Two teams poised for breakout seasons are set to clash in a marquee Week 1 matchup between the New England Patriots and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Las Vegas made major offseason waves by hiring Pete Carroll as head coach and Chip Kelly to lead the offense, then followed that up by signing veteran quarterback Geno Smith to run the show. Meanwhile, the Patriots made a bold move of their own, replacing Jerod Mayo with former linebacker-turned-coach Mike Vrabel, who brought in Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator.
The Patriots open as 2.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, but this matchup feels like anything but a lock on either side. What we do know? There’s value in the player props.
Here are my three favorite bets for Sunday’s opener:
Ashton Jeanty Anytime TD Scorer (-125)
Jeanty might be the most electrifying rookie running back since Saquon Barkley. Last season at Boise State, he racked up an absurd 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, adding another 138 yards and a score through the air. The Raiders took him with the sixth overall pick for a reason — they plan to ride him early and often.
New England’s run defense was one of the league’s worst in 2024, ranking bottom 10 in both rushing yards allowed and fantasy points surrendered to opposing backs. Expect Las Vegas to give Jeanty every opportunity to punch one in near the goal line — and don’t be surprised if he takes one to the house from distance. He’s a special talent.
Brock Bowers Over 65.5 Receiving Yards (-112)
Bowers made an immediate impact as a rookie, posting 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns — despite catching passes from Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. He finished third in the league in receptions behind only Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ja’Marr Chase.
Now, with a serious upgrade at quarterback and a backfield threat in Jeanty to keep defenses honest, Bowers is poised to take another leap. This week, he faces a depleted Patriots secondary missing standout CB Christian Gonzalez — an ideal setup for the Raiders’ No. 1 target to thrive.
This line is five yards below his per-game average from last season. He could smash it in a hurry.
TreVeyon Henderson Over 40.5 Rushing Yards (-111)
New England has been desperate for a true home-run hitter in the backfield — and they may have found their guy in TreVeyon Henderson. The former Buckeye averaged a Big Ten-best 7.1 yards per carry last season, even while splitting time with Quinshon Judkins.
Henderson’s preseason only raised expectations: he returned a kickoff for a touchdown in Week 1, then scored again the following week from eight yards out. While he’ll likely share snaps with Rhamondre Stevenson, this feels like a Jahmyr Gibbs–David Montgomery situation — where the younger, more explosive back becomes impossible to keep off the field.
If Henderson gets even 10–12 touches, this number should be well within reach — and then some.