Week 9 of the NFL season will kick off with a Thursday Night matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson is making his return to the field after missing the previous three games and the bye week due to his hamstring issue. The Ravens have slipped to 2-5 to start the season in what has been a nightmare start. They will take on a Dolphins team that has even more reasons to be frustrated and are 2-6 on the year.
Looking at the odds for this week’s Thursday Night Football matchup, the Ravens are favored by 7.5 points and hold -440 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Dolphins hold +340 odds of getting the outright victory, with the game total set at 51.5 points.
There are numerous ways to get involved in the action beyond simply backing a side. This article will look at my three favorite prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Week 9 opener as both these teams attempt to get their season back on track.
Ravens at Dolphins Best Prop Bets
Tua Tagovailoa Over 216.5 Passing Yards (-111)
It has been an ugly start to the season all around for Tua Tagovailoa. The expected Dolphins’ franchise quarterback’s future is beginning to be in doubt and the pressure is on to turn things around. Through the opening eight games, Tagovailoa is averaging 189.8 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and a league worst 10 interceptions. He has been held to under 216.5 passing yards in six of the eight games.
This is a favorable matchup for Tagovailoa with the Ravens struggling against the pass. So far this season they rank 28th in passing yards allowed, 26th in net yards per pass attempt, 27th in passing touchdowns conceded, and 30th in EPA per play. Baltimore allowed 285 passing yards to Caleb Williams last week and have given up as many as 394 passing yards to Josh Allen this season.
Tagovailoa has averaged as many as 272.9 passing yards per game over a season and is better than he has played to this point. Miami also enters as 7.5-point underdogs and will likely be playing from behind in this matchup. Expect the Dolphins to air it out plenty as a result and for Tagovailoa to see a surge in passing opportunities. With the game script in his favor and a vulnerable defense, count on the Dolphins QB to eclipse 216.5 passing yards for the third time this season.
Derrick Henry Over 89.5 Rushing Yards (-113)
It has been a bit of an underwhelming start to the season for Derrick Henry by his sky-high standards. Fumble issues have taken the headlines and he is averaging just 72.9 rushing yards per game. He will be aided by Lamar Jackson’s return and the defense needing to respect the pass at a more notable rate. Miami has struggled to stop the run anyway and this is a matchup in which this will be exposed. They enter rank 28th in rushing yards allowed and 29th in net yards per rush attempt. They are allowing an average of 128.3 rushing yards per game to opposing running backs alone.
Henry’s full rushing output has been sporadic this season. He has posted rushing totals of 169, 23, 50, 42, 33, 122, and 71. The Alabama product has a physically imposing style that wears on a team as a game goes on. It takes just one long run to drastically change his rushing outlook and he should have plenty of chances to push for this.
Expect the Ravens to control this game and to lean on Henry to eat up the clock. Miami has not consistently been able to stop the run all season and has had issues tackling this year. This will be extremely problematic in this matchup with Henry as physical of a running back as you will find. Expect the Ravens’ offense to begin looking like they are designed to and for Henry to be a huge part of this. Jackson’s presence will open up the running lanes and Henry should have no problem breaking free at some point in this game. Count on this being a get-right spot for the Ravens and for Henry to record over 89.5 rushing yards.
Malik Washington Anytime Touchdown (+330)
The loss of Tyreek Hill changed this Dolphins offense in a major way and it is not a major surprise to the see their production shrink. But this also has opened the door for other players to step up and Malik Washington has been among those to take advantage of this. The Northwestern product has seen his role scaled up, logging over 62% of snaps in back-to-back games.
On the season overall, Washington has tallied 25 receptions for 135 yards and one score. This lone touchdown occurred last week against the Falcons and is the only score of his professional career. While these numbers are not eye-popping, he is third in the team in targets and receptions as well as fourth in receiving yards.
Washington will also benefit from the pass-heavy game script and see an increase in chances. He has four or more receptions in each of the past four games and targeted at least five time in each of these games. His touchdown last week he came on a a nine yard reception over the middle. Getting +330 odds for him to score for the second straight week is good value based on the opportunity and context of this matchup. Count on the 24-year-old to be in line for a strong finish to the season and reach paydirt in primetime.
