The Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs has lived up to the hype and will conclude with an AFC matchup between the Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night.
Kenneth Gainwell and company did not have the cleanest path into the playoffs. However, their prayers were answered with a last-second, missed field goal from the Ravens, which cemented their spot in the postseason. Pittsburgh will now face a stiff Houston defense as it attempts to secure its first playoff victory since 2016.
The Texans enter as three-point favorites and hold -155 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Steelers are +130 underdogs, and the game total is set at 38.5 points.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action beyond backing a side or total. Here’s a look at my top Kenneth Gainwell prop bets ahead of the NFL postseason matchup.
Best Kenneth Gainwell Prop Bets on DraftKings Sportsbook
Kenneth Gainwell 6+ Receptions (+133)
Kenneth Gainwell became increasingly important to the Steelers’ offensive attack as the season progressed, and his involvement should carry into the playoffs. The former Eagles’ standout has become the go-to option in plenty of short-yardage situations and is crucial to the Steelers’ passing attack. This season, Gainwell rushed the ball 114 times for 537 yards, while logging 73 receptions for 486 yards and eight total touchdowns.
He led the Steelers in receptions, ranked second in receiving yards, and tied for the most total scores.
Expect Gainwell’s involvement in the short passing game to be especially vital in this matchup. Houston enters with one of the best defenses in the league, ranking second in opponent points and total yards. The Texans have also tallied the NFL’s seventh-most sacks and do an excellent job of containing the run. While Pittsburgh has protected Aaron Rodgers this year, the Texans’ pass rush is unlike anything the Steelers have seen this season. Expect Rodgers to lean on short dump-off passes as a means to generate any form of sustainable offense.
Gainwell has played just 50.1% of the offensive snaps on the season. But he is coming off back-to-back games of logging more than 66% of the offensive snaps, and he has tallied as much as 77.4% in a game. The 26-year-old averages 4.3 receptions per game. However, he is coming off a season-high eight receptions in the regular-season finale and has tallied at least six catches in seven outings. Gainwell was targeted 51 times across the final eight weeks and averaged 5.5 receptions per game during that stretch.
With the former Super Bowl champion already a key part of the game plan and the matchup further requiring his involvement, expect Gainwell to see plenty of chances on Monday night. Count on Rodgers to lean on him in the screen game, and for Gainwell to tally at least six receptions for the seventh time in the past nine weeks.
Kenneth Gainwell 40+ Receiving Yards (+133)
Calling him a big-play threat is a bit of an overstatement, but Gainwell is perfectly capable of picking up chunks of yardage throughout a matchup. Not only is he involved in the backfield, but the Steelers have leaned on him as a true wide receiver. Gainwell led the team with 64 receiving yards against Baltimore and has tallied at least 40 yards in three of the last four weeks.
Houston’s defense has plenty of strengths, but matching up with opposing running backs out of the backfield is not one of them. Opposing running backs have generated at least one reception in every game against them this year. The Texans are allowing an average of 4.2 receptions for 31.8 yards on the season. But Gainwell is used in the passing game as frequently as any running back in the league, not named Christian McCaffrey or Bijan Robinson.
DK Metcalf’s return will help the outlook, but Pittsburgh has lacked difference-makers in the passing game all season. Gainwell’s emergence was not only a positive storyline but a necessity for reviving the offense. Expect the Houston pass rush to help guide the ball into his hands. Gainwell averaged 45.4 receiving yards per game over the final eight weeks — expect the trend to continue in a postseason setting.
