Best NFL Sack and Tackle Props for Week 5: Hutchinson Wreaks Havoc on Panthers O-Line

Sack props have been money this year for bettors, with many of the top pass rushers in the league continuing to terrorize opposing quarterbacks. Leading up to Week 5, we've had success dipping into the NFL odds markets for sacks, so now we're expanding this column to include a couple of player tackle props as well.

That has me backing tackle machine Zaire Franklin, along with a cornerback who has stepped up in run support. Here are my best free sack and tackle NFL picks when it comes to the Week 5 odds. 

This week’s best sack and tackle props

• Chubb Over 0.25 sacks
• Aidan Hutchinson Over 0.75 sacks
• Michael Hoecht Under 0.25 sacks
• Zaire Franklin Over 10.5 tackles
• Deommodore Lenoir Over 3.5 solo tackles

Picks made on October 7 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Read full analysis of our sack picks and our tackle props

Best Week 5 sack picks

Giants vs Dolphins: Bradley Chubb

The New York Giants offense was already struggling but has reached new depths after losing All-Pro left tackle Andrew Thomas to a hamstring injury. His replacement Joshua Ezeudu has been terrible, posting a pass-blocking grade of just 46.2 across three starts according to Pro Football Focus, while allowing three sacks last week against the Seahawks. 

Miami Dolphins pass rusher Bradley Chubb has just one sack so far this season, but the former Top-5 selection is a talented edge rusher who looks poised for a breakout game. Look for him to beat Ezeudu and get to Daniel Jones, who ate dirt a whopping 10 times last week. 

Bradley Chubb: Over 0.25 sacks (-125 at DraftKings)

Panthers vs Lions: Aidan Hutchinson

Aidan Hutchinson generated plenty of pressure through the first two weeks of the year but failed to come up with a single sack.

However, it was just a matter of time before all that pressure paid off and Hutchinson has now racked up 3.5 sacks over the last two games. The Detroit Lions sophomore boasts a sizzling 89.8 pass rush win rate and now gets a juicy matchup against a struggling Carolina Panthers line that allowed five sacks to the Vikings last week.

The Lions have been using Hutchinson in a variety of spots on the line, sometimes even lining him up on the interior to find matchup advantages. Hutch seems to enjoy the benefits of moving around, recently saying, “If there is a not-so-great guard in there, I want to be the guy to line up on him and attack him and attack the weakness of the O-line.”

It's no coincidence that the Panthers' biggest weakness on the line is guard Chandler Zavala, who has allowed 28 pressures — 10 more than any other guard in the league. Expect Hutchinson to expose the weakness in this line and take the Over 0.75 on his sacks total. 

Aidan Hutchinson: Over 0.75 sacks (-125 at DraftKings)

Eagles vs Rams: Michael Hoecht

The Michael Hoecht experiment at outside linebacker really isn't working for the Los Angeles Rams.

The 310-pound former defensive tackle moved to outside linebacker last year due to injuries and put in a good effort down the stretch. However, he hasn't shown any improvement this year and still relies on one one-dimensional tactic of only bull-rushing opponents.

That limited approach has led to Hoecht having a pass rush grade of just 60, with just half a sack to his name this season. Hoecht will line up against All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson this week, and the Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle hasn't allowed a sack since 2020.

Fade Hoecht on his sack total here. 

Michael Hoecht: Under 0.25 sacks (-165 at DraftKings)

Best Week 5 sack picks

Titans vs Colts Zaire Franklin

Zaire Franklin has the highest tackle O/U for Week 5 at 10.5, but given how productive he's been this season, it makes plenty of sense. Franklin averages a league-high 14.3 tackles per game and has racked up at least 12 tackles in every contest this year.

He will be expected to do even more on Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts will be missing Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquille Leonard. Franklin should also get plenty of tackling opportunities against a Tennessee Titans team that loves to run the ball.

Zaire Franklin Over 10.5 tackles (+110 at DraftKings)

Cowboys vs 49ers: Deommodore Lenoir

The San Francisco 49ers cornerback is an excellent tackler who can make plays all over the field. Deommodore Lenoir had a whopping eight solo tackles in Weeks 1 and 2 and has four solo tackles in each of his last two games.

Going back to last season, Lenoir has now logged 11 straight games with more than 3.5 solo tackles. Expect him to go Over his solo tackles total on Sunday night against a Dallas Cowboys offense that is third in the league with 70.5 plays per game.

Deommodore Lenoir Over 3.5 solo tackles (-125 at bet365)

How are sack and tackle props calculated?

It's important to read the wording associated with the sack props at each specific sportsbook. Most books will list an Over/Under number which is set at 0.25 or 0.75, since players can be credited for 0.5 sacks for sharing a sack with a teammate. Other books will mark a sack as a "yes" or "no" proposition in which case half a sack will count as the player recording a sack. 

Books often have props for solo tackles, assists, and tackles which are made up of both solo tackles and assisted.

Best strategies to bet sack and tackle props

There are several factors to consider when handicapping sack totals. The most obvious involves the defensive player himself. How often does he get sacks both in terms of his recent history and also over a larger sample size, and does he consistently generate pressure. A player might have picked up sacks in three consecutive games but if he doesn't consistently beat his blocker, he's likely due for regression. On the other side of things, a player might be held off the sack sheet in four straight games, but if he's constantly pressuring opposing passers, it's only a matter of time before he gets a sack.

Who the defender is matching up against is also an important factor. How well does the projected starter opposite from him perform as a pass blocker and is that opposing player injured or playing out of position? In addition, is the offense able or willing to double-team the defender? Certain quarterbacks also hold on to the ball longer, have less pocket awareness, or don't have the mobility to evade pass rushers.

It's also important to consider how the rest of his team will affect a player's ability to get sacks. Perhaps his defensive coordinator is using him more in coverage, perhaps another defender is poaching his sacks or allowing him to get easier matchups. Improved play in the secondary can also lead to coverage sacks.

Game situation also matters since an offense that throws the ball a lot or is expected to play from behind, will also give a defense more opportunity to get sacks. 

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