Chargers vs Browns Predictions, Picks, and Best Bets: Dobbins Gets Dogged

Two massive games to start the year have ballooned J.K. Dobbins' rushing numbers, giving us an excellent opportunity to fade him.

Rohit Ponnaiya - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Rohit Ponnaiya • Betting Analyst
Nov 2, 2024 • 18:50 ET • 4 min read
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This article contains predictions for an old game!

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J.K. Dobbins Los Angeles Chargers NFL
Photo By - Imagn Images. Pictured: J.K. Dobbins carries the ball for the Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers head to the Midwest to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon.

The Bolts have been a physical, run-heavy team under Jim Harbaugh, but my Chargers vs Browns predictions will fade their top running back. 

Read on to find out why in my NFL picks for this Week 9 clash on November 3. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET from Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, with the game airing on CBS.

Chargers vs Browns prediction & picks

Spread

The Cleveland Browns are coming off their best performance of the year, but the bump from Jameis Winston at QB might be a tad overpriced given how he's performed long-term. Cleveland's offense could also be missing tight end David Njoku and will be facing a Los Angeles Chargers defense third in the league in dropback EPA and second in rush EPA. 

Cleveland's defense will also likely be missing a pair of key starters in leading tackler Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and top corner Denzel Ward. That will make it tough for them to stop a Chargers offense that has been moving the ball better in recent weeks.

This could also be a bit of a let-down spot for the Browns after an emotional victory against a rival last week, so back the Chargers at -1.5.

Moneyline

The Chargers are -125 on the moneyline, but given the short spread, I'd rather lay the 1.5 points at -110 instead.

Over/Under

The Chargers have gone 6-1 to the Under this year, but with both offenses trending upwards, the Over 42.5 looks like the sharp play. 

Cleveland's offense was beyond pathetic with Deshaun Watson at the helm, but Winston threw for 334 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions against Baltimore last week. The Browns were also dealing with a slew of injuries on the offensive line at the start of the year but have gotten some key pieces back in recent weeks. 

Likewise, the Bolts are getting healthier at receiver, and OC Greg Roman has opened up the offense with Justin Herbert throwing for 275+ yards in back-to-back games.

Through the first four weeks of the season, the Chargers were 28th in the league in passing play percentage (47%), but that number has ticked up to 56.2% over the last three games despite playing with positive or neutral game scripts.

My Chargers vs Browns best bet

J.K. Dobbins Under 72.5 rushing yards (-115 at BetMGM)

My analysis

Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is 11th in the league with 535 rushing yards. That said, his rushing yards O/U is set at 72.5 this week, which is inflated due to Dobbins rushing for more than 130 yards in back-to-back games at the start of the year.

The RB has been held below 60 rushing yards in four of his last five contests, and he's averaging just 3.16 yards per rush attempt over that span. 

The Browns lead the league in run-stop win rate while limiting opposing running backs to 4.3 yards per attempt. With the Chargers also passing the ball more in recent weeks, it makes sense to fade Dobbins on his rushing yards total.

Chargers vs Browns same-game parlay

J.K. Dobbins Under 72.5 rushing yards

Chargers moneyline

Over 37.5

The Chargers were able to move the ball in a 26-8 victory against the Saints last week despite a poor performance from Dobbins (17 carries for 55 yards). I expect a similar showing this week, although Cleveland's offense should have some success thanks to Winston's ability to attack downfield. 

I already mentioned why I liked the Chargers at -1.5 and the Over 42.5. Being able to shift the total down to that overlooked key number of 37.5 while taking the Bolts ML and still getting +425 in this SGP is gravy.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

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Chargers vs Browns odds

Chargers vs Browns live odds

Chargers vs Browns opening odds

  • Spread: Los Angeles -2 | Cleveland +2
  • Moneyline: Los Angeles -125 | Cleveland +105
  • Over/Under: Over 41.5 | Under 41.5

Odds courtesy of BetMGM

Chargers vs Browns betting trend to know

The Chargers have covered the second-half spread in four of their last five games (+2.90 Units / 54% ROI), while the Browns have only covered the 2H spread in two of their last nine (-5.45 Units / -56% ROI). Find more NFL betting trends for Chargers vs. Browns.

Chargers vs Browns game info

Location: Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH
Date: Sunday, 11-3, 2024
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: CBS

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Betting Analyst

With a background playing soccer, rugby, and boxing, combined with a journalism degree, it's little surprise that Rohit gravitated towards the world of sports betting. He specializes in betting on UFC and college basketball, two sports where the eyeball test can tell you a lot more about matchups than any analytics. Rohit has years of experience handicapping NFL and NBA games as well as niche betting markets such as politics and Oscar odds. He's also the resident CFL expert and formerly hosted "The Chez and Ro Show" with former CFL star Davis Sanchez.

You can catch Rohit breaking down every UFC event with Joe Osborne on "P4P Picks" on the Covers YouTube channel and he also has regular appearances on "Before You Bet" with Joe. In addition, he's a regular guest on "By The Book" on the Monumental Sports Network and makes guest appearances on VSIN's "The Handle" and CBS Sports.

Rohit primarily makes his bets at bet365, which offers a wide variety of prop markets, but also has accounts at several others so he can shop around for the best prices. For Rohit, bankroll management is key. He believes you should never bet what you can't afford to lose and maximize those few betting opportunities where books misprice a line.

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