Two teams looking to validate their postseason runs last year collide when the Washington Commanders (2-2) head west to take on the Los Angeles Chargers (3-1) on Sunday.
Washington’s issues this season have been health related. Both star quarterback Jayden Daniels and wide receiver Terry McLaurin have missed games this season, leading to losses for the Commanders.
The Chargers have also experienced injuries, most notably to their offensive line. Despite those problems, Los Angeles ran through their divisional rivals before inexcusably dropping a 21-18 decision to the New York Giants last week.
Can Los Angeles remain perfect at home, or will the Commanders charge to a victory? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player prop bets below.
News broke Friday morning that Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels will suit up on Sunday against the Chargers. He’s been absent for two outings, and the Commanders have gone 1-1 in those contests.
For the year, he’s completed just under 60 percent of his passes for 433 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. He’s finished with at least 200 yards in each outing. We’ll take the over on this prop bet as Daniels should have at least 206 yards against the Chargers.
The Chargers have big plans for rookie running back Omarion Hampton. The 22-year-old running back struggled in his first two outings, recording only 72 rushing yards on 23 attempts.
Since those outings, he’s excelled. Against Denver and New York, Hampton recorded 198 rushing yards on 31 carries, scoring one touchdown in both games. Expect him to continue his strong debut season, notching at least 75 rushing yards against the Commanders’ defense on Sunday.
Finally, Quentin Johnston appears to be living up to his potential. The third-year NFL player has a team-best 22 receptions for 337 yards and four scores, marking his best four-game stretch as a professional.
Washington made improvements to its secondary over the past year, but those have not paid off. The Commanders have the sixth-worst passing defense, allowing nearly 250 yards per outing to opponents.
Expect Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert to take advantage of this, connecting with multiple receivers throughout the evening. Johnston will receive his fair share of targets, helping him surpass this receiving prop bet total on Sunday.
This week, oddsmakers are seemingly untethered to reality. Washington as a 2.5-point underdog seems criminally wrong. I get that Daniels should be back under center, providing a boost to the Commanders ahead of this important game.
It’s not enough, however. The Chargers should be one-touchdown favorites in this game. Bettors should thank Las Vegas for the oversight and pick Los Angeles to win this contest by at least seven points.