Three player prop picks for “MNF”

Thank God football is back.

And in anticipation of the first Monday Night Football game of the season, here are our top three favorite player props for the Jets vs. 49ers, including Deebo Samuel, Garrett Wilson and Christian McCaffrey.

Player Props Jets vs. 49ers

Deebo Samuel over 4.5 receptions (-114, Caesars)

Due to a lengthy contract dispute that was resolved at the last minute, Brandon Aiyuk will see fewer snaps Monday as he continues to work on getting back into shape. Coach Kyle Shanahan said he would be “surprised” if Aiyuk played his typical snap count.

Aiyuk’s inevitably smaller role means a greater workload for other pass receivers, especially as the Jets crowd the box and could prioritize limiting McCaffrey’s performance on Monday night.

Enter Samuel.

You can’t expect San Francisco’s offensive line to be a top-notch team, which means the Niners will make sure quarterback Brock Purdy gets rid of the ball quickly. And that’s what usually happens in Shanahan’s offenses.

Because of this, expect a lot of screen passes to give Samuel the opportunity to make plays in the open field against a Jets defense that will be incredibly strong in the secondary this season.

Garrett Wilson over 5.5 receptions (-145, FanDuel)

It is entirely possible that Wilson will have a great breakout season in 2024.

Last season, the Jets wide receiver recorded 95 catches and a total of 1,042 receiving yards despite having Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian as quarterbacks.

Now Wilson will have Aaron Rodgers to throw to him, which should lead to more productivity, especially with the offensive line healthy entering the 2024 season.

Despite an injured offensive line and a horrific quarterback performance last season, Wilson managed to catch six or more passes in seven of the Jets’ 17 regular season games.

His performance will only improve this season as Rodgers plays perfectly placed passes between the numbers.

Christian McCaffrey, all-time touchdown scorer (-165, FanDuel)

The McCaffrey Anytime Touchdown Scorer bet was added to parlay bets last year because McCaffrey was constantly in the end zone.

The line for this prop was never longer than -210 in the running back’s final 10 games in 2023; in the NFC title game against the Lions, it was only -325.

The Jets’ defense will be one of the best units in the NFL this season, barring any unexpected injuries.

Betting on the NFL?

However, McCaffrey is used so frequently in Shanahan’s offense that it seems likely that he will be able to free up a ball or at least knock one down in the end zone when the Niners get into the red zone.

Last season, McCaffrey had 21 total touchdowns and scored at least one in 13 of the 16 regular season games in which he was available.

Although there were concerns about McCaffrey’s calf injury, he says he is ready to go.