3 best prop bets for Arizona Cardinals vs. Raiders in Week 2

The Arizona Cardinals will face the Las Vegas Raiders in what will be a Battle for the Desert. Here are the three best prop bets for the contest. 

Last week, the Arizona Cardinals had a rough outing against the Kansas City Chiefs. The defense forgot to show, Kyler Murray averaged a sickening 5.68 yards per pass attempt, and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes treated the Cardinals defense like it was a scout team.

I expected a big game from Murray, and two of my favorite prop bets fell short in the process as he totaled just 222 all-purpose yards. My third favorite prop bet for the previous week was also a heartbreaker, as running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire gained 42 rushing yards, just two shy of the over.

Now that it’s a new week, hopefully I worked off some rust and will have a better outing. So which prop bets do I feel are the best in Week 2? Keep reading for more.

1 – Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray OVER 250.5 yards (-114)

Murray had a game to forget last week. But if anything good comes out of it, it’s the fact that both Murray and head coach Kliff Kingsbury know what the offensive line can’t handle – the blitz. And expect Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby to bring the heat this Sunday.

Even without DeAndre Hopkins and Rondale Moore, Murray will have an answer this week with an emerging Greg Dortch and a healthier Zach Ertz. Look for the duo to get plenty of work, and I also wouldn’t be surprised if Murray makes a couple of those spectacular, off his back foot throws.

2 – James Conner UNDER 51.5 rushing yards (-114)

Conner gained just 26 yards last week and a measly 2.6 yards per carry. While a returning Justin Pugh could work wonders for the Cardinals, Conner must contend with an upstart Eno Benjamin. Benjamin logged 28 rushing yards, but did so on four carries, and I am expecting him to cut into Conner’s workload this weekend.

If Benjamin comes out and runs with the same intensity as he did against Kansas City, Conner may once again toil through another subpar performance. He is slowly morphing into a short-yardage niche and is becoming less of a featured back. Something that started last season.

3 – Darren Waller OVER 51.5 yards (-114)

While some might claim Davante Adams’ presence could keep Waller from attaining his prop, the porous coverage from Isaiah Simmons and company on Travis Kelce last weekend tells me the Raiders will target Waller often, looking to emulate the mismatch from last Sunday. In Week 1, Kelce had eight receptions for 121 yards (15.3 yards per catch). Even if Waller produces half of what Kelce produced, he will easily clear the 51.5 mark.

Summary

Overall, I’m not as confident in the Cardinals this week from a props standpoint except for what I expect from Murray. Look for more of a quick game and more utilization of Ertz, which will help get Murray get over the 250-yard mark.

Benjamin showed last week that he deserves more of a workload, making me hesitant to trust that Conner will encroach his projected 51.5 rushing yards. Since the Cardinals gave up a lot to Travis Kelce last weekend, look for the Raiders to attempt to repeat those results with Darren Waller.

While I am currently 0-3 in my prop bets, there is still a lot of football to be played. And I am looking forward to seeing what this week brings.

(All Player Props per Fan Duel, Friday, September 16th, 2022)