Week 3 of the NFL season will conclude with a Monday Night doubleheader. This will mark the first of four Monday nights in which two games will occur this season.
Following the Bills and Jaguars kicking off the night, the Commanders and Bengals will face off in the normal primetime slot. Cincinnati has yet to secure its first victory of the season but enters as 7.5-point favorites in this matchup. Washington is +270 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook and the game total over/under is set at 46.5 points.
You can also check out the player prop picks for the Bills vs. Jaguars game here, but this article will dive into my favorite player prop bets for the Bengals vs. Commanders.
Jayden Daniels Under 196.5 Passing Yards (-120)
Jayden Daniels is set to make his third NFL start and still has plenty of growing pains to play through. The Commanders have been careful about putting too much on his plate too soon. Through the opening two weeks, Daniels has thrown the ball 53 times compared to the 65 rush attempts they have recorded as a team.
Daniels threw for just 184 yards in the first week and then 226 yards last week. He will now face a Bengals defense, which will be his most difficult test yet. Cincinnati has allowed just 257 total yards passing through the opening two weeks. Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett threw for just 121 yards through the air in the opening week and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was held to just 151 yards passing in Week 2.
The Commanders have a plan for Daniels’ development, but it does not involve putting him in a position to make high-risk throws or shoulder too much of the offense. Expect this to prevent him from having enough opportunity to clear this passing yards number, especially based on the success of the Bengals’ defense. If Daniels can put his imprint on the game, expect it to have more to do with his legs than his passing ability.
Austin Ekeler Over 41.5 Rushing and Receiving Yards (-110)
One beneficiary of the lack of passing opportunities is Austin Ekeler. The veteran running back elected to leave the Chargers this offseason after spending the first seven years of his career there. Ekeler led the NFL in touchdowns from scrimmage in 2021 and 2022 and has also tallied over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of the last three seasons.
The biggest hurdle he has faced in Washington is the split touches with RB Brian Robinson Jr. While it is clear Ekeler is looked at as more of the passing down back, there is a place in the offense for each of them to perform. In the opening matchup, Ekeler recorded two carries for 10 yards while adding 52 yards receiving. He followed that up in Week 2 with 38 yards on the ground and 47 total receiving yards.
Look for Ekeler’s opportunity to continue to grow and for him to be involved in both the passing and rushing attack in Week 3. Expect him to eclipse 41.5 yards from scrimmage just as he has done in the first two weeks and for Ekeler to be much more relevant to the Commanders’ offense than most people have acknowledged.
Josh Allen & Jayden Daniels Anytime TD Parlay (+320)
Take advantage of the Monday Night doubleheader by getting some action on both games.
In the early game, Bills QB Josh Allen is considered the biggest favorite for an anytime touchdown at -135 odds. Allen was tied with Jalen Hurts for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 15 last season. He has also kicked off this year with a pair of rushing touchdowns in the first two games in addition to the three through the air. Allen’s 6’5 frame makes him a legitimate red-zone threat and he will continue to be the Bills’ biggest vehicle for scoring production.
When the Commanders take on the Bengals, look for QB Jayden Daniels to begin to establish a similar identity around the red zone. While Daniels does not have the commanding physical presence like Allen, his legs are even more dominant. The Commanders have been conservative in their usage of the rookie, but he has been able to rely on his rushing ability. Through the opening two games, he has not thrown his first passing touchdown. Instead, he has rushed the ball 26 times for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Daniels is a big-play threat on any given touch, but the Commanders have also specifically called rushing plays for him in the red zone.
Both of these quarterbacks will be among the leaders in rushing touchdowns this season and have a chance on any given week to find the end zone. Both the Commanders and Bills also have some concerns regarding their other options for scoring in the red zone. Look for both quarterbacks to capitalize with their legs and capitalize on the +320 odds.
Ja’Marr Chase & Tee Higgins to Combine for 200+ Receiving Yards (+450)
It has been an offseason dominated by off-field drama and contract disputes for the Bengals’ wide receivers. Ja’Marr Chase was a holdout for most of training camp as he attempted to negotiate a long-term contract. This agreement was not reached and conversations have been put aside until the offseason as Chase and the Bengals focus on the football field. Tee Higgins was also unable to come to a long-term agreement with the franchise this offseason and is playing under a franchise tag this season.
For both players to receive the type of lucrative deal they desire, they will need to perform on the field and this has yet to be the case. Higgins will be making his 2024 debut after missing the first two weeks of the season due to a hamstring injury. While Chase has been on the field, he has been uncharacteristically quiet based on the sky-high bar of expectations that is set for him as a player. Through the first two games, Chase has tallied just 10 receptions for 97 total yards.
This dynamic wide receiver duo is too good to struggle for long, so look for them to break out in Week 3 in their first game together. Cincinnati is the better team in this matchup and Washington’s secondary is a point of concern. Through the opening two weeks, it has allowed 455 passing yards and Giants WR Malik Nabers alone pulled in 127 yards receiving last week.
This is a bit of a big swing, but both Higgins and Chase have eclipsed 100 yards receiving plenty of times in their careers. The Bengals could use a performance in which their offense fully clicks to remind themselves and the rest of the NFL just how good they can be. The Commanders provide a great chance to make this happen and if the offense gets humming, expect Chase and Higgins to be at the forefront of the production.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
