Welp last week was shockingly bad as the Las Vegas Raiders came up short against the Los Angeles Chargers. We can only go up from here! All lines are via DraftKings as of Saturday morning. Let’s see if your favorite Raiders blog can help you make a little change.
Smartest Bet: Darren Waller to Score a Touchdown (+135)
While Waller was unable to score last week, Derek Carr was certainly looking his way a few times down in the red zone. They were simply unable to connect. This week, they should have better luck. This should be a bounce-back game for the Raiders, especially on offense. We should expect to see multiple touchdowns, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to see Waller haul one of them in. It doesn’t hurt that Arizona was torched by Travis Kelce last week to the tune of eight catches, 121 yards, and a touchdown.
Safest Bet: Derek Carr OVER 3.5 Yards Rushing (-120)
After what we saw last week, I know this doesn’t feel great. However, it might actually be a good sign. Statistically speaking, the idea of Carr not running at all for two consecutive games feels like a long shot. Plus, after being an interception machine in Los Angeles, we will likely see more of the old conservative Carr in Vegas this week. This means more check-downs, throw-aways, and the occasional five-yard scamper to the sidelines. The bottom line is that Carr is almost certainly going to take off at least once this week. Even if it is only once, he just needs to get a little over ten feet on the play to hit the over. I know Carr is not the best runner in the world, but he’s not Joe Flacco, luckily for the Raiders.
Best Risky Bet: AJ Green to Score a Touchdown (+320)
Remember when Green was generally considered one of the top three or so wide receivers in all of football? That feels like ancient history now. He is a shell of his former self. That being said, this is not a bad play. With DeAndre Hopkins suspended, and now Andy Isabella and Rondale Moore both out with injury, Kyler Murray’s targets are certainly limited. Arizona’s main three wideouts will likely be Green, Hollywood Brown, and Greg Dortch. And Dortch was sneakily the Cardinals’ leading receiver last week, nabbing seven of his nine targets for 63 yards. Expect the Raiders to have Nate Hobbs take him away this week. Brown’s speed will require significant attention. Arizona also has Zach Ertz at tight end. While no longer elite, he is still pretty good. There is a real possibility that Green sees a lot of Johnathan Abram this week. If that’s the case, I’ll take +320 on him to score all day.
Raiders Blog: Josh McDaniels On Dave Ziegler Acquiring Players
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*Top Photo: Jeff Bottari/Associated Press
