The day is finally here! There is no better time of the year than the first NFL Sunday of the season. Fans witnessed a ton of offseason movement across the league, so Week 1 will be an exciting slate. Let’s dive into the best NFL player props for today, Sunday, Sept. 11.
Best NFL Prop Bets, Game Tips & Betting Predictions
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons host the New Orleans Saints to kick off the season. The Falcons traded their franchise quarterback Matt Ryan to the Colts for former Raiders backup Marcus Mariota. This will be Mariota’s first start since December 2020, and he will be looking to prove he can be a full-time starter in this league. Unfortunately, he will be without star wide receiver Calvin Ridley, who has been suspended for the entire season.
The Falcons have invested heavily in their receiver corps, taking tight end Kyle Pitts and receiver Drake London early in the first round in back-to-back years. This draft stock investment means the spotlight will be on Mariota and the offense to turn this team around.
The Saints defense finished with 18 interceptions in 2021. New Orleans added Tyrann Mathieu this offseason, which is an upgrade for their defensive secondary. The Falcons are the underdogs in this one, and the sportsbooks have Mariota’s passing attempts at 29.5, so there should be plenty of opportunity for the Falcons to go to the air. Anticipate New Orleans applying plenty of pressure to Atlanta’s below-average offensive line and forcing Mariota to throw an interception in his home debut.
Best NFL Bet For Today’s Game: Marcus Mariota Over 0.5 Interceptions (-110)
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans
Ryan’s first game with Indianapolis starts in Houston against a Texans team that has the potential to improve under new head coach Lovie Smith. The Houston offensive line hopes to see improvements after spending their first-round pick on Texas A&M guard Kenyon Green. Second-year quarterback Davis Mills will look to build on his progression from last year after throwing for 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his rookie season. Mills is not a very mobile quarterback, which forces him to make more passes in pressure situations.
The Colts come into this matchup as 7-point favorites. Indianapolis held Mills to 293 yards and two interceptions on 57 passing attempts in two matchups last season. The Colts will be missing linebacker Shaquille Leonard, who led the team in interceptions in 2021, but they are looking forward to the addition of free agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. This defense has the potential to be one of the best in the league, so it will be a difficult first matchup for Mills at home to open up the season. While this line is a little juicy, have confidence in the Colts defense to pick one off Mills at least once in Sunday’s matchup.
Best NFL Bet For Today’s Game: Davis Mills Over 0.5 Interceptions (-135)
