he even played a snap for his new team. Jeudy, a former No. 15 overall draft pick in 2020 has been underwhelming to begin his NFL career, failing to reach 1,000 receiving yards in any of his first four seasons. However, he’s also been in a less than ideal situation in Denver, playing with a collection of bottom-tier quarterbacks.
Jeudy was the primary slot receiver for Denver in 2023 and figures to fill a similar role in Cleveland, playing alongside Amari Cooper, who primarily lines up out wide. That means that Jeudy gets an extremely favorable matchup in Week 1 against Dallas slot cornerback Jourdan Lewis, who finished last year ranked 124th out of 126 players at his position in coverage grade, per PFF. The Browns have committed significant money to Jeudy and figure to give him an active role in the offense. He should have every opportunity to clear this line on Sunday.
Ladd McConkey OVER 34.5 Receiving Yards (-122), Bally
DJ Chark, who was slated to start at wide receiver this weekend for the Chargers, has officially been ruled out. Chark being out means that Ladd McConkey is likely to see an expanded workload in the slot in his NFL debut. Entering the draft, McConkey was described by scouts as having “devastating quickness” and having the ability to be an “impactful yards after catch receiver for the quick game.”
He draws a semi-difficult matchup against Las Vegas slot cornerback Nate Hobbs, who was better than the league average in coverage in 2023. Still, Hobbs isn’t someone who is going to shut out his opponents very often. Last fall, he allowed 3+ receptions 11 times in 13 games played. McConkey might not even need 3 receptions in this spot if he’s able to grab a nice run after the catch at some point on Sunday. We certainly know he’s capable of getting away from defenders, and there is no clear and obvious WR1 in this Chargers passing attack heading into the new season.
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