King of Props: Tyler Boyd fills the void

Two of last season’s division winners find themselves in familiar territory as they clash in the first Monday Night Football game of 2023. The Bills have already locked up the AFC East for the third year in a row, and the Bengals can claim another AFC North title with a win or tie. Since both teams are vying for the top seed and a bye in the first round of the playoffs, a back-and-forth affair is expected – and that only stands to benefit our prop play:

The bet: Over 3½ receptions for Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd (+114 FanDuel)

Playing in the shadow of fellow wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Boyd can sometimes get overlooked. But he has surpassed 65 catches in each of the last four seasons and needs just 12 more to reach that mark for a fifth time.

Although the Bills rank sixth in passing yards allowed per play, they have been vulnerable to slot receivers. A prime example came Thanksgiving day, when the Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 9 of the 10 balls thrown to him for 122 yards and a touchdown. Two games later, the Jets’ Elijah Moore saw the same target total and finished with 6 for 60.

Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow is known for making fast decisions, trailing only Tom Brady in the speed of his release. His penchant for getting the ball out quickly will be even more important as the team plays its first game without right tackle La’el Collins, who will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL and MCL.

Running a lot of shorter routes, Boyd should frequently be the first read tonight. Grab this opportunity to profit.