The NFL is treating fans to a pair of Saturday contests in Week 18, the final week of the regular season. The Kansas City Chiefs are headed to the Mile High City to face the Denver Broncos at 4:30 p.m. ET. Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles follows in primetime. ABC/ESPN has coverage of both games.
Kansas City, as one may imagine, is a heavy favorite. FanDuel Sportsbook is pricing them at -11 and -520 on the moneyline. Meanwhile, the question hanging over the nightcap is who will be active for Philadelphia. The anticipation that the Eagles will be without starters — by choice or by COVID — plays a role in them getting 4.5 points as home dogs on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Here are player props and anytime touchdown scorer bets from around the betting market for your wagering consideration.
Anytime Touchdown Scorers
Darrel Williams -105 | Derrick Gore +250 (FanDuel)
The Chiefs ruled out Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder), leaving Williams to handle lead running back duties and Gore to serve as the No. 2. Williams has played well when thrust into a larger role this season. He scored five of his eight touchdowns in games in which he received 20-plus touches. That’s a level of workload we can expect him to see Saturday. He’s active on the ground and through the air, so he’ll have multiple avenues through which he can reach the end zone.
Gore will run behind Williams and may be able to bogard his way into increased volume. He has only two scores on 52 touches, but it’s a plus-money wager worth considering.
Kenneth Gainwell +125 | Tony Pollard +250 (DraftKings)
There’s some chatter that the Eagles may not play their starters Saturday. Additionally, a number of their offensive players, namely their top two running backs, are on the COVID list. The absence of Boston Scott and Jordan Howard in the backfield would leave the dynamic Gainwell in position to see a spike in playing time.
Ezekiel Elliott has been limited to 10 touches in each of the last two games, lending credence to the idea that the Cowboys want to preserve tread on his tires. That would open the door for Pollard to see more volume. For as explosive as he’s looked at times this season, he has only two touchdowns. Sometimes the best one can do is bet on a good opportunity, and that’s exactly what Pollard will have Saturday.
Update: Pollard has been ruled out with a foot sprain.
Patrick Mahomes +390 (FanDuel)
With so many weapons at his disposal, Mahomes doesn’t need to rely too heavily on his legs, but he has a pair of rushing touchdowns this season. Perhaps the most important consideration regarding this wager — and any Chiefs wager for that matter — is the number of snaps the starters will play. The Chiefs need to win for a chance to claim the AFC’s first-round bye, so they’ll at least make sure a victory is in the bag before pulling the first string. The fact that the Broncos have had relative success against Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce — to a lesser extent in the latter’s case — may sway those looking for a reason to chase an enticing payday on this Mahomes prop.
Read more: Cowboys vs. Eagles odds and pick | Chiefs vs. Broncos odds and pick
Receiving Yards Props (O/U -114 at FanDuel)
Tyreek Hill 64.5 | Travis Kelce 65.5
We’ve mentioned the necessity of a Chiefs win. The circumstances suggest we could see Hill and Kelce into the fourth quarter. Sportsbooks aren’t painting the picture of a competitive affair, but if the Chiefs smother the Broncos early, it’s likely that Hill and Kelce inflicted a significant portion of the damage.
From an individual standpoint, the Broncos have managed to achieve what most other teams can’t: slow down Hill. They’ve held him below 64 yards four times in seven games since 2018. He averaged only 72.7 yards in the three games in which he surpassed that 64-yard threshold. Kelce has managed more explosive performances against the Broncos, delivering a pair of 100-yard efforts over that same span. Bettors committed to wagering the UNDER on Hill should consider the OVER on Kelce.
Also read: DraftKings 2022 NFL MVP Odds | DraftKings Super Bowl Odds: Packers Favored But Priced Nicely | Week 18 early line moves
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