With Week 13 inching closer and closer, I’ve had my eyes on Austin Ekeler all week, and it’s time to pounce. Ekeler’s receptions line of 4.5 catches is available on DraftKings at -145 odds. There is a lot to like at that spot, and his over is one of my favorites NFL player props on Sunday.
His production, the Bengals defensive tendencies, and BetPrep’s positive trends bring forth a prop bet you can feel confident. Let’s dig in.
Ekeler’s Season And Statistics
There’s no doubt that Austin Ekeler is a pivotal part of the Los Angeles Chargers offensive game plan.
Ekeler sees the field for roughly 70% of all offensive snaps and has 34 targets in his last five games.
Coming off back-to-back games with six catches, it seems clear that Justin Herbert trusts his running back to make plays in the passing game.
Austin Ekeler is our fantasy king ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/9X0jG41Mwa
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) November 28, 2021
Ekeler has hit this 4.5 reception line in six of 11 games this season, and if you prefer his yards (currently 42.5 on DraftKings), then by all means take his yards.
I prefer the volume and reliability that reception props give us while yards can sometimes be random.
Editor’s Note: New to NFL player props? Check out our complete NFL Prop Betting Guide to get up to speed!
Bengals Against Running Backs
Only one team allows more receptions per game to running backs than the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincy is letting RBs catch on average 7.36 balls per game.
Three times this year, the running back group that faces the Bengals has hauled in double-digit catches. With the role that Ekeler has on this offense, he is well-suited to take advantage of this defensive vulnerability.
BetPrep Trends Suggest The Over
It’s always a great feeling to head to BetPrep and see that the data support a player you like.
Austin Ekeler’s page pushes this betting pick to full confidence. The page has three solid trends that suggest a 5+ catch outing is on the horizon for the Chargers RB:
- Recorded 5+ receptions in 6 of his last 8 (75%) games when he averaged at least 10 yards per catch previous game. (avg. 6.1 per gm)
- Recorded 5+ receptions in 6 of his last 8 (75%) games when he has caught at least 4 TDs on the season. (avg. 5.9 per gm)
- Recorded 5+ receptions in 6 of his last 8 (75%) games when he averaged at least 0.45 receiving TDs per game. (avg. 5.5 per gm)
Today, I’m sold and excited to lock in Ekeler’s receptions prop on DraftKings. Good luck this weekend!
For more NFL betting info, be sure to follow me on Twitter, @griffybets.