NFL Playoffs: Best Prop Bets for Divisional Round

If you ever think that the oddsmakers don’t know what they’re doing, look at our prop bets column for Wild Card weekend.

The total yards gained for Isiah Pacheco was set at 88.5. We said to take the over. He ran for 89 yards on 24 carries. That played out how we expected. Unfortunately for our wager, he had one reception for -1 yard, leaving us a loser by half a yard. If you were able to grab that bet at a lower number than 88.5, good for you!

Fortunately, our other two selections (Josh Allen rushing TD + Bills win and Matthew Stafford over 276.5 passing yards) both hit without too much drama.

Now, it’s time for the Divisional round, and while our best bets for the games are in the books, it’s time to look at which players may (or may not) excel. We’re presenting our NFL playoffs prop bets for this weekend’s second round of the postseason.

The Baltimore Ravens have been so good for so long because they can find value in the NFL draft. Franchise cornerstones Ray Lewis, Joe Flacco, and Lamar Jackson were not picked in the top 20. In fact, the team has picked inside the top 10 just twice in over 20 years. The latest example is rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers, who was 22nd off the board last April.

But the four-year starter out of Boston College not only stood out for his playmaking ability. Scouts were also impressed that he played for BC all four years, despite chances to go into the transfer portal and join a top program. That loyalty no doubt stood out for the Ravens, who were immediately rewarded with their selection.

In Flowers’ first game in the NFL, Jackson trusted him to make catches on third or fourth down five times, which was more than half of his catch total (nine). On the season, Flowers’ 77 receptions were the most on the team by a wide margin. His 858 yards also led the team, and his five TDs led wide receivers (only trailed Jackson favorite Mark Andrews’ six, who missed the final six games of the season with an injury).

There is talk Andrews could return this week, but if he does, it will be in a limited capacity. Expect Flowers to get plenty of reps, especially considering Houston’s run defense is strong and pass defense is not (22nd in the NFL).

The Play: Zay Flowers OVER 47.5 Receiving Yards (-114 at FanDuel)

Green Bay’s Aaron Jones has been unstoppable since shaking off a series of injuries that plagued him for most of the season. He’s currently on a run of four-straight 100-yard rushing efforts. He also scored three times in Dallas and made his blocking assignments too.

Jones’ rushing streak will be facing a stiff challenge against a 49ers team that’s third in the league again the run. But the Packers have plenty of weapons in the passing game. Sunday’s blowout of Dallas was the first time the entire complement was healthy all season, and it showed.

Jones was targeted five or more times on 11 occasions this year. He also broke the 20-yard receiving mark five times. On the opposing side, the 49ers gave up an average of 37 receiving yards to running backs this year. With the number set below 20, look for Jones to impose his will on the game with catches in the backfield.

The Play: Aaron Jones OVER 18.5 receiving yards(-115 at BetMGM)

Harrison Butker was clutch in Kansas City’s 26-7 win over Miami last week, drilling four field goals and two extra points in sub-zero conditions.

So why would we say that Butker will have less than three PATs this week? That’s because the Chiefs won’t score three touchdowns. While the Chiefs offense looked better last week, they still had four drives stall out in the red zone.

In fact, this season only saw the Chiefs get three or more touchdowns in a game in five of 17 games. Yes, we’re saying 17 because many of the key starters didn’t play in a season-ending win over the Chargers.

Looking back to Kansas City’s recent history with Buffalo, the Chiefs scored just two touchdowns in three of their last four meetings. And even if the Chiefs get more than two scores, Patrick Mahomes finds himself in the position of playoff underdog in his first-ever postseason away game. That means the game situation may call for a two-point conversion, which will also keep Butker on the sidelines.

The Play: Harrison Butker UNDER 2.5 PATs made (-125 at DraftKings)