3 NFL Player Prop Bets for Week 1

Player props can be useful in a variety of ways -- from taking advantage of them straight up to measuring a player's potential to produce in daily fantasy football on FanDuel. Here, we're going to focus on the former.

Utilizing numberFire's projections as a guide, here are some NFL player props bets that look appealing.

Please note that betting lines and numberFire's game projections may change throughout the day after this article is published. Also, the weather may be an issue in some locations.

Calvin Ridley Any Time Touchdown (+135)

Let's jump into Week 1 of the NFL season with three props for the Sunday slate!

We have a full slate of games to kick off the NFL season and there are great bets to consider this week. We'll start with Calvin Ridley of the Jacksonville Jaguars to score a touchdown this week.

The Jaguars traded for Ridley at the end of last season to add a boost to their already strong group of receivers. As a team, the Jaguars started last season slowly but ended on a high note, largely due to the play of quarterback, Trevor Lawrence.

When it comes to wide receiver props, we don't just want talented wide receivers, we also want a very talented quarterback. That is what we have with Lawrence, who took command of the offense to end last year.

In 2022, the Jaguars had a 59.40% pass play percentage, which was the 12th highest in the league. However, over the final three games of the season, that rate jumped up to 69.49%, putting them up as the second-highest in the league.

Why is this important? The Jaguars have the trust in Lawrence to push the ball via the passing game, something which will only lead to production for the receivers.

To start the season, this is an elite matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, as they come in with the 31st ranked secondary according to PFF. This should allow both Ridley and Lawrence to start the year on a high note.

We saw a bit of that in the preseason, when Ridley had high utilization with Lawrence, albeit a small sample size. Everything is set up for Ridley to grab his first touchdown with his new team.

Chris Olave Over 66.5 Receiving Yards (-114)

Despite it being the first week of the season, the New Orleans Saints are struggling when it comes to their running backs.

We know that Alvin Kamara is suspended for the first three games of the season. Backup running back Kendre Miller did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday due to a knee injury. This leaves Jamaal Williams and Kirk Merritt as the only listed running backs on their roster.

If their running back room isn't up to par, it's easy to see them lean on the passing game this week against the Tennessee Titans. After all, the Saints went out and signed Derek Carr to a big contract in the offseason, so there's no reason they shouldn't be interested in passing the ball.

Speaking of passing the ball, that should come easily for Carr since the Titans have the 26th-ranked secondary according to PFF.

All of his should put Chris Olave in an elite matchup to pile up the yards. Last season, Olave had a 26.7% target share, 69.5 receiving yards per game, 112.4 air yards per game, 41.5% air yards share, and 14.1 average depth of target (aDOT), all of which were the highest on the team.

Olave is primed for not only a big game this week but the entire season is looking up for him.

Tyler Higbee Over 44.5 Receiving Yards (-114)

Finally, another injury situation for the Los Angeles Rams presents upside for Tyler Higbee.

The Rams announced the other day that Cooper Kupp is out for this week's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Without Kupp, the Rams' group of receivers is young and highly inexperienced.

We should take a step back to note that the Rams are +4.5 road underdogs against the Seahawks, in a game with a healthy 46.5-point over/under. If the Rams are going to be playing from behind, they will likely need to pass the ball to put some points on the board.

Last season, the Seahawks struggled against tight ends allowing 1,115 receiving yards, which was good for 65.5 yards per game. Higbee is coming off a career season and with Kupp out to start the year, he has an opportunity to lead the Rams' pass-catchers.

Looking to build some NFL DFS lineups? Head over to FanDuel’s daily fantasy football lobby to see all the offerings for this week's slates.

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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.