Week 2 of the NFL season is here with Thursday Night Football already in the books. The Sunday slate features nine early afternoon games, three late afternoon and one Sunday Night Football matchup. One of the early afternoon games is between the 49ers and Saints.
San Francisco is a three-point favorite and -162 on the moneyline, while New Orleans is +136 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 40.5 points.
Here are my three favorite player props for this Week 2 NFL game between the 49ers and Saints.
49ers vs. Saints Best Prop Bets
Mac Jones under 29.5 pass attempts (-119)
The 49ers ruled out Brock Purdy for Week 2’s matchup with the Saints, so Mac Jones is taking over under center. This could be a multiple week injury, so Jones could become a regular starter for the time being.
Since an impressive rookie season, Jones has started fewer games and thrown for fewer yards and touchdowns in each of the following seasons. Now, he’s a member of the 49ers after spending last season with the Jaguars.
He started seven games in Jacksonville, attempting more than 29.5 passes in four starts. That said, the Jaguars had a standout rookie in Brian Thomas Jr. to target, and the team split time in the backfield between multiple running backs.
The 49ers have one of the top running backs in the NFL in Christian McCaffrey and are missing a handful of their top pass catchers. Brandon Aiyuk started the season injured, George Kittle got hurt in Week 1, and Jauan Jennings is questionable.
Jones won’t have as many top-tier pass catchers on Sunday, so he’ll likely utilize McCaffrey more in the run game. The 49ers’ offense shouldn’t rely on Jones’ throws when it features one of the best rushers in the league.
Chris Olave over 57.5 receiving yards (-113)
Chris Olave is a difficult player to gauge due to his injury history. The talent is there, but he hasn’t been able to consistently stay on the field. After two 1,000-plus yard seasons to start his NFL career, the injuries have caught up. Even in Week 1, he had an injury scare.
Injuries are impossible to predict, so it makes Olave’s props a bit risky. Still, he’s expected to be fully healthy and the No. 1 receiver at the start of this contest. It’s clear that he has No. 1 receiver talent, but he needs to stay on the field to showcase that.
He finished Week 1 with 54 yards on seven receptions. He had a team-high 13 targets, which is a bright spot moving forward. Spencer Rattler should continue looking Olave’s direction in Week 2 as they build a connection.
The reason for picking Olave’s yards over his receptions is because he only needs one or two big plays to surpass the over. Receptions require more time on the field, and as mentioned before, Olave has a track record of not being able to stay healthy.
Taking his receptions is a way of minimizing the risk while also betting on the Rattler-Olave connection to expand.
Christian McCaffrey over 18.5 rushing attempts (-109)
In conjunction with Jones’ under pass attempts, McCaffrey should see an increase in rushing attempts.
McCaffrey had 22 attempts last week with Purdy under center. Now that Jones is starting and the team is missing more key pass catchers, the offense will lean even more on McCaffrey.
McCaffrey doesn’t need to top his Week 1 performance on the ground in terms of attempts. He could rush three fewer times and still surpass the over this week.