Now that we NFL betting fans have read up on training camps and caught a few exhibition games, it’s time to make a few educated guesses about player yardage. Who will lead the NFL in passing, rushing and receiving yards? Odds are courtesy of BetUs.com.
Shea Matthews picks are in bold.
MOST PASSING YARDS
Drew Brees +375
Peyton Manning +450
Matt Schaub +500
Aaron Rodgers +450
Tom Brady +650
Tony Romo +900
Philip Rivers +1000
Jay Cutler +1800
Brett Favre +2000
Kevin Kolb +2000
Safe pick: Drew Brees. The Saints air it out every year and he always hangs near the league leaders in passing yards.
Boom: Jay Cutler. If Mike Martz made Jon Kitna into a 4,000-yard guy in Detroit, imagine what he’ll do with Cutler’s talents in Chicago. The Bears may not win us money at the sportsbook but they’ll throw like mad.
Bust: Philip Rivers. Losing your top receiver and left tackle means you’ll throw for fewer yards, plain and simple.
Sleeper: Kevin Kolb. Eagles coach Andy Reid has the most lopsided pass-to-run ratio in NFL history.
MOST RUSHING YARDS
Chris Johnson +300
Adrian Peterson +500
Frank Gore +600
Ray Rice +800
Michael Turner +800
Maurice Jones-Drew +1000
Steven Jackson +1400
Shonn Green +1400
DeAngelo Williams +2000
Rashard Mendenhall +2000
Safe pick: Adrian Peterson. A 1,500-yard season qualifies as an “off” year for him. He’s a machine.
Boom: Chris Johnson. The little guy is an injury risk but there isn’t a more explosive back in football. He’s a force when it comes to yardage.
Bust: Steven Jackson. He’s talented as can be but his big body takes far too many hits. He’s no lock to play 16 games.
Sleeper: Rashard Mendenhall. Greene could be a sleeper too but Mendenhall will get more touches since Ben Roethlisberger is suspended and Greene will give way to LaDainian Tomlinson on third down.
MOST RECEIVING YARDS
Andre Johnson +400
Miles Austin +900
Larry Fitzgerald +900
Randy Moss +900
Reggie Wayne +900
Roddy White +1000
Calvin Johnson +1000
Greg Jennings +1200
Marques Colston +1500
Brandon Marshall +2000
Safe pick: Reggie Wayne. He never gets hurt and plays in a passing offense that dominates like clockwork every year.
Boom: Andre Johnson. He’s a potent combination of speed and sure-handedness. He gets the ball a ton every game and has posted back-to-back 1,500-yard seasons.
Bust: Marques Colston. He has the lowest ceiling of this group by far since New Orleans spreads the ball out so much.
Sleeper: Calvin Johnson. Megatron already posted big numbers in some anemic Detroit offenses. What will he do now that the Lions look like they could field an above-average attack? Scary for sports betting sharps to imagine.
For more information: Get the fantasy football rankings and NFL draft guide from ScoresOddsPicks.com Shea Matthews.