I’m looking at the two best wide receivers in this game to dominate on Monday Night Football.
The pregame narrative: Competition brings out the best in the NFL’s top athletes. Ja’Marr Chase and CeeDee Lamb both have a claim to make in the league’s WR1 conversation. I expect both to show out in primetime as both prepare to battle weak secondaries.
Check out my Bengals vs. Cowboys prop picks for Monday Night Football on Dec. 9.
Bengals vs. Cowboys prop picks
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Best Bet: Chase over 80.5 receiving yards (-115)
Chase’s weekly yardage output is worth examining.
The wide receiver is liable of clearing this line every time he touches the field, but bettors may be surprised to see some of his trends from this campaign:
- Chase is averaging 95.2 receiving yards per game
- He has topped this line in two of his last three games
- Chase has missed this line in five of his last seven contests
- Chase has gone below this total in seven of 12 outings this year
For as good as the NFL’s receiving yards leader has been, most of his production has come in a handful of games.
So why do I think Chase will deliver a spike outing on Monday Night Football?
Firstly, it’s a golden matchup. Dallas is 30th in opponent yards per pass (7.3).
Secondly, that number balloons to an NFL-worst 8.7 yards per pass when the Dallas Cowboys are at home.
Thirdly, this is a golden opportunity for Chase to make up some ground in the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year race. A strong showing in primetime could allow him to close the gap between him and current odds-on favourite, Saquon Barkley.
Key stat: Chase leads all players in receiving yards (1,142) and touchdowns (13).
Quick pick
Lamb over 70.5 receiving yards (-112): Cincinnati Bengals games have typically been a great opportunity to back overs for both teams.
Cincinnati is all offence and no defence. It’s fifth in points per game (27.9) but tied for a horrid 31st in points against per contest (28.3).
That kind of play style usually creates shootout conditions and I expect Dallas to lead on its leading receiver in this matchup.
Lamb has fallen short of this mark in four of his last five games as he battles through a shoulder issue. The extra time off (Dallas played last Thursday) likely helps the superstar receiver in his recovery.
Additionally, his target volume remains highly encouraging. Lamb has 83 targets across his last seven games (11.9 per contest).
A consistent stream of targets should vault Lamb over this number as the Bengals are tied for 25th in opponent yards per pass (7.1).
Picks made at 11:53 a.m. ET 12/08/2024.
Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.