Week 9 of the NFL has already kicked off with one receiver hitting 120+ receiving yards, two receivers hitting 90+ receiving yards, and what’s being called the best touchdown catch of the year –– all thanks to Thursday Night Football. Here are three more players who should clear their receiving lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and find success in the passing game this week.
Washington Commanders at New York Giants
Terry McLaurin Over 61.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
Get your popcorn ready. I don’t watch reality TV. However, I do watch and look forward to any NFL drama. Last season, Giants’ rookie corner, Deonte Banks went on Instagram live after the Giants beat the Commanders in Week 11, to trash-talk the Commanders for passing on him in the draft. Such trash talk included:
“Could’ve come and got me at [pick] 16, and they didn’t. Now I’m 2-0 against you bum-*** boys. **** the Commanders. They think they slick. They gonna see me two times a year until the end of my career.”
This was also after he exchanged some heated words on the field with Terry Mclaurin. Well, this season Banks has to be careful with his words because his play isn’t really backing up his energy as it was last year. He was benched on Monday night’s loss to the Steelers – the third time he has been under scrutiny for effort and performance. Whether it’s been giving up on tackles, failing to chase down receivers, or being hurdled by players — Banks has either continually been beaten by his opponents or has got in his own way. However, head coach Brian Daboll has confirmed he will still start this week, which is great news for Terry Mclaurin. McLaurin has three 100+ yard games this season and is averaging over five catches a game at 14.5 average yards (fifth-most). He has the second-highest percentage of total team air yards of all receivers in the NFL (over 47%), and according to the metrics –– has the third-best matchup this week when it comes to WR/CB matchups. As far as redzone upside for Mclaurin — who has four touchdowns — Banks has allowed the second-most touchdowns as the nearest defender, according to NextGen Stats.
Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens
Courtland Sutton Over 48.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
Here’s another good cornerback/receiver matchup — we just don’t have as much drama. Sutton is coming off an 8-reception, 100 yard-game on 11 targets against a porous Panthers defense. Should we expect that type of production? Probably not. However, he should have a good game. Ravens’ Brandon Stephens is the primary defender and is allowing almost 17 air yards a target — the most of any primary defender this week. The Ravens’ defense is one of the worst in yards allowed to outside receivers as a result. I know it has been tough to predict what this passing game will look like with rookie Bo Nix under center but one thing we do know is Sutton has seen and will continue to see targets. He has 24 more targets than anyone on the team right now, with a team target share percentage right around Jamar Chase’s with the Bengals. He is also averaging 13 yards a catch, which has resulted in almost 54 receiving yards a game where he has seen at least one target. As far as upside in the redzone goes — I know he only has two touchdowns but he’s tied for the third-most redzone targets of any receiver in the game. Expect those targets to result in touchdowns sometime soon. Sutton is primed for a good week.
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons
Rico Dowdle Over 14.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
The Cowboys have been consistent this season when it comes to the run game (consistently bad). You’ve probably heard it before –– they can’t stop it and they can’t carry it themselves successfully (and, no I don’t think Dalvin Cook will change that.) Dowdle has had single-digit carries in four of six weeks, no rushing touchdowns, and has just three red zone rush attempts for -1 yards. However, he has been involved in the passing game, so that’s where we will go here. He is averaging almost 22 receiving yards a game, with five plus targets in half of his starts this season. He’s now facing a Falcons defense that just allowed 13 catches on 14 targets to Buccaneers’ running backs last week. Through eight weeks, they have allowed an average of almost six catches and 31 receiving yards a game to running backs. Game script also comes into play here with the Falcons sitting as 3.5-point favorites, the Cowboys are expected to either trail to some degree or play in a close game –– which means everyone should be involved in the passing game early and often. Plus, if we are being honest, game script hasn’t really mattered, they are a pass-first team regardless, with the third-highest pass rate in the NFL at 67%.
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