Broncos vs Raiders Prop Bets: Phillip Lindsay Runs All Over Oakland Defense
- The second Monday Night Football game for Week 1 features the Denver Broncos vs Oakland Raiders
- Will Phillip Lindsay get his 2019 season started off with a bang?
- Get the three best props to bet for the game below
As if we weren’t already in heaven with the 13 NFL games we were treated to yesterday, we get treated with the rare Monday Night Football double-header tonight. The second of the two matchups sees the Denver Broncos travel to Oakland to take on the Raiders at 10:20pm ET (September 9).
And if you need any more reason to stay up late for the entirety of this one, I’ve got three props you’ll want to jump on.
Prop #1: Phillip Lindsay Rushing Yards
| Phillip Lindsay Rushing Yards | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 57.5 | +110 |
| Under 57.5 | -143 |
*All odds taken September 9
In 2018, Phillip Lindsay averaged 69.1 rushing yards per game. He did that while playing in an offense that had very little to offer in terms of putting the ball in the air.
I’m not here to say Joe Flacco is bringing the air raid to Denver, but he will be more stable than Case Keenum was under center, which is going to force defenses to honor the pass.
PFF highlights Denver’s offensive line as having the fifth biggest advantage in terms of run blocking over their opponent this week. Add in Lindsay having 30 explosive runs – runs of 10+ yards – last season, tied for seventh-most in the league, and the second-year back should have no problem surpassing 57.5.
Just for the record, one sportsbook has him listed at 59.5 where the over is -115. This is a steal!
Prop #2: Emmanuel Sanders Receiving Yards
| Emmanuel Sanders Receiving Yards | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 55 | +108 |
If you got to see the Broncos starting offense in the preseason, you noticed the connection that was building between Flacco and Emmanuel Sanders.
The 32-year-old receiver has spoken very highly of his new quarterback, saying he is neck-and-neck with Peyton Manning for his favorite QBs of all-time. In two seasons with Manning, Sanders averaged 81.9 receiving yards per game.
? days. Just ? more days! pic.twitter.com/miPg8UZRdF
— Emmanuel Sanders (@ESanders_10) August 30, 2019
Again, I don’t see him duplicating those numbers with Flacco, but I do expect him to see plenty of targets as the lone veteran presence in a very young and inexperienced receiving corps.
In a matchup with Lamarcus Joyner tonight, those targets will turn into a lot of yards.
Prop #3: Derek Carr Passing Yards
| Derek Carr Passing Yards | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 250.5 | -115 |
| Under 250.5 | -115 |
Derek Carr’s first season under new head coach Jon Gruden was a pretty shaky one. His 93.9 passer rating wasn’t bad, but the 27-year-old just made too many big mistakes with the football.
Oakland tried to bring in Antonio Brown to get the ball out of Carr’s hands faster and give him a play-maker who can turn a quick slant into an 80-yard touchdown. But the Raiders are now left with a receiving corps that consists of Tyrell Williams, JJ Nelson, Hunter Renfrow, and Dwayne Harris – rather uninspiring group.
Moments ago @DCarr8 told @MikeSilver and me that Derek Carr worked with AB this offseason more than he has with *any* WR in his career. He's glad the ordeal is over….but was truly looking forward to playing with him.
— Patrick Claybon (@PatrickClaybon) September 7, 2019
With all the lost time that was invested into AB, and Carr’s top two receivers from last season no longer around (Jordy Nelson and Jared Cook), I don’t think Oakland’s passing game will be in-tune.
Add in what I believe will be a much improved Broncos defense under Vic Fangio, and I see it being a very long night for Carr.
After working in TV, Matt turned his focus towards numbers, specifically odds. He has been with us since 2016 and serves as SBD's Editor-in-Chief, credited with creating our futures trackers, SBD's score predictor, SBD Sharp, and his own model for calculating NFL SOS, among other products.
