Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

King of Props: Courting greatness

By John Dudley | Last updated Oct 6, 2022 8:39 AM ET

A week ago, this Thursday night matchup between the Colts and Broncos looked like a showdown between two of the league’s best young running backs. But Indianapolis will be without Jonathan Taylor, the 2021 rushing leader, due to an ankle injury, and Denver’s Javonte Williams will miss the rest of the season after suffering torn knee ligaments. With the Mile High focus shifting to the passing game, we like a wideout to bring home our top prop:

The bet: Over 4½ receptions for Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (DraftKings)

When Russell Wilson arrived in Denver via an offseason trade with the Seahawks, there was some question about who would become his No. 1 receiver. After all, the Broncos also boast former first-round pick Jerry Jeudy, and Sutton was a year and a half removed from his own serious knee injury.

But Sutton has flashed the form that saw him catch 72 passes for 1,112 yards in 2019. He has drawn 35 targets from Wilson this season (compared to Jeudy’s 21), with at least seven in every game. He’s also running fewer vertical routes and more that lead to easy completions.

Since the Colts rank second in the league against the run on a per-play basis, the Broncos will likely be taking to the air often. Sutton has exceeded this number in three straight games and should be able to continue the streak tonight.

Our Bark Bets sports betting newsletter has the news, picks and analysis smart bettors are using to win. Sign up today!

John Dudley

A longtime writer and sports bettor, John Dudley has been dubbed the “King of Props” for his proficiency with proposition wagers. Research is the key that routinely unlocks success, and his selections are always backed by sound reasoning. John can be followed on Twitter @JohnDudley85

More must-reads: