The NFL regular season is almost at the halfway point as Week 8 approaches, so be sure to enjoy it while it lasts.

Week 7 ended with two Monday night contests. The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41-31, and the Arizona Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Chargers 17-15.

Week 8’s opening game features the Los Angeles Rams hosting the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night.

We dived deep into the stats and have two player prop tips below for the Sunday slate, which showcase a tight end and running back.

Remember to wager responsibly and monitor your bankroll carefully.

Remember to read our week 8 NFL odds and parlay picks as well.

Week 8 Player Props

The odds for both picks were correct at the time of writing. They were also shopped across all legal U.S. sportsbooks.

Mo Alie-Cox under 1.5 receptions (-135 at DraftKings)

Mo Alie-Cox is the Indianapolis Colts’ top blocking tight end and isn’t used much as a receiver, except when gunslinging backup quarterback Joe Flacco plays.

In the five games that QB1 Anthony Richardson started, who is playing again this week, Alie-Cox recorded a total of just one reception.

Throughout that span, he only was targeted four times.

In those five games with Richardson under center, the VCU product, Alie-Cox, played an average of 25.8 snaps and ran an average of 7.6 routes per game.

This limits his opportunities as a pass-catcher.

The Colts play the Texans this week. The last time the two teams met in Week 1, Alie-Cox had zero receptions and just one target.

Alie Cox’s Game Log When Richardson Starts

Week/Opponent	Receptions	Targets	Receiving Yards
Week 1 vs. HOU	0	1	0
Week 2 @ GB	1	1	1
Week 3 vs. CHI	0	1	0
Week 4 vs. PIT	0	0	0
Week 7 vs. MIA	0	1	0

Note: Joe Flacco played most of Week 4 after Richardson got hurt.

As shown in the game log, Alie Cox has gone under the 1.5 reception mark in 100% of games (five), with Richardson starting at quarterback. This is largely due to Indianapolis’ run-first game plan.

Alie-Cox did go over 1.5 receptions with two and four in the two games Flacco started, but the game plan was pass-heavy.

Indianapolis opened as a four-point underdog against Houston this week.

If the contest is closely contested, similar to Week 1 when the Colts lost 29-27, the game script will promote many running play calls, reducing Alie-Cox’s chances of getting involved.

Richardson’s total for pass attempts is set at 26.5, which is very low and also helps his tight end’s case of going under 1.5 catches.

In Richardson’s four full games played, he’s averaged 24.25 pass attempts per game. Against Houston in Week 1, he threw the ball only 19 times.

DraftKings is one of the only sportsbooks offering this market for the tight end at -135 odds.

Many reputable fantasy football and betting models also project Alie-Cox to record less than 1.5 catches.

Model Projections For Alie-Cox’s Receptions

• Numberfire: 0.6
• RotoWire: 0.9
• ESPN: 1
• Action Network: 1
• FantasyPros: 1.1

Breece Hall under 18.5 rush attempts (-115 BetMGM)

This line stood out because 19 rush attempts for Breece Hall seem like a steep number for a back who hasn’t reached it for most of his career.

Throughout his entire career, Hall has only exceeded 18.5 carries in 4-of-27 (14.8%) games.

Todd Downing has been calling the offensive plays for two weeks after replacing Nathanial Hackett as the offensive coordinator.

In those two weeks, Hall recorded 18 carries against Buffalo and 12 versus Pittsburgh.

It appears that Downing wants to put the ball in his playmaker’s hands, but there are a number of factors as to why 19 carries are a lot to ask for.

First, the Jets are seven-point favorites this week against the Patriots. The last time the two teams faced off, New York dominated 24-3. New England’s been dominated in its last two outings against Jacksonville (32-16) and Houston (41-21).

The 1-6 franchise has lost four of its past five games by 16 or more points. 

If the game quickly gets out of hand and the Jets take a big lead, there’s a decent chance the starters, which include Hall, will be pulled early.

Rookie backup running back Braelon Allen, selected in the fourth round (No. 134 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft, was more involved for the first five weeks of the season but has only received five carries over the past two weeks.

This could be the perfect game to reinvolve the freakishly athletic back and give Hall a rest.

Davante Adams, whom the Jets acquired in a trade, should also see many more designed plays compared to last week now that he’s had more time to study the playbook.

New England ranks ninth-worst in the NFL in defending the pass (surrending 223.4 yards per game), and the Jets will likely look to exploit that weakness.

Aaron Rodgers had his best game of the season statistically in Week 2 against New England when he completed 27-of-35 pass attempts (77.1%). He also threw for 281 yards, the second-most this season.

In that contest, Hall received 16 carries. The Iowa State product has gone under the 18.5 carry mark in 100% of games this year (7/7). He’s averaging 13.57 carries per contest during that span.

It’s also important to note that the 23-year-old is also running tons of routes since he’s so talented as a receiver. This takes away carry opportunities.

In Week 6 against Buffalo, Downing’s first game calling plays, Hall ran 28 routes out of the 51 snaps he played. A week later, against Pittsburgh, he ran routes on 30 out of 45 snaps.

This season, Hall is averaging 47.14 snaps and 26.14 routes run per game. In total, he’s run 183 routes in 330 total snaps, meaning he’s run a route on 55.45% of snaps played.

I don’t see much of a decline in this category since he’s seen so much success as a receiver, especially in his last two games, recording 103 and 56 receiving yards.

Lead Running Back Carries Against New England

Week	Running back	Carries
Week 1 @ CIN	Zack Moss	9
Week 2 vs. SEA	Zach Charbonnet	14
Week 3 @ NYJ	Breece Hall	16
Week 4 vs. SF	Jordan Mason	24
Week 5 vs. MIA	Raheem Mostert	19
Week 6 vs. HOU	Joe Mixon	13
Week 7 @ JAC	Tank Bigsby	26

Note: Week 7 was played in London, England.

Even with most teams dominating the Patriots, four of the seven (57.14%) rushers who received the most carries in the outing recorded less than 19 rush attempts. Leading rushers are averaging 17.28 carries against the Patriots.

Currently, BetMGM’s -115 odds are the best available for this prop. ESPNBet lists the same line at -125.

Model Projections For Hall’s Rush Attempts

• RotoWire: 16.9
• BettingPros: 17
• ESPN: 17
• FantasyPros: 17.5
• Action Network: 17.8
• Numberfire: 18.13