Week 1 has the Dallas Cowboys opening their regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the second consecutive year.
Listed as +2.5 home underdogs on the spread, the Cowboys are expected to find themselves in a tight, high-scoring affair (52.5 game total), which is the ideal environment for us bettors.
Below, I have listed my top three Dallas player props for Sunday night’s showdown, beginning with one of last year’s breakout performers.
All odds and lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
1) TE Dalton Schultz Over 48.5 Receiving Yards (-114)
Schultz tallied career highs last season in catches (78), yards (808), and touchdowns (eight). The 26-year-old enters Week 1 as the likely number two option in the Cowboys’ passing game following Amari Cooper’s departure and the uncertainty surrounding the status of wideout Michael Gallup, who continues to work his way back from a torn ACL. Even if Gallup is declared active, I don’t expect him to play a full complement of snaps. That should allow Schultz to surpass his 48.5 receiving yards prop, something he did nine times in 17 games last season.
2) QB Dak Prescott Over 268.5 Passing Yards (-114)
Last year’s meeting saw Prescott complete 42 of 58 passes for 403 yards and three scores. While I don’t foresee another 400+ yard performance, I anticipate a similar pass-happy approach, particularly with the Bucs adept at stopping the run. Dallas’ new-look offensive line is worrisome, but pure volume should be enough for Prescott to top his 268.5 passing yards prop.
3) RB Tony Pollard Any Time Touchdown Scorer (+180)
One of the league’s most explosive playmakers, Pollard is expected to see time at both running back and wide receiver this season, something he did during his college days at Memphis. The potential increase in touches is enough for me to bank on the 25-year-old finding paydirt at plus money. Simply put, Pollard is a big play waiting to happen.
