This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
We've got a nice slate of games to choose from this weekend with eight early games, three late games along with Sunday and Monday football. Let's take a look at some options for Week 9.
GAMES
Los Angeles Chargers 
-2 at Philadelphia Eagles - I'm not sure why we've seen the Chargers collapse over the last few weeks and if they lose here, I'm going to consider them broken. At this point, I wonder if Justin Herbert's hand is okay but I'm going to assume he's fine. Oddly, the Eagles have lost all three games at home and I think this line would be bigger had they not blown out the Lions last week. I don't mind a parlay with the Chargers and the over (49.5).
Atlanta Falcons 
+6 at New Orleans Saints - I'm skeptical about the Saints' offense in this one with Taysom Hill likely under center. This is a divisional game and usually in these situations I like to take the points and six seems like a lot. The low over/under (41) also suggests a grind-it-out game and I see the winner of this one doing so by four or less.
Houston Texans 
+5.5 at Miami Dolphins - People must not remember that the Texans were actually pretty good the first two games of the season with Tyrod Taylor and they covered both of those spreads. Taylor returns this week and the Dolphins are 1-7 (lost to Jacksonville too) including being winless at home. Houston also started using Rex Burkhead more last week, a move that likely moved this spread 2-3 points.
PLAYER PROPS
Brandin Cooks OVER 4.5 Receptions (-145) - I never like to lay these kind of odds but this one seems really low. Cooks has gone over this mark in seven out of eight games and gone two-for-two with Tyrod Taylor under center. Taylor gave Cooks 21 targets and while that's a small sample, it's worth noting. This one could easily be done by halftime and over 65.5 receiving yards for Cooks looks good as well.
Travis Kelce OVER 6.5 Receptions (-105) - Kelce is coming off his worst game of the season a week ago and should easily bounce back this week. My thinking here is every team seems to employ using two deep safeties to take away the home run ball, affecting players like Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman. The Chiefs should figure out how to beat this and it likely involves targeting Kelce over the middle running intermediate routes. I was looking at going over on the yardage but he's been under 74.4 receiving yards in four of his last five contests.
Josh Allen OVER 33.5 Rushing Yards - This line seems like a sucker bet in that Allen has gone over this mark in five of his seven games. This game should be a blowout with Vegas thinking that the Bills will score around 31 points, suggesting a lot of offense from the Bills. The only hesitation here is the game could become a blowout in the second half and the Bills won't risk Allen scrambling with the ball.
Bryan Edwards OVER 41.5 Receiving Yards - There should be a few extra targets to go around this week and Edwards should absorb one or two of them. He's been incredibly efficient this season with an 11.2 yards per target mark and has hit 40 or more receiving yards in five of his seven games. The Giants defense is below league average against the pass and Edwards has eight catches this season of 20-plus yards (one of those being 40-plus).
Russell Gage over 33.5 Receiving Yards - This is my favorite prop of the week given that Gage was cleared Friday and should be the second target only to Kyle Pitts. It's tough to read the tea leaves but it would make sense that Marshon Lattimore shadow Pitts leaving either Paulson Adebo or Bradley Roby. Gage should easily see at least five targets and hit the over in this spot.
PLAYER TOUCHDOWNS
Mike Gesicki, +150 - Gesicki has scored two touchdowns in his last five games and has seen his role grow in the Dolphins offense. After playing only 20 snaps Week 1, he's played 58 and 62 snaps in the last two weeks, the top two numbers of the season. Houston is a great team to target tight ends against as they've allowed six touchdowns to the position which is tied for the most in the league.
Russell Gage +270 Tajae Sharpe (+390), Olamide Zaccheaus (+600) - Although this appears to be a crazy idea to use them all on the same ticket, it really isn't. If any score, you'll make money (obviously better if it's Sharpe or Zaccheaus) and there's the possibility that two or three of them could find the end zone. Of course, the risk is tripled here as well which is something to take into account.
Albert Okwuegbunam +290 - Albert O. is dealing with a knee injury and as of Friday was listed as questionable. However, Noah Fant is on the COVID-19 list and may not suit up, leaving Okwuegbunam as the primary receiving tight end for the Broncos. If he does end up being inactive, the bet is called off and you get your money back so no harm, no foul.
