In today’s NFL, there’s no shortage of running backs to bet on or against. Not only can you bet on a player to have a certain number of rushing yards in a season, but you can also bet on the amount of touchdowns a player will score throughout the season. That’s great if you think someone like Jamaal Williams will score a lot of touchdowns like he did last year, but he may not have the same opportunities when it comes to his rushing yardage throughout the season. As with betting on any player prop, once the player steps foot on the field, the bet will stand. So if you bet the Over on a player’s rushing yards or touchdowns, you understand that this is a risk. Of course, if you bet the Under, an injury would be beneficial to your wager.
D’Andre Swift – Philadelphia Eagles – Over 525.5 Rushing Yards
After spending his first 3 years of his career, in Detroit, Swift was traded to the Eagles in the offseason. Swift has struggled with injuries in his career, missing a total of 10 games so far in his career. However, even after only playing 14 games last year, he rushed for 542 yards. Now, he joins arguably the best offense in the league. And while Jalen Hurts stole the show for the Eagles last year, including rushing for 760 yards, lead running back Miles Sanders also had a solid year. Sanders rushed for just under 1,300 yards last year. Of course, it helps that he stayed healthy all year, which Swift hasn’t shown he can do. However, the Eagles may want Hurts to run less this year, so that he stays on the field. The Eagles traded for Swift to be able to run the ball more and replace some of that production lost from Sanders leaving in free agency. If Swift can stay on the field, he should be in for a big year.
Josh Allen – Buffalo Bills – Over 575.5 Rushing Yards
Josh Allen may play quarterback, but he’s proven to be a fantastic runner as well as a great QB. In each of the last 2 years, Allen has rushed for 762 yards and 763 yards, respectively. There’s been rumblings that the Bills want Allen to run less this year to stay healthy, but the fact is that the Bills have yet to establish a consistent running game with Allen at the helm. In addition, Allen will have 4 games just in his division this year against elite defenses. Simply put, his team needs him to run the ball. Allen also knows how to pick up chunk yardage when he runs. In 3 of his 5 years as a starter, Allen has averaged over 6 yards per carry! The Bills are projected to be one of the best teams in the league again, and Josh Allen will be a central figure to their Super Bowl aspirations once again.
Nick Chubb – Cleveland Browns – Over 8.5 Rushing Touchdowns
Throughout his career, Nick Chubb has been a touchdown machine. Last year, he had 12 rushing touchdowns, even with significant QB uncertainty throughout the year. In 2020, when the Browns won the division, he also had 12 rushing touchdowns. In his other 3 years in the league, he had exactly 8 rushing touchdowns. This year, the Browns will have Deshaun Watson for a full season. While we can debate whether or not he will be able to return to the form we saw in Houston, it stands to reason that Watson will be better than he was last year, and better than Jacoby Brisset was last year as well. Having a more consistent offense will give Chubb more chances to score. Chubb has been the engine for this team since he was drafted, and if the Browns are going to compete for the playoffs this year, they will need Chubb to be in peak form.
These are just few ways to bet on running backs this season. Running backs may be devalued in 2023, but for certain teams, the running backs on their team will determine just how far they go this year. The start of the season can’t come soon enough!