Best NFL Prop Bets for Saturday’s Wild Card Game Between Browns v. Texans

Feeling lucky? Let’s make some questionable gambling decisions.

Since the Houston Texans are playing with house money today, it only makes sense to play with a bit of house money on some highly ambitious prop bets.

So with the game only five hours away, I thought I’d comb through some of DraftKings prop bets for the Texans’ wild card game against the Cleveland Browns.

Will these picks make sense? Not entirely. Could they all hit over the course of the game? Of course. Because the universe is a chaotic, random system and any result is possible with the possible exception of Cal McNair suddenly turning into a chocolate orange. That one I think DraftKings has stopped taking bets on.

I still hold a grudge.

First TD Scorer – C.J. Stroud (+2500; or 25:1 odds)

I know it is unlikely in the extreme that the first touchdown of the game will come on a C.J. Stroud run/completion in the end zone; unless Bobby Slowik, deciding he wants to dissuade potential suitors, arrives at the game high on mushrooms. But it’s not outright impossible. And I can easily see a situation where they’re at the goal line early and Stroud takes matters into his own hands.

Winning Margin – Texans win by 13-18 points (+1100; or 11:1 odds)

I suspect this game will be a close scoring affair as most postseason games are, but there’s a nonzero chance the Texans, remembering the [kitten]-kicking they got by the Browns on Christmas Eve, decides to make a point of this game. Besides, in the last matchup, the Texans were down to fifth stringers, sixth stringers, and people from the stands to make a complete team. This time, the Texans are as close to full strength as they’re capable of being at this point.

Nico Collins 125+ Receiving Yards and 2+ Receiving Touchdowns (+1900; or 19:1 odds)

Nico Collins’ impressive statline last week against the Indianapolis Colts came as something of a surprise to most Texans fans because he recorded it away from home.

Today, he’s at home. And he’s going to want to make up for his poor showing (four receptions, 18 yards, one TD) against the Browns in Week 16. And Stroud is gonna be there to feed him early and often. Except for the first touchdown, which is, as we mentioned, going to Stroud.