The Los Angeles Chargers are on the road this week, headed to the East Coast for a Monday night game against the New York Jets. Playing on opposite coasts is never easy for teams coming east, but with a primetime kickoff that disadvantage should be negated for Justin Herbert and Co. In fact, the Chargers are favorites here.
This game feels like it’s going to feature the running backs for both teams, each of whom have been essential offensive contributors and are matched up against defenses vulnerable to the run. That’s why they’re both on my list of favored player props.
Chargers vs. Jets player prop bets
Austin Ekeler — First touchdown scored (+475)
The Chargers enter this game as 3.5-point favorites. That’s notable here because Ekeler has been a beast when his team is favored. The do-it-all running back has scored the first touchdown in each of his last five games where the Chargers were favored. The Jets defense is no pushover. They’ve given up just one rushing touchdown to opposing running backs and two receiving scores to the position. But they giving up oodles of yards, 145 rushing yards per game.
Breece Hall — Anytime touchdown scorer (+115)
The Jets are leaning heavily on their star running back, feeding him the ball an average of more than 20 times per game over the last three contests. It’s no coincidence that he’s hit paydirt in each of those games too, with two rushing scores and one receiving touchdown. The Chargers have given up five touchdowns to running backs this season, four on the ground and one through the air.
Zach Wilson — OVER 213.5 passing yards (+115)
Sure, Wilson’s been a solid fill-in for an injured Aaron Rodgers, but the Jets are playing it smart with their backup, limiting his overall workload in the offensive game script. But as underdogs this week, it’s clear they’re going to have to throw the ball some more. Wilson threw for 240 yards in his last outing, an overtime win against the Giants.