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The Best NFL Player Props for Week 1

NFL player props are one of the most rewarding ways to bet on any week of the season. The schedule makers have blessed us with an incredible slate of games to open the year.

Keep reading to see the best NFL player props available today for the opening week of the 2025 season. I will discuss my picks for the best player props and explain why each wager is worth the risk in Week 1.

Best NFL Player Props Today

See the table below for the best NFL player props today, courtesy of Bovada, a top NFL betting site.

Week 1 Matchup	NFL Player Prop	Prediction
Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles	Saquon Barkley rushing total	Barkley 100+ rushing yards (-115)
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers	First Chiefs TD Scorer	Travis Kelce (+500)
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns	First TD Scorer	Jerome Ford (+1100)
Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills	Anytime TD Scorer	Lamar Jackson (+125)
Las Vegas Raiders vs. New England Patriots	First TD Scorer	Ashton Jeanty (+600)

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Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Saquon Barkley 100+ Rushing Yards

Philadelphia starts its championship defense on Thursday, September 4th, with a home date against a familiar foe. The Eagles host the Cowboys in game one of the 2025 NFL season.

Saquon Barkley was key to the Eagles’ success last year, and the bar is set even higher this season. Barkley is listed at -115 to have 100+ rushing yards in Week 1 against the Cowboys. He led the league last year with 2,005 rushing yards in the regular season. 

Dallas’s defense was below-average last year, and they could be without Micah Parsons. The Cowboys allowed 2,331 rushing yards, the fourth-most in the league. Barkley struggled in his first game against Dallas as an Eagle, only racking up 66 rushing yards on 14 carries.

He turned it around in the second matchup, rushing for 167 yards on 31 carries. I think Barkley will amass over 100 yards on opening night against Dallas.

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers – First Chiefs TD Scorer

Touchdown scorer props are one of the most popular player props amongst NFL bettors. Bovada lists the following odds for the first Chiefs player to score a touchdown against the Chargers in Week 1:

• Isaiah Pacheco (+425)
• Travis Kelce (+500)
• Xavier Worthy (+500)
• Kareem Hunt (+650)
• Marquise Brown (+650)

Travis Kelce (+500) is tied for the second-best odds in this player prop wager. This could be the last season for the future Hall of Famer, and he struggled to produce for much of last season.

On the other hand, Kelce always seems to turn it on against division opponents. In his 20 career games against the Chargers, Kelce has 112 catches for 1,357 yards and nine touchdowns. He failed to score against LA last year, marking the first time since 2018 that he did not score at least once in their two annual divisional matchups.

I think  Kelce will end his touchdown drought against the Chargers, and he will do it early. At 5-1 odds, Kelce is the best bet to score the first touchdown for KC against LA in Week 1.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns – First TD Scorer

Speaking of first touchdown scorers, you can increase your value on these wagers by betting on the first scorer for the game, regardless of the team.

For instance, secure sports betting sites are offering the following odds on the first touchdown scorer in Bengals vs. Browns.

• Chase Brown (+425)
• Ja’Marr Chase (+500)
• Tee Higgins (+800)
• Quinshon Judkins (+1000)
• Davis Njoku (+1100)
• Jerome Ford (+1100)

Perennial MVP candidate Jow Burrow and the reigning triple crown receiver Ja’Marr Chase lead Cincinnati’s prolific offense. However, Burrow is just 1-9 in the first two weeks of the season, thus far in his career. Also, despite sweeping Cleveland last season, Burrow is still just 3-5 against Cleveland all-time.

I think Cincinnati will win, but its defense is a significant concern. The Bengals allowed over 2,000 yards on the ground last year and 20 rushing scores.

Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has not signed his contract with the Browns yet due to his ongoing legal issues. His absence should open the door for fellow rookie Dylan Sampson and veteran Jerome Ford (+1100).

Assuming Judkins is out, I think Ford at 11-1 offers the best value to score first. Two of the Browns’ three touchdowns last year came on the ground, including a rushing score from Ford in their Week 16 matchup.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills – Anytime TD Scorer

You can also wager on players to score at any point in the game. For these bets, it does not matter when the player scores if they find the endzone before the game is over.

Consider these anytime TD scorer odds for the thrilling Sunday Night Football matchup between Baltimore and Buffalo.

• Derrick Henry (-200)
• Josh Allen (-125)
• James Cook (-121)
• Lamar Jackson (+125)
• Rashod Bateman (+145)
• Keon Coleman (+150)

The Ravens demolished the Bills when Buffalo came to Baltimore last regular season. However, Josh Allen and company got their revenge in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

This should be one of the best games of the open week, and I like Lamar Jackson’s value as an anytime TD scorer at +125.

Jackson ran for a six-yard score and averaged 9.0 yards per carry against Buffalo in their Week 4 matchup a year ago. He did not score against them in the playoffs, but Jackson did average 6.5 YPC.

Las Vegas Raiders vs. New England Patriots – First TD Scorer

Betting on NFL player props for rookies making their NFL debut is another exciting way to enjoy the latest Week 1 odds. Few players have more pressure to perform in their first real NFL game than Boise State star Ashton Jeanty.

Here is how Jeanty stacks up in the first TD scorer odds for the Raiders vs. Patriots.

• Ashton Jeanty (+600)
• Rhamondre Stevenson (+750)
• Stefon Diggs (+900)
• TreVeyon Henderson (+900)
• Brock Bowers (+1100)
• Jakobi Meyers (+1100)

Jeanty is the favorite at 6-1 odds to be the first TD scorer. For reference, Jeanty is listed at even-money in the latest Week 1 anytime TD scorer odds.

He had a disappointing preseason debut, but I expect Jeanty to do much better in his first regular-season game. Las Vegas’s offensive line issues are concerning, but Jeanty is a threat to score in the passing game as well. I think Jeanty will find pay dirt first in this Week 1 game.

Prop Betting Strategy Tips for the NFL Season

Having the right prop betting strategy is crucial to sustaining success during the season. Here are some tips to help you choose the best NFL player props each week.

Time the Lines You Bet On

Knowing when to bet can be just as crucial as picking which wagers to put your money on. Try to time your wagers to secure the most value.

In some wagers, this will mean betting early to secure the highest odds. However, if the public is pouring money into the other side of the wager, it is better to wait so the odds grow in value.

Favor the Under in the Early Parts of the Season

Many NFL fans are optimists, at least when it comes to their teams. As a result, a lot of bettors favor the over in prop markets. This creates a lot of value in unders, especially early in the season when offenses are not as polished.

Stay Up to Date With the Latest Injury News

Injuries are an unfortunate but unavoidable part of football. Staying updated on the latest injuries will assist you with choosing the right bets. Make sure to know the major injuries for both teams to be as informed as possible.

Consider Correlated Props

Props come in all shapes and sizes, which is great news for bettors. If you are expecting a big game from a player, consider how that will affect other props that are available.

For instance, quarterbacks need receivers to throw to if they want to rack up enough yards to cover their totals. So, if you are wagering on a great passing performance, consider betting on that quarterback’s receivers to have productive days as well.

You can even combine these props into one ticket using Bovada’s betting tools.

What Are Your Week 1 NFL Player Prop Predictions?

NFL player props are your ticket to maximizing your bankroll’s value. You can bet on football’s biggest stars every week of the NFL regular season.

Check out the guide above for my best player props in the NFL this week. Then, create your Bovada account today to wager on your predictions. New members can use the code BTCSWB750 to claim a 75% match on their first deposit.