King of Props: Dak in action

For more than a quarter of a century, the NFL’s regular-season schedule consisted of 17 weeks, with every team playing 16 games and having a bye. But because an additional game was added last year, Week 17 is now the penultimate week (as ESPN’s Chris Berman loves to call it). With some teams jockeying for playoff position and others deciding whether starters should be rested, we’re backing a motivated player for our top prop:

The bet: Over 1½ touchdown passes for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (FanDuel)

After fracturing the thumb on his throwing hand in the opener, Prescott underwent surgery and missed five games. But he has triggered a highly productive offense since returning, passing for at least two TDs in seven of the last eight contests.

Tonight’s opponent is the reeling Titans, losers of five straight. When healthy, they field the second-best run defense in the league, ranking behind only the 49ers in both yards per game and yards per attempt. But that unit seemingly has been decimated by injuries, as numerous starters are expected to miss this game.

A major factor affecting which players take the field is that this matchup means very little to Tennessee. The team’s only realistic playoff scenario requires beating Jacksonville next week to win the AFC South. Meanwhile, Dallas could still win the NFC East and earn the conference’s top seed.

With a receiving corps headlined by CeeDee Lamb and bolstered by the recently signed TY Hilton, Prescott should be good for a pair of scoring throws – and if he gets a third, the previous one becomes penultimate.