3 Best NFL Bets and Predictions for Seahawks at Cardinals on Thursday Night Football

Even within a single NFL game, betting markets are abundant.

You've got everything from spreads and totals to touchdown scorers and player props at your disposal. It can be a lot to sort through.

Using the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook as a guide, here are the best bets for the Thursday night matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals.

All NFL projections via our numbers at FanDuel Research, and NFL odds references are to FanDuel Sportsbook. Lines may change after this article is published.

Seahawks at Cardinals Betting Picks on Thursday Night Football

Cardinals ML (+108)

Our latest power rankings, per numberFire's model, rank Seattle at 15th and Arizona at 16th, suggesting these two teams are pretty evenly matched entering Thursday.

With that being the case, numberFire is giving the edge to the home team, projecting a Cardinals win 55.7% of the time. That suggests there could be value in backing the home 'dog at plus money.

Both teams have produced as middle-of-the-road offenses when adjusted for schedule. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, the two quarterbacks have posted similar marks in expected points added per drop back (EPA/DB), with Kyler Murray averaging 0.07 EPA/DB and Sam Darnold averaging 0.06 EPA/DB.

While Arizona just lost starting running back James Conner for the season, we shouldn't see much -- if any -- drop-off with Trey Benson taking over as the lead back. Compared to Conner, Benson has averaged more yards per attempt (6.0 vs. 3.0) and rushing yards over expected per carry (2.3 vs. -0.6) this season.

The Seahawks have performed well defensively, but two of their first three games have come at home, and none of their previous opponents are inside the top 10 in adjusted defense, so it's probably too early to crown them as world-beaters. Our adjusted rankings once again don't see a huge gap, with Seattle ranking 9th defensively and Arizona ranking 14th.

Our Jim Sannes also sees value in backing the Cardinals, and his spread model projects that they should actually be the favored side.

Kyler Murray Over 27.5 Rushing Yards (-112)

This line simply seems a tad low, as Murray has averaged 35.7 rushing yards per game, logging 38, 32, and 37 yards through three weeks.

This feels even more the case when we consider Murray's averaged 36.8 rushing yards per game over his career and has never had a season where he didn't average at least 30 per game.

He's also averaged 6.7 carries per contest, which would be his highest rushing usage over a full season since 2020. Early in the season, head coach Jonathan Gannon stated that utilizing Murray as a runner was a "point of emphasis," and early returns fully support that.

Our NFL projections see Murray reaching 30.9 rushing yards, further backing the over.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Most Receiving Yards (-110)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has piled up the league's second-most receiving yards (323) due to some truly insane usage to begin the year. Entering this matchup, JSN has soaked up a 40.3% target share and 53.7% air yards share, averaging 9.7 targets, 7.3 receptions, and 107.7 receiving yards per game. Of those targets, 57.1% have been downfield (10-plus yards), making him a frequent threat to generate chunk plays.

The scary thing is those numbers would likely be even higher had last week's lopsided win over the New Orleans Saints been closer, as Smith-Njigba logged just a 50.0% snap rate. Given the tight spread, a blowout is unlikely tonight, and another big performance could be on tap against a Cardinals secondary that's expected to still be missing starting cornerback Will Johnson (groin).

However, picking a market to target JSN is a bit tricky because -- unsurprisingly -- his prop lines are set rather high. Smith-Njigba's receiving yards line is set at 84.5 yards, and his total receptions line is at 6.5 catches.

While both are very much doable in his target-hog role -- our Annie Nader likes JSN to go over 84.5 receiving yards tonight -- backing him to lead this game in receiving yards is also a potential alternative.

Given how much JSN has dominated looks on his own team, his only realistic competition will be on the opposing side. Arizona's top pass catcher is tight end Trey McBride, and while he's earned a strong role, his 27.3% target share and 26.9% air yards share pale in comparison to Smith-Njigba's usage. McBride has recorded 61, 78, and 43 receiving yards this season while JSN's been up at 124, 103, and 96. The fact that McBride hasn't even reached JSN's receiving yards prop line in any game yet is also telling.

Beyond McBride, every other player from either side has a target share below 21%. Even if he doesn't reach the lofty heights of previous weeks, Smith-Njigba shouldn't have much trouble leading this game in receiving yards.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.