After a much-needed 3-0 mark with my underdog picks in Week 13, my season record sits at 21-18. Four teams being on a bye limits our options for Week 14, but here are three underdogs on DraftKings Sportsbook that might be worth considering.
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Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns: Ravens +3
The Ravens suffered a one-point loss to the Steelers in Week 13 when they decided to try for a two-point conversion in the final seconds, rather than kick an extra point to force overtime. Their offense disappointed again, scoring fewer than 20 points for the fourth straight game. While Lamar Jackson sat out one of those losses, he has just three touchdown passes, compared to six interceptions, across the other three contests.
The Browns are coming off a bye in Week 13, so they should at least be rested for this game. A problem, though, is that they should be thin at tight end with David Njoku (COVID-19) and Harrison Bryant (ankle) both likely out. They are already thin at wide receiver, so moving the ball through the air could be difficult. The Browns only scored 10 points in a loss to the Ravens in Week 12, so with the potential that they struggle to score again, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Ravens win this game.
Detroit Lions at Denver Broncos: Lions +10
The Broncos’ offense came up flat against the Chiefs last week, scoring just nine points in a loss. Teddy Bridgewater continues to underwhelm at quarterback, throwing one or no touchdown passes in five straight games. He also didn’t top 257 passing yards in any of those games. If there is a positive note for the Broncos heading into this matchup, it’s that Melvin Gordon (hip/shoulder) seems to be trending towards a return.
Arguably the biggest upset in Week 13 was the Lions earning their first win of the season, beating the Vikings in the final seconds. Their offense scored at least 20 points for just the second time all season and the first time since Week 1. Even with their ugly record, they haven’t lost a game by more than three points since Week 8. Adding another win will be difficult in this road matchup, but with Bridgewater struggling, the Lions might be able to keep things fairly close.
New York Giants at Los Angeles Chargers: Giants +9.5
The Giants have a difficult time putting points on the board. They have scored 13 points or fewer in three straight games and are only averaging 17.6 points per game for the season. To complicate matters, Daniel Jones (neck) was out in Week 13 and will likely be out this week, as well. On the bright side, the team expects Mike Glennon to be cleared from the concussion protocol in time to take the field.
While the Giants have been inept on offense, their defense has performed well. Across their last five games, they have held their opponents to 20 points or fewer four times. The only team to light them up during that stretch was the Buccaneers, who can make even the best defenses look silly. With the Chargers dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19 that has the statuses of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in doubt, the Giants’ defense might be able to keep this close enough to enable them to cover.
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