A 1-2 record with my underdog picks last week moved my overall record for the season to 28-23. Week 18 could be tricky with playoff teams potentially resting players, but as things currently stand, here are three more DraftKings Sportsbook underdogs to consider taking a chance on.
Place your NFL bets at DraftKings Sportsbook and bet online by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings: Bears +5.5
The Bears demolished the Giants last week, scoring 29 points in their lopsided victory. They’ve won back-to-back games after losing three straight, so they’re looking to end things on a high note. They were hoping to get Justin Fields back for their season finale, but he landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday, setting up Andy Dalton to make another start.
The Vikings were eliminated from playoff contention last week in a lopsided loss to the Packers in which they only scored 10 points. Kirk Cousins (COVID-19) missed that game, but has been cleared to return for the season finale. As big as his return is, their offense is still compromised with Adam Thielen (ankle) out. The road team has won each of the last four games between the Bears and Vikings, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if that streak was extended in this matchup.
Houston Texans vs. Tennessee Titans: Texans +10
With a 7-3 lead at the half, the Texans looked to be well on their way to covering their 12-point spread as underdogs last week. However, they went scoreless in the second half, while their defense allowed 20 points. The 49ers did a good job of bottling up Rex Burkhead, who could only turn his 16 carries into 47 yards. The Texans were also picked apart by Eli Mitchell, who carried 21 times for 119 yards.
Even with their blunder last week, the Texans are still one of the more appealing underdogs to consider. Derrick Henry (foot) was designated to return from IR this week, but he likely will be held out until the playoffs. Prior to their 34-point outburst against the Dolphins last week, the Titans had scored 23 points or fewer in six straight games. If the Texans can muster up a couple of touchdowns, they might be able to cover this big number. When these two teams met earlier in the season, the Titans won by nine points.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts: Jaguars +15
This pitiful season is almost over for Jaguars fans. They have lost eight straight, including a 40-point defeat at the hands of the Patriots in Week 17. They haven’t played in many close games during their losing streak, falling in four of them by at least 20 points. With that being said, one loss during that stretch was by only six points to these same Colts.
As bad as the Jaguars have been in recent years, they have tended to put up a good fight whenever they face the Colts. In fact, they are 11-1-1 against the spread over their last 13 games against them. Given that crazy stat, the Jaguars might actually have a chance at keeping this game relatively close. This could be a situation in which the Colts race out to a big early lead and decide to rest some of their key players in the second half in order to get ready for playoffs, which could enable the Jaguars to pull off a back-door cover.
Place your NFL bets at DraftKings Sportsbook and bet online by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
All betting odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is mbarner51) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).
Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-888-532-3500 (VA), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat. (CT).
21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/MI/NH/NJ/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.