Betting News & Analysis

NFL divisional-round same-game parlays

2T41PP0 Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) in action during an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)

• Back the Chiefs to win but for James Cook to have a day: The Chiefs have struggled to defend the run this season and notably rank toward the bottom of the league in most efficiency metrics, including expected points added (EPA) allowed per rush and yards allowed per rush.

• Bet on Josh Reynolds to continue his emergence: Reynolds should be lining up against Carlton Davis, who ranks 80th among 128 qualifying cornerbacks in PFF grade. Davis has been targeted by opposing offenses 23% of the time, one of the highest marks in the league, so there should be plenty of volume for the Lions pass-catcher.

$150 in bonus bets: Place your first $5 bet to get $150 in bonus bets — win or lose! Join FanDuel today!

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Story: Kansas City Chiefs overcome strong Buffalo Bills running game en route to a divisional-round win

The Chiefs have struggled to defend the run this season and notably rank toward the bottom of the league in most efficiency metrics, including expected points added (EPA) allowed per rush and yards allowed per rush.

Most concerning, though, is that Kansas City ranks dead last among teams when it comes to allowing perfectly blocked runs — the type of plays that lead to explosive rushes.

Bills running back James Cook has been one of the NFL's best from an efficiency standpoint and is firmly in the top right of the above graph that shows EPA per rush and rushing yards over expectation.

Cook has racked up the second-most explosive runs of 10-plus yards on the season and is always a threat to break a big run.

Since Joe Brady took over as offensive coordinator, the Bills have run the ball at one of the highest rates in the league, running 5% above expectation, meaning that volume will be on Cook's side.

The inverse correlation between Cook's rushing yards and a Chiefs victory elevates this SGP. While books usually price in a strong correlation between rushing yards and a team winning, Cook still has many paths to a strong game without the Bills winning, both via explosive rushes and the Bills maintaining a strong run game throughout before losing late in what is expected to be a very close game.

PointsBet SGP Build: 20-1

Story: Josh Reynolds Continues his emergence as the Detroit LionsWR2

Reynolds has quietly put together a terrific season for the Lions, with his underlying metrics suggesting that he is one of the game's most underrated receivers.

 The seventh-year pro has been well above average when it comes to separating, and he's been one of the best in the game at the catch point and after the catch.

With Kalif Raymond out with injury, Reynolds has emerged as Detroit's clear No. 2 receiver. He's played close to 90% of the snaps over the past two weeks en route to a robust 23.7% target share.

Reynolds should be lining up against Carlton Davis, who ranks 80th among 128 qualifying cornerbacks in PFF grade. Davis has been targeted by opposing offenses 23% of the time, one of the highest marks in the league, so there should be plenty of volume for the Lions pass-catcher.

Reynolds also possesses a deep role in the offense and boasts the second-highest average target depth among his teammates. This is especially relevant in a matchup with a Tampa defense that has allowed the fifth-highest rate of explosive plays.

PointsBet SGP Build: 28-1

Betting Featured Tools

  • PFF's Best Bets Tool reveals the bets PFF's data and algorithms give the biggest edge to within spread, total, player prop, and moneyline markets.

    Available with

  • PFF's Player Props Tool reveals betting opportunities within player prop markets.

    Available with

  • Power Rankings are PFF’s NFL power ratings based on weekly player grades in each facet of play. These power rankings are adjusted based on coach, quarterback and the market each season.

    Available with

  • PFF predictions and real time spread, moneyline and over/under lines for each NFL game.

    Available with

  • PFF predictions and real time spread, moneyline and over/under lines for each NCAA game.

    Available with

Subscriptions

Unlock the 2023 Fantasy Draft Kit, with League Sync, Live Draft Assistant, PFF Grades & Data Platform that powers all 32 Pro Teams

$31 Draft Kit Fee + $8.99/mo
OR
$89.88/yr + FREE Draft Kit