Two of last season’s division winners in the AFC will square off when the Jaguars host the Bengals on Monday night. This game was expected to be a showdown between the quarterbacks who were drafted first overall in 2020 and 2021, but since Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow is out for the year following wrist surgery, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence has center stage to himself. With the home side installed as 10-point favorites, we’re backing the new leader of the visitors for our top prop:
The bet: Over 12½ rushing yards for Bengals quarterback Jake Browning (DraftKings)
As a four-year starter at Washington, Browning showed good mobility when it was needed. His final stats are somewhat skewed because sacks count as negative rushing yards in college, but he officially cleared this number in five games as a senior, topping out with a 49-yard effort.
Browning didn’t see any regular-season NFL action until replacing the injured Burrow shortly before halftime in Week 11. Facing a tough Ravens defense amid the din of Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium, he scrambled four times for a total of 40 yards, picking up at least 13 yards twice. He had flashed similar ability in a preseason tie with the Falcons, gaining 50 yards on his four carries.
Although Browning finished last week’s loss to the Steelers with just nine rushing yards, he was playing at home and his two actual runs netted 10 yards — a kneel-down to end the first half kept him in single digits. Now he makes his first road start against a Jacksonville defense that just allowed a career-high 47 rushing yards to Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
After watching Burrow run for 43 yards in beating the 49ers at their place, Browning knows his legs can help key an upset.
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