It has already been a jam-packed opening Sunday of football action. But all eyes will be on the Sunday Night Football matchup between a pair of legitimate Super Bowl threats as the Buffalo Bills host the Baltimore Ravens. With the Kansas City Chiefs already having picked up an opening week loss, these two AFC threats will be looking to make their opening case for conference supremacy and measure up against each other in the opening week battle. Baltimore still surely feels the frustration of falling to Buffalo 27-25 in last year’s playoffs, with Mark Andrews’ fateful drop still fresh in our minds.
Looking at tonight’s odds, the Ravens enter as narrow 1.5-point favorites and -125 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Bills hold +105 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 50.5
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action beyond just backing a side. This article will look at my three favorite prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the season-opening matchup between these two AFC heavyweights.
Ravens at Bills Best Prop Bets
Josh Allen Anytime Touchdown (+100)
While there is plenty to talk about regarding Josh Allen’s ability to throw the football, he uses his 6-foot-5 and 235+ pound frame to serve as the Bills’ red zone back. Sure, James Cook was tied for the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL last season with 16. But Allen was ninth in the league in this category with 12 touchdowns on the ground last year. He also had 15 rushing touchdowns the year before, the second-most in the league, and is just one rushing touchdown away from tying the Bills’ franchise leader in the category. Allen can also become the first quarterback and fourth NFL player ever to record at least six rushing touchdowns in each of his first eight seasons, joining the likes of Jim Brown, Marshall Faulk and LaDainian Tomlinson.
Allen has 27 rushing touchdowns over his past two seasons and is effective off both designed runs and scrambles. He also had two rushing touchdowns against the Ravens in the divisional playoff matchup while only running for 10 yards on the ground. It is difficult to match his combination of size, strength and willingness to put his body on the line. Buffalo will be looking to make a statement in this Week 1 matchup, and Allen will continue to be a key part of its red-zone offense.
Getting this at +100 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook is great value for Allen. Look for the reigning MVP to get off on the right foot this season and rush one into the end zone one way or another.
Lamar Jackson Under 0.5 Interceptions Thrown (-141)
The postseason concerns will continue to be dangled over Lamar Jackson’s head, but he had an excellent season last year and fell just short (to Josh Allen) of winning his third career MVP. Jackson’s 8.6% touchdown rate led the NFL, and he tallied 41 total passing touchdowns to just four interceptions. Among these four picks, two bounced off the wide receiver’s hands before falling to an opponent.
Derrick Henry’s arrival changed the identity of the Baltimore offense last season. The former Offensive Player of the Year runs with impressive physicality and power and is a great complement to Jackson’s quick-twitch ability with the ball in his hands and strong arm. Baltimore has had success keeping it on the ground more and dominating the time of possession, although it should still be acknowledged that Jackson threw for a career-high 4,172 passing yards last year.
Jackson’s growth in his decision-making has been impressive, and I expect this to continue carrying over into this season. The Ravens star has done an impressive job limiting risk and will do the same this year. Jackson was able to avoid an interception in 13 of the 17 games last season, and getting -141 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook is a number I am comfortable laying in this Week 1 matchup.
DeAndre Hopkins to Record 40+ Receiving Yards (+393)
To take a bit of a bigger swing, I am backing DeAndre Hopkins to record 40+ receiving yards at +393 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver was traded from the Titans to the Chiefs last season and played the final 10 games in Kansas City. He averaged 43.7 yards per game with the Chiefs and has tallied 1,000+ receiving yards in seven of his 12 seasons in the NFL.
Baltimore has failed at bringing in the proper veteran wide receiver for a few seasons now, but Hopkins still looks to have something left in the tank. He will not be confused for one of the top wide receivers in the NFL, the way he was firmly in that conversation for the better part of his career. But Hopkins is still plenty capable of making plays when the ball is thrown his direction.
The standard receiving prop for Hopkins is set at just 16.5. While this is a prop I support as well, look for Hopkins to do a bit more damage than this. Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman will also be involved in the wide receiver production, but the Ravens are going to need to put up some points tonight to match the Bills’ offensive output and will need all hands on deck. The Buffalo secondary is already a bit banged up, and Hopkins managed to record 40+ receiving yards in three of the 10 games with the Chiefs, even while making the midseason adjustment. With a full training camp to get on the same page with Jackson and the Ravens, expect a solid opening week performance for the potential Hall of Famer.
