It’s a Monday Night Football doubleheader for Week 2 of the NFL season, and it starts with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers traveling to NRG Stadium to take on the Houston Texans.
This should be a close game with several talented skill position players on both sides of the ball. As a result, there's plenty of value in NFL player props markets.
Here are my top three NFL picks for our Buccaneers vs. Texans predictions on Monday, September 15.
Buccaneers vs Texans MNF props
Noel o6.5 rec yds (-105)- Stroud o10.5 rush yds (-110)
Mayfield o20.5 completions (-115)
Jaylin Noel Over 6.5 receiving yards
Jaylin Noel, the rookie wide receiver from Iowa State, had one catch for seven yards in his debut last week against the Los Angeles Rams. The big positive there is that he ran double-digit routes and saw two targets.
That means the volume will be there to hit this yardage total, as he will likely only need one catch. Last week, in a lower-scoring close game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers allowed 42 pass attempts and 298 yards passing.
While the Houston Texans are loaded with targets, Noel is still firmly in the mix. I would be surprised if the rookie gets shut out on Monday night.
C.J. Stroud Over 10.5 rushing yards
Thanks to a bad offensive line, C.J. Stroud was pressured on 14 of his 34 drop-backs and was sacked three times in Week 1. However, he also took off running five times for 32 yards.
Last week, the Bucs generated 20 pressures on 46 drop-backs. Five defenders generated multiple pressures, led by Haason Reddick with seven, including three that came in under 2.5 seconds. They will apply pressure to Stroud and force him to scramble.
The Bucs allowed Michael Penix Jr. to take off six times for 21 yards. Stroud should have plenty of opportunities, and I would be surprised if he does not get enough yards to easily clear this number.
Baker Mayfield Over 20.5 completions
Baker Mayfield had a rough completion percentage last week against the Atlanta Falcons, going 17-for-32 for 167 yards. However, he didn't throw any interceptions and still threw three touchdowns.
The Texans allowed 21 completions last week to Matt Stafford despite playing in the lowest-scoring game of Week 1. They did a good job containing the run game, forcing more passes. They can do that this week as well, after the Bucs had only 101 yards rushing last week on 23 carries.
The Bucs are underdogs and could be playing from behind. This should give Mayfield a similar number of attempts to last week, and I expect a much better completion percentage.
Bet on MNF at bet365!
Your Monday Night Football bets are never ordinary at bet365! Sign up now and by placing $5 on your first bet, you get $300 in bonus bets — win or lose!
*Eligible U.S. locations only
Buccaneers vs Texans MNF prop betting card
- Jaylin Noel Over 6.5 receiving yards (-105)
- C.J. Strout Over 10.5 rushing yards (-110)
- Baker Mayfield Over 20.5 completions(-115)
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
