The Seattle Seahawks will host the New Orleans Saints as part of today’s 13-game NFL afternoon slate. Seattle enters with a 1-1 record on the season, while New Orleans is still searching for their first win. The Seahawks fell short to the 49ers in the season opener but beat the Steelers last week, while the Saints have fallen short to the Cardinals and 49ers.
Looking at the odds for the matchup, the Seahawks are favored by 7.5 points and hold -375 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Saints hold +295 odds of getting the outright victory with the game total set at 41.5.
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 Week 3 Seahawks vs. Saints matchup.
Seahawks vs. Saints Best Prop Bets
Kenneth Walker III Over 80.5 Rushing Yards (-113)
When Kenneth Walker III is healthy and on the field, he is in the conversation for one of the most talented running backs in the NFL. Unfortunately, these opportunities have been far less frequent than he and the Seahawks would like for them to be. The 24-year-old is off to a strong start to this season with 23 carries for 125 rushing yards and a touchdown so far this year. Walker III was limited to just 10 carries for 20 yards in the season-opener against the 49ers, but broke free for 105 yards on just 13 carries last week.
New Orleans did a better job stopping the run last week, but allowed 146 rushing yards to the Cardinals in the season opener. They also ranked 31st in rushing yards allowed last year, as well as 31st in net yards per rush attempt. The Saints made some personnel changes this offseason, but not to the level where this should be expected to change completely.
Walker III has faced the Saints just once in his career, with this coming back in 2022. He rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries. The Michigan State product is averaging 5.4 yards per carry through the opening two weeks and played 5% more snaps last week compared to the opening game. Seattle is a comfortable favorite in this matchup and should be expected to operate with a lead throughout. Expect Walker III to see plenty of touches and record over 80.5 rushing yards for the second straight game and second time against the Seahawks.
Spencer Rattler to Record 210+ Passing Yards (+103)
Spencer Rattler is set to make his ninth start of his NFL career today and has an interesting trajectory to this point. After being selected with the 150th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Rattler filled in for an injured Derek Carr for seven games last year, six of which were starts. The Oklahoma and South Carolina product threw for 1,317 passing yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions while adding 146 yards with his legs last year. His outlook changed coming into this year when Carr announced he would retire shortly before the season.
Rattler was thrown to the fire as the Saints’ regular starting quarterback and has not looked disastrous to start the year. Through the opening two games, the 24-year-old has completed 65% of his pass attempts for 421 yards, three touchdowns, and has yet to throw an interception. Rattler had 214 passing yards against the Cardinals and 207 against the 49ers.
Seattle enters this matchup ranking 22nd in passing yards allowed and 20th in net yards per pass attempt. They allowed 277 passing yards to Brock Purdy and 203 to Aaron Rodgers thus far. There has been a comforting level of competence from the Saints so far this season, with Rattler looking the part of an NFL-quality quarterback. It is still in New Orleans’ best interest to find out exactly what they have with him and allow Rattler to play through his mistakes. With the Saints as notable underdogs, expect Rattler to be prepared to air it out and look to keep the game competitive. He threw for 210+ yards in three of his six starts last year and in one of the two so far this season. With a vulnerable defense and a game script likely to play to his statistical favor, I like Rattler’s chances of throwing for 210+ passing yards tonight.
Cooper Kupp Anytime Touchdown (+235)
One of the more significant under-the-radar offseason moves was the Seattle Seahawks’ signing of Cooper Kupp. While he has fallen off the NFL mainstream to an extent, Kupp secured the NFL triple crown just four years ago. A 32-year-old, Kupp still looks to have something left in the tank and is benefiting from a change in scenery. Through the opening two weeks, he has tallied nine receptions for 105 receiving yards.
Kupp is the clear number two target on this Seahawks offense. Only two pass-catchers have more than five targets on the season, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba leading the team with 23 and Kupp in second with 12. It is worth noting that Smith-Njigba was added to the injury report this morning after waking up with flu-like symptoms. He is the clear number one if he is healthy, but if the Ohio State product is at all limited, this will further help Kupp’s outlook.
New Orleans ranks 30th in the league in passing touchdowns allowed, with five given up through the opening two weeks. Sam Darnold has thrown a pair of touchdowns on the season himself, which came to Tory Horton and AJ Barner. This is a matchup where Seattle will lay it on thick if they have the opportunity, as they attempt to build up Darnold’s confidence. Expect Kupp to play a role in this and for today to mark a great chance to record his first Seahawks touchdown. With Smith-Njigba under the weather and Kupp tripling his targets from Week 1 to Week 2, taking a swing on the +235 odds is a solid bet today.
