Today is Tuesday, August 3, which can mean only one thing – it’s time for football. The NFL season has arrived, with preseason games starting this Thursday. The first game will feature two teams that had mixed success last year, the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, but inaugurates a season that football fans, as well as bettors, hope will be as normal as possible following the disastrous 2020-21 season caused by COVID-19. As the games begin, it’s time to take a look at various prop bet options, including which quarterbacks are predicted to stand out this year. Spoiler alert: Tom Brady isn’t at the top of the charts.
QB Prop Odds Put Mahomes on Top
The Kansas City Chiefs defied all odds two seasons ago when they became the Super Bowl Champions. They almost did it again last year, falling just short of back-to-back wins after losing to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Patrick Mahomes was key to the Chiefs making it as far as they did both seasons, and he’s expected to be back for round three this year. The 25-year-old quarterback is currently at the top of the list in terms of passing yards for the new season.
Mahomes entered the NFL in 2017, going directly to the Chiefs, and has been the star of the team since then. He has made three Pro Bowls, was the NFL passing touchdowns leader, the NFL offensive player of the year and the NFL MVP in 2018. With a passing percentage of 66 and a passer rating of 108.7 since entering the league, Mahomes has already added his name permanently to the history books and is just getting started. Now, he’s the favorite to put up the most successful passing yards this year, getting odds of +350 at BetOnline.
Prescott to Bounce Back from Injuries
The Cowboys lost Dak Prescott early in the season last year after when he went down in Week 5 with a serious ankle injury. There were initial rumors that his NFL career had come to an end due to the injuries but, like a true champion athlete, Prescott fought back and is ready to get back on the field. He missed all of last season following the injury, and subsequent surgery, and won’t hold back this year. The two-time Pro Bowler wants the elusive Super Bowl ring.
Prescott, who has a passer rating of 97.3 and a completion average the same as Mahomes, is expected to be healthier and better than ever. As long as his receivers cooperate, he should be able to log massive yardage this year, which is why BetOnline has him second in total yards at +450. Having just signed a four-year, $160-million contract extension this past March, Prescott’s going to show he’s worth every penny.
Other QBs Get Surprising Odds
The top three QBs at the top of the passing yards list for this season have all been with the same team since entering the NFL. This includes Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, who comes in third in the odds list. With a completion percentage of 61.8 and a passer rating, the 2018 NFL Draft Round 1 pick is wanting to show he has what it takes and will try to overcome +1000 odds. He’s tied with Matthew Stafford, who is making his debut with the LA Rams after a long stint with the Detroit Lions from 2009-2020. Stafford, who has a passer rating of 89.9, has slowed down somewhat in recent years, but, according to oddsmakers, might be ready for a rebound.
Four players tie for fifth place with odds of +1400. As Brady vents his frustrations with teammates by slamming helmets to the turf, he could be losing his cool. However, after 21 years in the league, no one knows the game on the field better than he does. He still has what it takes to excel, but it might not be enough for another championship this year. Still, he’s getting support from oddsmakers, sharing the spotlight with Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons.