B/R NFL Staff Picks Best and Worst Player Props for the 2020 Season

In a matter of days, after a more-unbearable-than-usual seven-month break, the NFL will finally, thankfully, mercifully return. 

And while you might already be thinking about your Week 1 picks straight-up or against the spread or your Super Bowl or divisional team future bets, don't forget about the plethora of player props that exist. 

DraftKings offers 29 categories of player props with hundreds of different betting options regarding regular-season awards, over/unders and league leaders. Our experts have combed through said odds to offer up their favorites and least favorites entering the year.

Brad Gagnon Thinks It's Time for Chandler Jones to Win Some Hardware

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Gagnon's Best: Chandler Jones to win Defensive Player of the Year (+2200)

Seven players have better odds to win this award than Jones, who has registered 17 or more sacks in two of his last three seasons and was the DPOY runner-up in 2019. Last year, the Arizona Cardinals edge defender became just the second player in NFL history to record 19-plus sacks and eight or more forced fumbles in one campaign.

He also remains in his prime at 30, and he should receive a boost from the presence of rookie linebacker Isaiah Simmons in 2020. With that in mind, he should be a front-runner alongside Aaron Donald (+700). Instead, his payout is three times as high. 

Gagnon's Worst: Aaron Jones over/under 950.5 rushing yards

I believe in the Green Bay Packers running back, but keep in mind that 474 of his 1,558 scrimmage yards came through the air last year. He scored a lot and was a huge part of that offense but barely reached the 1,000-yard mark on the ground. 

Now, there was little reason to believe that would dip below the 950 range in 2020...until the Packers used a second-round draft pick on AJ Dillon. You don't take a back that high unless you plan to utilize him right away. 

On one hand, Dillon is a bruiser who is likelier to vulture touchdowns, and we have no way of knowing what kind of impact he'll make after a limited offseason. But on the other hand, he likely only needs to eat into Jones' carries by a small margin to impact that 950.5 mark, and his presence might make Jones more of a receiver. There's just too much mystery to bet this either way. 

Gary Davenport Doesn't Know What to Expect from Josh Allen

James P. McCoy/Associated Press

Davenport's Kool-Aid Man 'Oh yeah!' Prop Bet of the Year: Joe Schobert to lead the NFL in tackles (+1800)

Joe Schobert is hardly a household name, and moving from Cleveland to Jacksonville isn't going to do a ton for his Q rating. He's also not an elite linebacker from a talent perspective like Darius Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts or Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks.

What Schobert is, though, is a tackle vacuum. He's already paced the league in total tackles once, tying for the NFL lead with 144 stops in 2017.

Schobert now plays for a Jacksonville Jaguars team that might be the worst in the NFL—on a defense that's going to spend a lot of time on the field. And his biggest competition for tackles is (yawn) Myles Jack. 

At 18-to-1, Schobert's the kind of prop bet with both decent odds of success and a nice payday if it happens.

Davenport's 'You Might as Well Set Your Money on Fire Thanks but No Thanks Prop I Want No Part of': Josh Allen over/under 7.5 rushing touchdowns

This is just an ugly wager—for more than one reason.

Yes, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has cleared the over/under on this wager twice in two seasons—eight on the ground as a rookie and nine last season. But it's not like the 24-year-old cleared the line by a mile, and with the addition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs and bruising running back Zack Moss, there should be less pressure on Allen to punch it in from in close.

Most NFL teams don't relish their franchise QB taking that beating.

Even if you think Allen will get that payday eighth touchdown, though, the payoff on this wager is blah. Best case, you're laying $100 on a coin toss for the chance to win $90.

Pass.

Brent Sobleski Is Buying Diontae Johnson

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Sobleski's Best: Diontae Johnson over 775.5 receiving yards

A healthy Ben Roethlisberger should make responsible bettors a lot of money this fall, because the Pittsburgh Steelers will be one of the league's best teams with their leader back under center. Diontae Johnson will likely be the biggest beneficiary from the quarterback's return.

Last season with Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges at quarterback, Johnson still managed 680 receiving yards as a rookie. His natural development, coupled with a proven commodity throwing to him, should easily allow the second-year wide receiver to blow way past the current betting line.

Sobleski's Worst: Baker Mayfield over/under 3,750.5 passing yards

First, this selection isn't an indictment of Baker Mayfield. He'll be a better quarterback this fall than last season. With that said, his potential success will hinge on playing in the perfect system for him and the Cleveland Browns' available offensive talent. The system is a run-first scheme that's not heavily reliant on pushing the ball down the field.

Yes, Mayfield managed 3,827 yards during last year's disappointing campaign. But his performance is not the one to analyze in this particular discussion. Instead, look at what Kirk Cousins did with Kevin Stefanski, now the Browns head coach, calling the plays. Cousins registered 3,603 yards.

Expect a much more efficient, albeit conservative, offensive scheme this fall, thus lower production from Mayfield.

Kalyn Kahler Sees Chase Young Following in Nick Bosa's Footsteps

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Kahler's best: Chase Young over 8.5 sacks 

I like this one because Young is going to be a star in this league; I'd pick him as my choice for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Last year's DROY? Nick Bosa, another Buckeye, with nine sacks on the season.

Kahler's worst: Le'Veon Bell over/under 800.5 rushing yards

The drama with Bell in New York has already entered a new act, and we aren't even in season yet. I don't trust Adam Gase, who reportedly never wanted to sign Bell in the first place, to utilize him enough.

Plus, Gase has already said, per Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, he wants to involve him more in the passing game this season. In 15 games last season, Bell rushed for 789 yards. This season looks to be just as shaky.