NFL Sunday Night Football Player Prop Bets: Chargers vs. Chiefs (Week 14)
Every NFL fan knows what’s coming once the afternoon games conclude and Carrie Underwood starts singing. It is time for Sunday Night Football. Week 14 provides a dynamic duel. The Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) take on the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1) at Arrowhead Stadium.
Here’s a look at three player prop bets that stick out from the rest in this collision of AFC contenders.
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Best NFL Week 14 Sunday Night Football Player Prop Bets: Chargers vs. Chiefs
(Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Patrick Mahomes Longest Completion Under 35.5 Yards (-115)
Big plays conceded to tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Xavier Worthy doomed the Chargers in a loss to the Chiefs in Week 4. There’s a good chance head coach Jim Harbaugh made limiting deep connections a priority in practice ahead of this rematch. After all, Los Angeles enters Sunday night surrendering the second-fewest yards after the catch (4.5) and the third-fewest yards per completion during away contests (8.7) in the NFL. It has typically excelled at restricting opportunities down the field.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ strategy has shifted as the season progresses. The All-Pro talent posted a completion of at least 36 yards in three of his first five games but has failed to do so in each of his past seven games. His pass-catchers are elite at creating space with crisp short routes. It helps the offense keep drives alive on third down and get into scoring range. However, it doesn’t help torture teams with the home run ball. This is a great way to trust the Chargers’ defense without fully fading Mahomes.
Justin Herbert Under 19.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
A recent uptick in scrambles has caused quarterback Justin Herbert’s rushing line to climb to 19.5 for this divisional showdown. It’s a line the former Oregon Duck has surpassed in only four of Los Angeles’ 12 contests in 2024. That comes after Herbert logged 20+ rushing yards in just four out of 13 games in 2023. To dive even deeper, he has not recorded 20 yards on the ground in any of his eight career battles with Kansas City. Anticipating those trends to suddenly end seems too optimistic in this case.
Standout outings by Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (122 yards) and Buffalo’s Josh Allen (55 yards) cause the Chiefs to rank in the middle of the pack at curbing quarterback rushing yards. It has given up a minuscule 87 rushing yards on 33 carries (2.6 average) to opposing quarterbacks outside those two instances. Star defensive linemen like Chris Jones and George Karlaftis have been wreaking havoc week after week for Kansas City. Look for them to seal outside running lanes and force Herbert to rely on his arm.
DeAndre Hopkins Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+220)
This matchup does not scream shootout. The Chargers and Chiefs check in among the top 10 squads in opponent points per game and red-zone scoring percentage. That doesn’t mean there’s zero value in the anytime touchdown scorer market, though. One enticing pick is DeAndre Hopkins. The veteran wide receiver has become one of Mahomes’ favorite options near the end zone. He has tallied seven red-zone targets (third-most in the NFL) and three touchdowns in six contests since joining Kansas City.
It’s worth noting Mahomes has linked with a receiver for a touchdown in nine of his 11 career starts against Los Angeles. The Chargers have also allowed seven scores to opposing wideouts compared to four scores to opposing running backs and tight ends over its last five clashes. That includes multi-touchdown performances from Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and Tennessee’s Calvin Ridley. Those in search of a longshot prop can throw a sprinkle on Hopkins to join that duo with two touchdowns at +1900 odds.