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NFL Wild Card Weekend bets: Sunday NFC games
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper. Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Wild Card Weekend bets: Sunday NFC games

By Griffin Carroll  |  Last updated 1/15/22

We'll start our NFL Sunday with two NFC contests, both of which offer intriguing betting value. In total, we have three props circled for these games.

  • Philadelphia vs Tampa Bay (1 p.m. EST)
  • San Francisco vs Dallas (4:30 p.m. EST)

The Wild Card weekend bets to consider for Sunday's action are below.

Eagles vs Buccaneers

The forecast in this one calls for heavy rain and wind, so you may want to consider a rushing prop. No matter the weather, the favorite bets in this one are all things Gronk.

Tight ends have had their way against this Philly defense all season. No team allows more tight end touchdowns or more receptions to the position. They also let up the seventh-most yards.

It's likely hard to go wrong targeting Gronkowski any which way. His yards are on the move, up to a 58.5 line as of this writing (was 55.5), so you may not want to wait much longer to get in bets on the tight end.

He's rolling to finish the year, catching 7 balls in each of his last two games for yardage totals of 115 and 137.

Gronk's +125 to score a touchdown on FanDuel, presenting solid value. Ultimately, I'm sticking with his yards.

49ers vs Cowboys

This is the highest projected total of the weekend (51 points on FanDuel), and for good reason. Expect fireworks in this game, with both offensive strengths aligning with the other's defensive weakness.

We have a prop for both sides in what I expect to be a very exciting afternoon affair.

Amari Cooper over 57.5 receiving yards (-110 on FanDuel)

The 49ers have dealt with a depleted secondary for much of the season, and while they've been stingy to passing yards on the whole, they've really struggled against wide receivers.

San Francisco allows the 10th-most receiving yards per game to WRs and 12 of the last 15 receivers they've faced have hit their prop over.

While the Michael Gallup injury is a sad development for a talented player, it does bring us as bettors some clarity on the group. Targets should be a bit easier to project, which is why we turn our attention to Amari Cooper.

Cooper's line is lower than CeeDee Lamb's, despite averaging more snaps and seeing more targets.

Follow the volume in an advantageous matchup and bet on Cooper for a big game. The Dallas receiver has hit this total in two of his last three games, with totals of 85 and 79 in those instances.

Elijah Mitchell over 80.5 rushing yards (-110 on DraftKings)

The Cowboys defense is much improved this season, a big reason they're hosting a playoff game. However, they have a clear weakness: stopping the run. DVOA ranks the Dallas run defense 16th while PFF has them graded out at No. 22.

That puts Elijah Mitchell on the radar, and the young back has had a very strong season as the bell-cow on this 49ers offense.

Mitchell has exceeded this total in two straight and 6 of his last 8. With 21+ carries in five straight, Mitchell has coveted volume for a prop bet target.

San Francisco can win this game, and it will start with running the football and keeping Dak Prescott off the field. 

Dallas allows the 13th-highest yards per rush attempt to RBs, and PFF has the 49ers offensive line graded out as the top run-blocking unit in the league.

The Cowboys have also surrendered the fourth-most runs of 20+ yards in the NFL, while Mitchell has showcased explosiveness all year (six runs of 20 or more yards).

There's a lot to suggest Mitchell has a big game in store, so let's ride the hot-hand.

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