San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys Wild Card Prop Bets for Sunday
What kind of performances can prop bettors expect from Elijah Mitchell, Jimmy Garoppolo, Ezekiel Elliott, and George Kittle on Wild-Card Sunday? Follow along as NFL betting analyst Nick Galaida breaks down his four favorite 49ers vs. Cowboys player props. Not in a state with legal sports betting? Sign up at PrizePicks and Underdog Fantasy to start winning cash on NFL player props tonight!
On Sunday afternoon, the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys will battle at AT&T Stadium. San Francisco finished the regular season with a thrilling come-from-behind victory over the Los Angeles Rams on the road to clinch a playoff berth. Dallas won 12 games en route to securing an NFC East division title. Oddsmakers are anticipating a tightly-contested affair between these two teams this weekend, pricing the Cowboys as only a field goal favorite on the spread.
As we approach kickoff, the value on the spread and the total has been reduced compared to its opening market price. Instead of forcing action on saturated markets, bettors may find more expected value on player props for this Wild-Card game.
49ers vs. Cowboys Player Props
Elijah Mitchell o19.5 rushing attempts (+105)
PrizePicks: N/A
Elijah Mitchell has carried the football at least 21 times in each of his last five games played. In Week 18, the San Francisco 49ers trailed 17-0 at the half to the Los Angeles Rams, but the 49ers came out in the second half committed to the running game. The result was 21 rushing attempts for Mitchell, despite the negative game script. Though the Dallas Cowboys have been strong defending the air this year, they have been incredibly vulnerable on the ground–permitting 4.5 yards-per-carry. This unit has been even worse since Week 9, allowing 130.0 rushing yards per contest on 4.8 yards-per-carry. Since Week 10, San Francisco has averaged 32.0 rushing attempts per game for 140.1 yards (4.4 yards-per-carry). Mitchell has been outstanding across his last five games, averaging 98.8 yards per game. Mitchell certainly benefits from running behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, featuring Trent Williams, Laken Tomlinson, Alex Mack, and Tom Compton. If the 49ers hope to be competitive on Sunday, they are going to need to run the football effectively. The last five times that Mitchell has suited up, he has commanded 68.6 percent of all the rushing attempts for the 49ers, and 90.1 percent of all attempts by running backs. He is a workhorse and should be relied upon heavily in this matchup. Take the over here.
Jimmy Garoppolo u248.5 passing yards (-113)
PrizePicks: 242.5 Yards
At first glance, this line might seem too low for Jimmy Garoppolo, who has thrown for 296 yards or more in four of his last five games. However, if you read our 49ers vs. Cowboys game preview, you understand that San Francisco’s path to victory in this one is on the ground against a vulnerable Dallas run defense. The Cowboys held opposing quarterbacks to the 3rd-lowest passer rating of any team in the NFL this fall. Garoppolo is unlikely to have a big day through the air. The main risk factor here is a negative game script that forces San Francisco to throw the ball frequently, similar to what we saw happen with Mac Jones yesterday.
Ezekiel Elliott u50.5 rushing yards (-113)
PrizePicks: 45.5 Yards
Ezekiel Elliott disappeared from the Dallas offense during the second half of the regular season. From Week 8 to Week 17, Elliott’s best rushing total was 52 yards, and he had less than 40 rushing yards four times. Since Week 10, San Francisco is allowing only 3.6 yards-per-carry and 78.6 yards-per-game. Tony Pollard figures to see quite a bit of action in this one out of the backfield as well, which should further limit Elliott’s chances of the over here. The under has a good chance to hit on this prop.
George Kittle o50.5 receiving yards (-110)
PrizePicks: 47.5 Yards
This is a boom-or-bust play on this game. Since the beginning of December, George Kittle has 93 receiving yards or more in three of his six games played. In the other three contests, he has failed to hit 30 receiving yards. Per Pro Football Focus, Kittle is one of the best pass-catchers in the league in yards per route run. The Cowboys defense ranks 29th in allowing yards after the catch per reception to tight ends this season. The 49ers are likely to have a run-heavy approach on Sunday, but when they do throw the ball–Kittle should be a top option for Garoppolo. Take the over in this spot if willing to take a little bit of a risk.
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