NFL player prop bets for Wild Card Weekend and beyond

After four preseason and 16 regular-season games, 12 NFL teams remain in the hunt for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. Eight of those squads will need to win four games over the next month to raise the sterling silver relic. The NFL's wild-card weekend matchups are no joke, as several of the participants have the talent to shock the world in Atlanta on Feb. 3.

The Pittsburgh Steelers boast six Super Bowl championships to date. Although they failed to qualify for the playoffs this season, the former kings of the AFC North still managed to weasel their way into this week's NFL headlines. So we'll start our wild-card weekend prop bet rundown in the Steel City.

Odds: Steelers (-500) | 49ers (+275) | Colts (+800) | Jets (+800)

Despite the reports of Brown causing drama at practice ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 17 game against the Bengals, the Steelers remain the favorites to retain the All-Pro receiver. This hasn't stopped a handful of NFL players who have tried to recruit Brown on social media over the past week. San Francisco's tight end George Kittle, Cleveland's Jarvis Landry and Jamal Adams of the Jets have all coyly tweeted at Brown in an effort to lure him away from the Steelers. The problem is Brown would have to be traded, and any educated guess would expect the price to be too high especially after the Steelers let Le'Veon Bell walk for nothing. They'll work hard to get a return on this investment, but we think cooler heads prevail.

The bet: Steelers

Odds: Dak Prescott (-150) | Russell Wilson (+110)

After they acquired Amari Cooper from the Raiders during the season, the Cowboys managed a well-balanced rush-pass offense the rest of the way. Granted, Ezekiel Elliott continues to carry his fair share of the load, but it's not all on his shoulders. On the flip side, the Seahawks' offensive strategy is run 25-35 times per game, and when defenses cheat up to stop the rush, chuck it and hope Tyler Lockett comes down with the football. While Lockett's 2018 resume is impressive, it's not a sustainable strategy against one of the league's top defenses.

The bet: Prescott

Odds: Yes (-250) | No (+170)

Three of the four matchups possess a point spread of fewer than three points. Oddsmakers believe these games will be close. Thus, the trailing team will want the ball last. Onside kicks are coming this weekend.

The bet: Yes

Odds: Bears (-150) | Eagles (+130)

Chicago's defense finished the regular season with 50 sacks — tied for third-most in the NFL. However, despite no Khalil Mack on their roster, the Eagles weren't too far behind with 44. The difference when placing these two above-average pass rushes head to head is the mobility of the quarterbacks. Mitch Trubisky can step up in the pocket and scoot as needed, while Nick Foles isn't known for calling his own number.

The bet: Bears

Odds: Yes (+155) | No (-220)

You get to pick from the Seahawks, Eagles, Colts and Chargers. The road to Atlanta is much easier in the AFC, as you don't have to survive and advance against the likes of the Rams and Saints. The Chiefs defense is flawed, and the Patriots aren't the world-beaters of years past. The Chargers get a raw deal having to fly to Baltimore for an early kickoff this weekend, which is like playing at 10 a.m. PST. This leaves the Colts. If Indianapolis' offensive line can hold up and create running lanes for Marlon Mack and Co., I love their chances of reaching the Super Bowl. It's totally doable.

The bet: Yes

Odds: Ezekiel Elliott (+250) | Chris Carson (+500) | Melvin Gordon (+640)

Depending on the sportsbook, you can pick from a larger pool of players, but these are the overwhelming favorites to lead the wild-card weekend pack. Elliott rushed 16 times for 127 yards, or 7.9 yards per rush, at Seattle earlier this season, while Carson needed 32 to reach 102 rush yards, or 3.2 YPR. Albeit against some weak rush defenses, Carson has averaged 119 rush yards per game the past three weeks.

If you want to take a long shot, look at Baltimore's Gus Edwards at +1,220. He's averaged 94 rushing yards per game over the past seven weeks.

The bet: When getting better than 2-to-1 odds on Elliott, hammer it.

Odds: DeAndre Hopkins (+370) | Keenan Allen (+460) | T.Y. Hilton (+690)

Hopkins made some news this week after it was learned he didn't drop a pass this season. As impressive as that is, his team's defensive secondary is a tragic flaw that Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton are going to exploit again. Hilton posted 115-yard and 199-yard receiving games against the Texans this season. Often draped in double coverage, Hopkins was held to 36 receiving yards by the Colts the last time these two teams met less than a month ago. Houston has allowed 260 pass yards per game over the past three weeks and before they faced Blake Bortles Week 17, that metric was flirting with 300 PYAPG.

The bet: Hilton

Odds (Favorites): Eagles (+310) | Chargers (+480) | Seahawks (+500)

The Chicago Bears held their 2018 opponents to just 17 points per game — tops in the league. Over the past three weeks, that same defense has held the opposition to 12 points per game. Nick Foles has pulled a rabbit out of a hat in the past, but this year's Eagles offense is one-dimensional and pass-heavy, as the rushing game ranks 28th out of 32 teams. With that known, the Bears secondary will look for Foles to pass, jump those routes and watch their elite pass rush eat him up in the backfield.

The bet: Eagles

Odds: Ezekiel Elliott (+160)

Despite touching the ball 20-plus times per game, Zeke hasn't scored a rushing touchdown in over a month and has just one score over his past four games. While Amari Cooper has opened up the Cowboys offense, Elliott won't be held without a rushing score in five consecutive games, right?

The bet: Zeke

After the 54-51 shootout between the Rams and Chiefs was over, much of NFL Twitter was demanding a Super Bowl rematch. While both teams stumbled to the regular-season finish line, the rematch is among oddsmakers' favorite Super Bowl matchup scenarios at +600 or 6-to-1. It shares the same odds as Saints vs. Patriots but trails the battle of the No. 1 seeds, Chiefs vs. Saints at +450.

Following up on an earlier thought, my most appealing futures bet is Colts vs. Saints at +2,700 — risk $100 to win $2,700 on an Andrew Luck-led offense?

The Bet: The Saints are my pick to win the SB and while I really want the Colts to make it, I believe the Chiefs possessing home field throughout the AFC playoffs gives them the edge they need to reach Atlanta. Lame, I know.