MNF doubleheader betting preview: Will Jets or Dolphins pick up 1st win?
We have another Monday Night Football doubleheader on our hands. This one features four teams that are hard to get excited about unless you're a fan.
The Jets visit Miami to take on the Dolphins for a 7:15 p.m. ET start, giving one 0-3 AFC East team a chance to walk away with its first victory of the season. An hour later, the Broncos and Bengals will kick off in Denver.
But even if the games lack some juice, there are still bets that can be placed to spice up the action. Let's dive in.
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🏈 Pick: Jets (+2.5)
Both of these teams are bad, but the Dolphins are worse and are being asked to cover by a field goal.
Justin Fields returns from a concussion and adds another dynamic to the Jets' offense that Tyrod Taylor can't. The Jets nearly won on the road last week against the Buccaneers, but some Baker Mayfield heroics ruined their hopes.
Tua Tagovailoa isn't playing at nearly the same level as Mayfield, and the Jets' defense should be able to slow down the Dolphins' attack enough to cover. The underdog between two bad teams in a divisional matchup is the side to bet in this one.
🏈 Pick: Broncos (-7.5)
I may have been a bit too high on Jake Browning last week when I trusted him to cover on the road in Minnesota. Browning threw two interceptions and was sacked three times in the Bengals' 38-point loss, the largest in franchise history.
Another week of practice with the first-team offense should help him, but this is a horrible spot: facing a reeling Broncos team on the road. Denver has lost back-to-back games by a combined four points and will want to put on a show in front of its home crowd in prime time. The Broncos' defense is still excellent. Patrick Surtain is likely to shadow Ja'Marr Chase, and edge rusher Nik Bonitto will make Browning's evening a nightmare.
Bo Nix has yet to play his best football, but Cincinnati's defense offers him the perfect opportunity to get back on track.
🏈 Bet: Over 5.5 receptions
Achane can be considered a wide receiver from a usage perspective. Tagovailoa has targeted him 23 times, tied with Tyreek Hill for the team lead, and he has 18 receptions through three games. Achane has caught seven or more passes in his last two games, becoming Tagovailoa's safety valve when he needs to check the ball down.
🏈 Bet: Over 3.5 receptions
Franklin had an off game last week against the Chargers but caught four and eight balls, respectively, in his first two games. He leads the Broncos in receptions (14) and is second on the team in targets (19). Expect Franklin and Nix to get back on the same page against a Bengals defense that can't stop anyone.
🏈 Bet: Over 19.5 rushing yards
Nix has rushed for 18 or more yards in all three games this season and has gone over 19.5 in back-to-back appearances. He ran often last year, closing the season with four straight games of at least 20 rushing yards. Expect this trend to continue in a game where the Broncos will be desperate to avoid falling to 1-3.
NFL news editor Brenden Deeg will provide touchdown scorer props all season long.
🙌 Bet: Anytime TD (+210)
Fields returns from a one-game absence and is playing to keep a starting job in the NFL. We expect Fields to use his legs any chance he gets in prime time, and this is a perfect matchup for that. Miami's been horrible against the run this season, allowing the fourth-most yards on the ground while surrendering a league-leading three rushing touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks.
🙌 Bet: To score 2+ TDs (+450)
Neither Monday night game provides great value, so let’s take a swing on Dobbins punching in two touchdowns. The veteran running back has three touchdowns this season and is seeing a heavy workload for Denver. Cincinnati has already surrendered five scores to opposing running backs this season.
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