Opening kickoff is almost here, and it’s time to drop our favorite Thursday NFL ladder bets!
The beauty of alt prop line betting is that you can target the exact scenarios you’re most confident about.
For example, if you think A.J. Brown is going to absolutely torch Dallas’s secondary, why settle for his typical receiving yards line when you can bump it up to 85+ yards and get way juicier odds?
Or if you’re worried about the Cowboys’ pass rush affecting Hurts, you can drop his passing line down to a safer number and still find decent value.
The market’s still catching up to how these offenses have evolved, and our betting expert Justin Bales is here to break it all down. Check our NFL news hub for plenty of FREE Week 1 content.
Thursday NFL Ladder Bets: Eagles vs. Cowboys Alt Prop Lines
We have one new face in the Cowboys’ lineup that has a chance to go crazy on Thursday. Let’s find out where the best Thursday NFL ladder bets are.
George Pickens Receiving Yards Ladder
Pickens took a small step backward after an outstanding 2023 season. Still, he posted 59 receptions for 900 yards and 3 touchdowns on 103 targets. He averaged 57.3 receiving yards per game for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Both parties wanted to move on in the offseason, and Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys. This feels like an ideal fit for him to find success early in the season.
Dallas has a weak running back room, and they’re likely to rely heavily on their passing game. Dak Prescott is also returning from injury, adding to their passing upside. Finally, the Cowboys’ defense is expected to take a step back, forcing them to play from behind this season.
We’ve already seen Prescott say he wants to get Pickens plenty of deep opportunities when he gets 1-on-1 coverage. That should happen throughout the game, as opponents are more likely to lock in on CeeDee Lamb. It could result in a plethora of big-play opportunities for Pickens.
The only downfall is that Pickens and company will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles. They boast an elite defense, and they don’t particularly struggle anywhere. Dallas will be forced to throw the ball throughout this game, though, and it’s unlikely they will completely shut down this offense.
Pickens is the perfect type of player to ladder because of his big-play ability, and we’re getting a shockingly low total for the first game of the season.
Where to bet: George Pickens 50+ receiving yards (-154) through 100+ receiving yards (+430) | FanDuel Sportsbook
Jalen Hurts Rushing Yards Ladder
Hurts continues to be one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL. He posted 630 yards and 14 touchdowns in 15 games last season. He averaged 42 rushing yards per game, but he flashed high-end upside, posting 85 yards against the Atlanta Falcons.
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The 2024 Super Bowl champion gets an interesting matchup against the division rival Dallas Cowboys. Dallas allowed a league-high 32.5 rushing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks last season.
They also allowed 5.5 rushing attempts to the position, which ranked fourth in the league in 2024.
Hurts only played the Cowboys once last season, and he posted his fourth-highest rushing total (56 yards) for 2024 against them. He also wasn’t needed later in the game, as the Philadelphia Eagles comfortably won 34-6.
The key to this play is that Dallas recently traded away Micah Parsons. It’s likely to make the Cowboys’ run defense worse as a whole, but adding Kenny Clark up the middle will help a player like Hurts more than the running backs.
The Eagles are comfortable favorites in this game, and this is an ideal spot for Hurts to show off his rushing potential in an important matchup to start the season.
Where to bet: Jalen Hurts 40+ rushing yards (+108) through 70+ rushing yards (+520) | FanDuel Sportsbook
