NFL primetime games have been brutal to bet on.
Only one of the eight Thursday, Sunday and Monday night games had both teams eclipse the 20-point mark. The Denver-San Francisco Sunday night clash did nothing to inspire hope for what Monday's NFC East clash between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys could be.
The quarterback battle of Daniel Jones versus Cooper Rush is not inspiring and there are LOTS of questions about the wide receiver and tight end groups on both sides due to injuries.
Running back is the only position you can confidently trust on Monday night and that is the driving force behind the majority of my player prop plays.
MNF Player Props
Tony Pollard
Over 2.5 Receptions (-140)
Over 21.5 Receiving Yards (-145)
Tony Pollard was second on the Cowboys roster in targets and third in receptions last week against the Bengals.
The four receptions Pollard had extended his streak of games with multiple catches to nine. He had three or more catches in five games during that stretch.
Pollard caught all seven of his targets against the Giants last season. He had four receptions for 28 yards and three catches for 13 yards in the two divisional clashes.
The Dallas running back is set up for success on Monday because of the injuries inside the Dallas passing game and the Giants' concession of receiving yards to running backs in 2022.
New York allowed Dontrell Hilliard to catch two touchdown passes as part of a three-catch, 61-yard day in Week 1. Christian McCaffrey had four catches on five targets for 26 yards against the Giants in Week 2.
Cooper Rush should look to Pollard with Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz injured. The absences will likely mean more production for Pollard, Noah Brown and CeeDee Lamb than a surprise showing from a reserve wide out or tight end.
Saquon Barkley
Over 78.5 Rushing Yards (+105)
Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+105)
Saquon Barkley has 39 carries for 236 yards through two games.
It's clear that the Giants will rely on their top running back a ton this season and it's a smart move given how uncertain the wide receiver situation has been.
Dallas' defense gave up 152 rushing yards to Tampa Bay in Week 1, so there is room for the Giants move the ball down the field behind Barkley.
Barkley cruised to a 164-yard total in Week 1 against Tennessee and he was just a few yards off hitting his over in Week 2. He had 72 yards on 21 carries versus Carolina.
He is averaging just over six yards per carry and he should be the main ball carrier when the Giants get into the red zone.
Barkley is the only player you can reliably trust in the Giants offense right now and I'm willing to take these numbers with the expected high volume he will have.
Long Shot ATTS Plays
Kenny Golladay (+450)
Wan'Dale Robinson and Kadarius Toney are both hurt.
The Giants could use Kenny Golladay to something in the passing game that way the Cowboys defense does not hone in on Barkley for four quarters.
Golladay was on the field for 77 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 1. That total dropped to three percent in Week 2.
If there's any time to take a risk on Golladay to score, it's now. The Giants need help at wide out and they would be dumb not to put him on the field in the red zone, no matter what the coaching staff feels about him.
KaVontae Turpin (+2200)
Dallas will likely be without Gallup and Schultz, so that leaves Cooper Rush with a limited group of players to throw to.
Schultz was targeted four times in Week 2, and if you take him out of the equation, there are not many big play options for Rush to choose from.
The Giants would be wise to double cover CeeDee Lamb and make the other Dallas pass-catchers beat them.
Noah Brown should be the biggest beneficiary of the injuries, but KaVontae Turpin could play a larger role in the offense, especially if Rush takes a deep shot or two .
Turpin is Dallas' primary returner and he played fewer than 10 percent of the offensive snaps in the first two games.
He had one rush for three yards last week. That could mean nothing, but the Cowboys may try a run play for him to break out in open space.