Best player props and bets for Week 1: Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Dallas Cowboys face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this weekend to kick off their 2022 NFL season. This season on Blogging The Boys, we’ll be lightly previewing each game from a betting perspective and picking a few bets that are worth a look. Whether it be a player prop, team total, or something alike, we’ll narrow down the best ones week in and week out. This is my first season on BTB, but my past experience is gambling centric. Giving picks through an unbiased lens is the way and winners is the goal. Let's get into it.

Ezekiel Elliott U 46.5 rushing yards

This seems like a really low figure for game one of the season. As the most experienced position player on the Cowboys, Zeke should figure to see a fair share of targets, especially early on. However, the Bucs have all their defenders returning on what was one of the NFL’s strongest run defenses a year ago.

In the last 4 games of last season, Zeke only went over the 46.5 rushing yards figure once. Expect that trend to continue and although he will be involved, his rushing figure goes under.

Game total U 50.5 total points

Like the Cowboys, the Buccaneers’ offense has lost a few key pieces and have their WR2 coming off an ACL injury. The Cowboys’ losses include their WR2, WR3 and LT being out. Both offenses should take a step back from last season as both defenses figure to stay strong. The under here should be a strong play as points come at a premium in a low scoring affair.

Mike Evans U 71.5 receiving yards

Sorry for those people that eat, sleep, and breath on betting overs, you won’t find that this week. With Chris Godwin being a full practice participant midweek, he might play and have decent snap share. Mike Evans should figure to see just about every offensive snap for the Bucs, but 71.5 receiving yards seems high. Not taking away anything from him as he very well be the most underrated receiver in the NFL. All things considered though, a low scoring game mixed with a guy that is a high touchdown, low volume receiver, we’ll rock the under here too. He saw double digit targets in just five games last season, let’s expect that to continue Sunday night.

This week, we’ll stick with three picks. The first week obviously calls for a few shots in the dark and we’ll take that route here. Blended in with a straight slate of unders, what could possibly go wrong? Smells like a boom or bust type of week, but what else can you expect in Week 1 NFL betting, especially Cowboys Week 1?