The AFC playoff field is loaded. As of now, three teams with 10+ wins occupy the three Wild Card spots. Two such teams are the Houston Texans and the Los Angeles Chargers. L.A. has already punched its ticket to the playoffs and can upset the Broncos for the AFC West title if the team wins out. Meanwhile, the C.J. Stroud-led Texans need one more win to confirm a Wild Card berth and could usurp their division as well.
It’s a heavyweight showdown with huge playoff implications as two star quarterbacks lead the way. Stroud will do everything he can on Saturday to push the Texans into the postseason.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Chargers are 1.5-point favorites, with the point total set at 39.5. Here is my favorite CJ Stroud prop bet for Saturday afternoon’s AFC showdown.
Best C.J. Stroud Prop Bet for Texans vs. Chargers
C.J. Stroud Under 219.5 Passing Yards
Stroud’s return to the lineup after a brutal concussion has been a great story, but it’s not his play that is fueling Houston’s resurgence. The Texans are riding a seven-game winning streak, with the past four wins coming under Stroud’s supervision. Over that streak, he’s throwing for a respectable 231.5 yards per game and completing 63% of his passes. But this Chargers defense is a difficult test.
On the year, L.A. is fifth in yards allowed per passing attempt. The unit has allowed only 14 passing touchdowns compared to 17 interceptions. Winners of seven of their past eight games, the Chargers have leaned on the secondary to produce, and produce they have — opponents passed for under 200 yards in six of those eight games.
Stroud still has big-yardage upside when throwing to Nico Collins, but the team mostly is comfortable letting him operate as an extension of the running game with quick passes in the flats and short of the sticks. Neither the volume nor the upside is there for Stroud in this potentially season-defining game, making under 219.5 passing yards the best play for the quarterback’s prop bet market in Week 17.
