Week 6 of the NFL season is off to the races with another full Sunday of action kicking off. Staring at 1 p.m. ET, the Carolina Panthers will face the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys enter with a 2-2-1 record on the season, while the Panthers are 2-3 on the year.
This will be an interesting measuring stick matchup from both perspectives. The Dallas Cowboys have one of the top offenses but also one of the worst defenses. Meanwhile, Carolina has a 30-0 shutout against the Falcons on its resume but also losses to the Cardinals, Jaguars and Patriots, with the erratic level of play from Bryce Young still being an issue. It has been difficult to fully identify where Dallas and Carolina stand in the hierarchy of the league.
The Cowboys are three-point favorites and hold -175 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Panthers hold +145 odds, and the game total is set at 49.5.
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 6 Panthers vs. Cowboys matchup.
Panthers vs. Cowboys Best Prop Bets
Dak Prescott Over 243.5 Passing Yards (-111)
It has been a stellar start to the season for Dak Prescott. He has been the foundation of the Cowboys’ offense and has played at an MVP-level in the early parts of the season. He leads the NFL in pass attempts and completions, throwing for 1,356 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions. Prescott is averaging 271.2 passing yards per game and has thrown for over 243.5 passing yards in three of the five games.
Carolina has a respectable defense that ranks 18th in opponents’ points allowed, 10th in passing yards conceded and 12th in passing touchdowns given up. It has, however, struggled to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks and ranks last in the NFL in sacks per game. If you give Prescott time in the pocket, he will make you pay. Prescott has only been sacked seven times this season and holds a career-best 3.47 sack percentage. The Panthers gave up 256 passing touchdowns to Tua Tagovailoa just last week, so it’s expected that Prescott can tally at least this many yards this week.
While Prescott has been playing very well lately, he’s had other stretches in his career with similar production. He averages 258.2 passing yards per game in his career and has seasons of 306.4 (2019), 278.1 (2021) and 265.6 (2023) passing yards per game.
I will lock in the standard prop bet of over 243.5 passing yards, but don’t be shocked if Prescott maintains his impressive start to the season and comfortably clears this total. He also has a line of 300+ yards listed at +355 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Bryce Young to Record 2+ Passing Touchdowns (+103)
It has been an uneasy start to Young’s NFL career. The Alabama product has struggled to find his footing at the professional across three seasons in the league. He was benched in exchange for Andy Dalton just last year, and has not been overly impressive this season. Through the opening five games, Young is completing passes at a 60.9% rate, with 951 passing yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions. He has thrown for at least two touchdowns in two games this season.
Luckily for Young and the Panthers, they’re facing a struggling Cowboys defense. It ranks 29th in points allowed, 32nd in yards given up, 32nd in passing yards allowed, 32nd in net yards per pass attempt, and 29th in passing touchdowns allowed. Dallas is allowing 2.4 passing touchdowns per game. Jalen Hurts is the only quarterback to be held to fewer than two passing touchdowns this season against the Cowboys, although it is worth noting he scored twice on the ground. Dallas is also allowing an average of three passing touchdowns per game across the past three weeks.
Young will also have the home crowd behind him for this matchup and has performed significantly better at home. Across his career, he is 7-10 and has completed 64.6% of his passes for 3,099 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions at home. He is just 1-17 when playing on the road with 18 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.
Tetairoa McMillan Anytime Touchdown (+145)
One guy in line to help Young reach this touchdown total is Tetairoa McMillan. The Panthers selected the standout wide receiver with the eighth overall pick in this year’s draft to help elevate this offense. Through his first five games, McMillan has pulled in 24 receptions on 43 targets for 351 receiving yards, but he has yet to score his first NFL touchdown.
Look for this to change this week against this vulnerable Cowboys’ defense. McMillan leads the Panthers with a 25.3% target share, which is 11.2% higher than second-place Hunter Renfrow in this category. He leads the team in both receptions and receiving yards, with McMillan being the only pass catcher on the roster with over 108 yards recorded through the air. He has caught five passes in three of the Panthers’ five games and four or more passes in four of these matchups.
Dallas is allowing 188.8 receiving yards and two touchdowns to the wide receiver position — both metrics mark the worst rate in the league. McMillan is still registering a 16.7% target share in the red zone and boasts a 6-foot-4 frame with a wide catch radius. Dallas ranks 29th in passing touchdowns conceded, so look for McMillan to score for the first time in his professional career.
