Early NFL Props to Target for Wild Card Playoffs
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
Published:
- Online sportsbooks have released player props for Wild Card Weekend of the NFL playoffs
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin is set with a reception total of 4.5
- See all of this week’s top passing, rushing, receiving and touchdown props to target for NFL Wild Card Weekend
The NFL playoffs get underway this weekend with six games on tap. We’ve done some digging and come up with six player props for Wild Card Weekend to target below.
Wild Card Weekend NFL Player Props
Prop | Odds | Risk |
---|---|---|
CJ Stroud over 245.5 passing yards | -115 | 1 unit |
Najee Harris over 61.5 rushing yards | -115 | 1 unit |
Tony Pollard over 61.5 rushing yards | -110 | 1 unit |
Chris Godwin over 4.5 receptions | -155 | 1 unit |
Josh Allen over 0.5 interceptions | -125 | 1 unit |
James Cook anytime touchdown | +135 | 1 unit |
Our Week 18 player props are targeting CJ Stroud to throw for more than 245.5 yards, Josh Allen to be picked off, rushing props on Najee Harris and Tony Pollard, a receiving prop on Chris Godwin and James Cook finding the endzone.
Odds at ESPN BET. Claim your ESPN Bet new user promo by clicking on one of the links in this article (like the one right below) and sign-up for the newest sportsbook in the industry using promo code “DIME” during sign-up. That will unlock $150 in bonus bets by simply betting $10 on the NFL this weekend!
Must manually enter promo code DIME to claim offer.
When it comes to how to bet on NFL player props, there are endless options and you can bet on almost any position group of players. Read on for our top NFL Wild Card Weekend player props for January 13-14-15 here.
Wild Card Weekend Passing Props – CJ Stroud Passing Yards
The tale of rookie QBs in the NFL playoffs is a short story. Rookie QBs are 2-6 straight up in their past eight playoff contests. No rookie QB has ever won more than two playoff games in the same season.
CJ Stroud had a rookie season FOR THE AGES:
✅ 4,108 Passing Yards
✅ Only 5 Interceptions
✅ 23 Passing Touchdowns
✅ AFC South ChampsOffensive Rookie of the Year? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/wY8LhfkX6B
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) January 9, 2024
That being said, what also must be made noteworthy is how Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud has so often defied the odds in 2023, making him the overwhelming chalk in the NFL OROY odds. He’s helped to turn Houston from NFL laughingstock into AFC South champs and a playoff club in one year.
Stroud threw for 264 yards last week in leading the Texans past the Indianapolis Colts and to the division crown. It was the 10th time in 15 games this season that Stroud bettered this week’s passing yardage total of 245.5 yards.
- NFL Player Prop Picks: CJ Stroud over 245.5 passing yards (-115); risk 1 unit at ESPN BET
Wild Card Weekend Rushing Props – Najee Harris Rushing Yards
As the Steelers rallied for the 7th seed in the AFC by winning their last three games of the season to finish 10-7, Najee Harris was reborn as an impact NFL RB. Harris rambled for 112 yards in last week’s win at Baltimore and 122 the week prior while Pittsburgh was winning at Seattle. He was good for 73 yards as the Steelers beat the Bengals three weeks ago.
Those were the first two 100-yard rushing performances by Harris this season and three of his top-five yardage totals for 2023. Against the Bills, he’s set with a rushing yardage prop of just 61.5 yards. With the forecast projecting bad weather for Buffalo on game day, the ground game figures to play a vital role in the outcome. And Pittsburgh will be handing the rock to Harris.
- NFL Player Prop Picks: Najee Harris over 61.5 rushing yards (-115); risk 1 unit at ESPN BET
Wild Card Weekend Rushing Props – Tony Pollard Rushing Yards
In the case of Dallas Cowboys RB Tony Pollard, it all comes down to how many times he gets his hands on the ball. Last week, he lugged the rock 17 times and gained 70 yards in the win over the Washington Commanders. In fact, in all four games in which Pollard has 17+ carries this season, he’s gained at least 70 yards. His rushing yardage total for this game is set at 61.5 yards.
Green Bay was 28th in the NFL at stopping the run during the regular season. The Packers allowed 128.3 yards per game on the ground. It should set up well for Pollard to have a big game on Wild Card Weekend in the NFL props.
- NFL Player Prop Picks: Tony Pollard over 61.5 rushing yards (-110); risk 1 unit at ESPN BET
[doe id=”594706″]
Wild Card Weekend Passing Props – Josh Allen Interceptions
As the Bills were rallying from 6-6 on the season to five successive wins and a fourth straight AFC East title, QB Josh Allen was playing no small part in this success story. Over that five-game span, Allen threw for five TDs and ran for six TDs.
He also threw a lot of interceptions. Allen was picked off four times over the past three games, including twice in the division-clinching win at Miami. His 18 interceptions this season rank second among NFL QBs. Allen was intercepted at least once in 12 of Buffalo’s last 13 games.
The Pittsburgh defense has intercepted 16 passes in 17 games this season. Odds are the Steelers will be stealing a pass from Allen.
- NFL Player Prop Picks: Josh Allen over 0.5 interceptions (-125); risk 1 unit at ESPN BET
"Josh Allen to me is the most volatile amazing player in the game." 😅 @KevinCarter_93 and @trentgreen10 talk about the Bills' star QB after their win last night. pic.twitter.com/t5mE3jYSDM
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 8, 2024
Wild Card Weekend Receiving Props – Chris Godwin Receptions
In last week’s 9-0 win over Carolina, Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin made six receptions from seven targets. That would’ve bettered his Wild Card Weekend projected total of 4.5 receptions.
In fact, Godwin has gone over 4.5 receptions in four of the Buccaneers last five games. He did so in 11 of 17 regular-season games.
- NFL Player Prop Picks: Chris Godwin over 4.5 receptions (-155); risk 1 unit at ESPN BET
WIld Card Weekend Touchdown Props – James Cook Anytime Touchdown
Bills RB James Cook has at least 15 touches in every game during Buffalo’s regular season-ending five-game win streak. While he hasn’t scored in any of the last three games, Cook has accounted for four of his six TDs this season over Buffalo’s last seven games.
In his only previous game against Pittsburgh, Cook ran for a TD.
- NFL Player Prop Picks: James Cook anytime touchdown (+135); risk 1 unit at ESPN BET
Before you make your NFL Wild Card Weekend player props, be sure to head on over to one of the top football betting apps this weekend to grab an exciting sportsbook bonus for your NFL prop bets.
[doe id=”594708″]Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.