Week 2 of the NFL season brought plenty of good games, but luckily the fun isn’t over yet. Instead of the normal one game, we have two games to work with for Monday Night Football today. More games means more opportunities to make money, and we’ve got you covered with our best MNF bets below.
Contents
Kirk Cousins o278.5 Passing Yards , -110 DK
The game between the Vikings and Eagles features a high total of 50 points. Vegas expects this game to be a shootout, with both teams having individual totals over 23 points. Considering the expected competitive nature of this matchup, we look for passing to be at a high. If the odds are right about the game script, there will be plenty of offense in this game, and the Vikings will likely be playing from behind as underdogs.
We expect Kirk Cousins to do plenty of passing tonight, as he has typically done throughout his career. He’ll primarily target Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen – two receivers with very high upside. We know all about Jefferson’s breakout potential, especially after last week. One big play is all it’ll take for Cousins to make up ground on his passing prop.
Cousins covered this number in 7 games last season. A 44% hit rate on a relatively high passing prop is pretty good, and tonight there’s a favorable game script. Consider that last week, Cousins threw for 277 yards in somewhat of a blowout win over the Packers. He nearly covered his total for tonight while not having to pass much in the second half. Everything is checking out for Kirk Cousins to have a big game behind center.
Miles Sanders o1.5 Receptions , -150 DK
Fair warning, this is not a high conviction play, but one that should work out based on history. Miles Sanders has had a weird role over the past two seasons, but he’s relatively productive. We saw him get a majority of the RB work last week, so it seems like things are looking up for the fourth year player.
We’re not a fan of the juice on these odds, but perhaps it’s indicative of a solid play. Miles Sanders caught two passes in the first game, as well as the only pre-season game he played. He’s not necessarily a receiving back, but Jalen Hurts checks down to him a few times every game. Sanders has averaged 2.83 targets per game since the start of 2021, and he hardly drops a ball.
In terms of history, Sanders covered 2 receptions in 7/12 games last season. He missed a handful of games due to injury, but a 58.3% hit rate is still nothing to gawk at. Now that he’s seeing more snaps, it only makes sense to take a chance on a prop with a high rate of success. Look for Miles Sanders to see 3-4 targets tonight and haul in the two catches we need.
Dalvin Cook o16.5 Rush Attempts, -140 DK
If you’re looking for the pick of the day, look no further. We have high conviction Dalvin Cook will go over 16.5 rush attempts with ease. The Philadelphia Eagles are below-average against the run, and Cook will likely be fed to exploit this. It wouldn’t be shocking to see this line move up as he’s consistently hit this number throughout his career.
Dalvin Cook played in 13 games last season and covered this number 9 times. A 69.2% hit rate is the highest amongst any of our picks for tonight, so we’re very confident here. Although there might be concerns about the Vikings having a two-man backfield, we’re convinced that counterpart Alexander Mattison won’t see as many opportunities.
If we dive further into game theory, there are more reasons to like this prop. The game is expected to be close, so there’s a chance that the Vikings will run the ball more in the second half to keep the ball away from Jalen Hurts. Despite the Vikings being underdogs, there’s always the chance of them taking a big lead and opting for more run plays.
All in all, we see several paths to Dalvin Cook getting over 16.5 rush attempts. This number is quite low given what he’s done throughout his career, and the Eagles are bad against the run. All pieces of information are pointing to a game with a lot of offense, so we’ll look to capitalize on this. You can take a shot on Cook’s rushing yards prop if you feel more confident doing so.
Lean: Vikings ML and Under 50 , +300 DK
It seems like Draftkings doesn’t have this available as a normal game parlay, but it’s easy to craft up as a SGP. This is more of a lean simply based on value, but it’s worth a sprinkle if you’re confident in the Vikings on the road. The Vikings are underdogs by only a couple points, so it wouldn’t be a shock for them to win outright. Additionally, 50 points is a lot to cover if the defense steps up on both sides. Most games are going under to start the season as there’s no shortage of mistakes on both sides of the ball.
Although it’s early in the season, the Vikings seem like the more complete team between these two. Their defense held the Packers to 7 points in week 1, and Cousins has plenty of offensive weapons to work with. The Eagles have homefield advantage tonight, but the stars are aligned for Minnesota to pull off an upset.
Conclusion
We appreciate you reading through our write-ups! All plays are 1 unit unless otherwise specified. Remember to only bet what you can afford to lose, and always do your own research before placing a wager. There are plenty of games left in the NFL season, so it’s not the end-all be-all if you miss tonight’s action.
Check back regularly for sports betting content across every major sport. We look forward to helping you identify the best plays for a long time to come. Best of luck, and enjoy a Monday night with two football games!
