NFL offenses are gravitating towards the passing game, and wide receivers benefit with record-breaking receiving yard seasons. Bookmakers are picking up on this trend and are offering props, such as game-day reception yards and longest receptions.
Among the offered NFL player prop bets, bettors prefer the most regular season receiving yards, and candidates are not lacking. Nearly every team offers a contender, yet, only some players are ahead of the crowd.
Let's meet the favorites before the start of mandatory minicamps.
Justin Jefferson Is a Generational Talent (+650)
Last season Jeffers fortified his legend after basically converting an interception into a spectacular reception by one-handedly taking the ball out of Buffalo Bills’ CB Cam Lewis's hands in midair and securing a first down for his Minnesota Vikings.
The 32-yard reception was only one of multiple spectacular catches in a season where Jefferson registered 1,809 receiving yards, making him a league leader in that category and securing the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.
"It’s just an honor to be recognized for the amount of stuff I did this season. It just goes to show you all the hard work that I’ve been doing," said Jefferson about last season's achievement.
The 2023-24 season will be Jefferson's fourth in the league, but since his rookie year, the former LSU Tiger showed he could dominate as a wideout. In the 2021 season, he had 1,616 receiving yards, ranking him second-best in the league.
Not surprisingly, sportsbooks make him a top favorite for the most receiving yards in 2023, giving him +650 odds. Over the past decade, no player had back-to-back seasons as a receiving leader. On the other hand, Justin is no regular player, and with quarterback Kirk Cousins distributing the ball, Justin can climb to the top again.
Ja’Marr Chase Is Supported By a Premier QB (+700)
The Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase won a 2020 College Football National Championship with Justin Jefferson as his teammate at LSU. Chase entered the NFL a year later than Jefferson but benefited from being drafted by a team with Joe Burrow, his quarterback at LSU Tigers.
Ja'Marr faced injuries last year, which shortened his season to 12 games, and 1,046 receiving yards in the regular season. What's interesting from a statistical perspective is that Chase had 87 receptions in 2022, compared to 81 in 2021 when he played a full 17-game season.
Being targeted more often in fewer games stems from Burrow's trust in him.
"It's hard getting catches in a game. Especially if you're doubled, you have to catch every pass that comes your way," said Chase during OTAs. Sportsbooks offer +700 odds for Chase to have the most receiving yards in the upcoming season. And with a top 5 QB passing him the ball, Chase’s outlook is very positive.
Tyreek Hill Is Ready for a Record Year (+900)
Tyreek Hill thrived with Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback during Hill's tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs and was on track to be the best receiver in his first years with the Miami Dolphins. However, the multiple concussion of QB Tua Tagovailoa derails those plans.
Hill ended the 2022 season with 1,710 receiving yards, right behind Jefferson. The Cheetah is a master at achieving separation and getting open. If Tua is healthy and can feed him the ball, Hill can be a good bet at +900 odds.
Tyreek recently said he believes he can have a 2,000-yard season. "I think the added game gives me quite the advantage," said Hill.
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