Week 4 NFL betting specials: Longshot props and specials

Which NFL players will bring big value as longshots in the Week 4 prop market?

NFL teams still are adjusting to the new normal through three weeks of the 2024 season, with scoring and passing production down across the league. That has produced an overarching discussion on how to “fix” the league in various circles, but handicappers already are trying to maximize value in deciphering the market before everyone else. In addition, the NFL betting market is littered with opportunities, including some longshot prop wagers to monitor in Week 4. 

In this space, we will take a glance at some prop bets and specials currently priced at +600 or better in the market. This should provide a bit of spice to the NFL weekend while maintaining positive value. Here is a glance at three such wagers available as of Wednesday, Sept. 25.

Brandin Cooks to produce at least 80 receiving yards (+600, DraftKings)

Cooks has immense pedigree, including six 1,000-yard seasons and 58 career touchdowns. It is fair to note that he no longer is the top-tier option he was at a younger age, but the 31-year-old still has top-end speed and big-play explosiveness. Enter the New York Giants. 

The Dallas Cowboys have won 13 of their last 14 matchups against the Giants, often by comically wide margins. Dallas is struggling to begin the season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, but the Cowboys seemingly found their stride on offense down the stretch in a near-comeback against the Baltimore Ravens. Cooks hasn’t broken out this season, but he has earned at least six targets twice, and the Giants are vulnerable to big plays in the passing game.

This is fairly priced as an outlier, but one big play would place it squarely in view at an attractive +600 offering at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Joe Burrow and Andy Dalton to combine for at least 600 passing yards (+600, FanDuel)

It would have been unthinkable to include the Carolina Panthers in a passing prop such as this prior to Week 3. However, a lot has changed in Charlotte, with the Panthers making the move from struggling 2023 first overall draft pick Bryce Young to veteran gunslinger Andy Dalton.

Dalton threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns in a comfortable win over the Las Vegas Raiders last week. Those numbers are impressive in any context, but Dalton did it while playing with the lead, which makes the production stand out to a further degree. It is fair to say that his Week 3 performance may not be sustainable long-term, but Cincinnati’s defense has been exposed on multiple occasions this season, including on Monday by Washington’s Jayden Daniels.

For Cincinnati, Burrow has attempted 36 passes or more in back-to-back games, and he racked up 324 passing yards on Monday in a narrow loss to the Commanders. The Panthers have allowed more than 600 passing yards in three games, even while facing lesser aerial attacks from the Los Angeles Chargers and Raiders. Burrow also has Tee Higgins back in full force to combine with Ja’Marr Chase, and the Bengals seemed to find their footing through the air in Week 3. 

With FanDuel Sportsbook offering this combination at +600, there are multiple ways to reach the 600-yard plateau, including a huge game from Burrow or simply a shootout on both sides.

Chris Olave to score multiple touchdowns (+1500, DraftKings)

Almost nothing went well for the New Orleans Saints’ offense in Week 3. The Saints began the 2024 season with two incredibly impressive performances, but things stalled in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in which they racked up only 219 total yards and 12 points at home. One bright spot, however, was the performance by Chris Olave, and he is a player to spotlight ahead of a rivalry showdown against the Atlanta Falcons. 

Olave set a season high with 86 receiving yards and matched another with six receptions in Week 3. He also found the end zone for the first time, and it is clear that, while supporting pass-catchers have stepped to the forefront at times for New Orleans, Olave is the No. 1 receiving option this week. His anytime touchdown price of +180 is attractive on its own, but in an indoor game that could turn into a shootout in a hurry, Olave is a value at +1500 to find the end zone on multiple occasions.