To close down the Week 9 NFL state, the Washington Commanders will host the Seattle Seahawks. Jayden Daniels is making his return from his latest hamstring injury and this will mark just his sixth start of the year.
Washington is feeling a sense of urgency after falling to 3-5 on the season, which drops them to third place in the NFC East. Seattle is 5-2 to start the year and tied with the Rams for the top spot in the NFC West.
Looking at the odds of this matchup, the Seahawks enter as three-point road favorites and hold -155 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Commanders hold +130 odds of winning outright, and the game total is set at 48.5 points.
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 9 Sunday Night Football matchup.
Seahawks at Commanders Best Prop Bets
Sam Darnold Over 242.5 Passing Yards (-111)
Through his first seven games in Seattle, Sam Darnold has lived up to expectations and showcased his ability to air the ball out. He is averaging 250.6 passing yards per game with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions on the year. Darnold has posted passing yard totals of 150, 295, 218, 242, 341, 295, and 213 on the season. The former Pro Bowler also ranks sixth in EPA per drop back and is leading the NFL in yards per completion at 13.4.
This is a friendly matchup for him to build off this against this Commanders defense. Washington ranks 21st in points allowed and 27th in yards allowed overall as well as 26th in passing yards allowed, 25th in passing touchdowns conceded, and 30th in net yards per pass attempt. They have allowed 252+ passing yards to six of the eight quarterback they have faced this season. This includes Patrick Mahomes throwing for 299 yards last week, Dak Prescott for 264 yards the week prior, and Caleb Williams throwing for 252 before this.
Darnold has thrown for 242+ in three of his past four games and has found a rhythm in this Seattle offense. Washington grades better against the run, although neither are great, but this should motivate the Seahawks to continue prioritizing their aerial attack. He is averaging 27.4 pass attempts per game and should have plenty of opportunities to add to his yardage total throughout. Count on the Seattle quarterback to throw for over 242.5 passing yards for the fourth time in the past five games against the vulnerable Washington pass defense.
Jayden Daniels Under 41.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
After one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NFL history, Jayden Daniels has taken a bit of a step back this year and already battled through some adversity. He missed two games with a knee sprain and was out last week due to a hamstring injury. The reigning Rookie of the Year will return to the field this week, but expect him to be a bit cautious about relying on his rush attack.
This dual-threat ability is part of what makes him so special, and Daniels is averaging 42.2 rushing yards per game on 8.8 attempts so far this season. This is already a slight step back from the 52.4 rushing yards per game he averaged last year. Seattle has a tough rushing defense that has allowed the fewest rushing yards and fewest net yards per rush attempt. They have conceded just 530 total rushing yards on the season at 3.3 yards per carry. Opponents have scored just two total rushing touchdowns all season, just 29 rushing first downs, and have allowed only one run of 20+ yards.
Expect Washington to be a bit cautious in putting Daniels in harms way and for the potential for big plays on the ground to be limited. The Commanders’ star has been held to under 41.5 rushing yards in three of the five games he has played this season thus far. Count on the Seahawks to have success in the trenches again this week and for Daniels to fall short of this total for the fourth time this season.
Deebo Samuel Record 70+ Rushing & Receiving Yards (+131)
Deebo Samuel is the healthiest he has been all season and is off the injury report entirely this week. He is one of the prized additions of the offseason and has gotten off to a respectable start despite the injury issues. Samuel has tallied 37 receptions for 326 rushing yards and added 42 rushing yards with four touchdowns on the season.
Terry McLaurin will miss this game due to his quad issues which shifts Samuel up to the top pass catching option. The entire wide receiver room felt the effects of missing Daniels with Marcus Mariota not quite filling his shoes at an adequate level. Across the past two weeks Samuel has just seven receptions for 26 receiving yards to water down his statistics a bit. But before this, Samuel had posted receiving totals of 96, 72, 11, 44, and 77.
While Seattle is strong against the run, they rank 23rd in passing yards allowed this season. Samuel finally being fully healthy is a big deal and he will have the full opportunity to show what he can do given the expanded role in the offense. This is the same Pro Bowl talent who has posted 1,770 yards from scrimmage over a season and is two years removed from 1,100+ yards from scrimmage. Count on Washington’s offense to take strides into looking like how it is designed and for Samuel to see the ball in his hands plenty with a chance to make plays. I am opting to take the rushing and receiving yards combined with the potential for Samuel to work in at the backfield, but expect the bulk of the production to come through the air. Look for him to tally 70+ yards from scrimmage for the fourth time this season in the primetime battle tonight.
