A terrific offense meets a horrendous defense. What could go wrong? The Lions are 3-1 and have scored at least 34 in each of the last three games. The Bengals are 2-2 and have allowed the sixth most points in the NFL this season.
In addition to the weak defense, the Bengals’ offense has been awful since Joe Burrow suffered an injury. Jake Browning started the past two weeks and the team’s totaled 13 points. More of the same fate is likely against an elite Lions team.
Detroit is a 10.5-point favorite and -600 on the moneyline, while Cincinnati is +440 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at 49.5 points.
Here are my favorite player props for this Week 5 NFL game between the Bengals and Lions.
Bengals vs. Lions Best Prop Bets
Jameson Williams under 3.5 receptions (-161)
This may have been a closer game if Burrow was healthy, but that’s not the case. The Lions should cruise to victory and it’ll impact how often Jared Goff throws the ball.
Jameson Williams is the No. 2 wide receiver for Detroit, but he’s not the second target. Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta both have more receptions than Williams this year. Williams is mostly a deep threat and is always a danger to have a massive performance. That said, there will be even fewer opportunities in this game for him.
He had four receptions in Week 1 and then two in Weeks 2, 3 and 4 for a total of 10. Because the Lions should take an early lead, they should run the ball often with Gibbs and David Montgomery.
Chase Brown under 50.5 rushing yards (-110)
The losing team in a blowout will be throwing the ball often to make a quick comeback. The comeback won’t happen this Sunday, but Browning will still be forced to sling the rock.
Detroit’s offense is inevitable, especially against the Bengals’ defense. If Browning expects to keep up, he’ll need to feature Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins heavily in the offense. That’s already the case each week, but it’ll be taken up a notch.
Even with a lot of targets, it doesn’t necessarily mean the Bengals will convert those into points. They’ll be trailing all game and it’ll hurt Chase Brown the most. He won’t be rushing as much, making it a good time to bet the under.
Jahmyr Gibbs over 106.5 rushing + receiving yards
Although Gibbs and Montgomery share the backfield, Gibbs is still the featured back. He’s active in both the run and pass games, making him a threat in any set that he’s on the field.
He should run the ball often when the team is leading in the second half, but he’ll also be a major part in building that lead. It’s why I’m taking his rushing and receiving combo instead of just rushing. Any time he’s on the field, he has a chance at adding to the total.