Bengals vs. Chargers: Sunday Night Football Picks and Predictions
The Week 11 Sunday slate is capped off with an AFC showdown. The Los Angeles Chargers — 2nd in the AFC West — host the Cincinnati Bengals, who are trying to fight their way back from 3rd in the AFC North.
Below, we have the four of the best Sunday Night Football picks for Bengals vs. Chargers in NFL DFS on PrizePicks, including a TD scorer prediction for the game. Lock in your Lineups on PrizePicks for the easiest way to get real money action on Sunday Night Football.
Bengals vs. Chargers Picks for Sunday Night Football
Here are the Sunday Night Football picks for the Chargers vs. Bengals game for NFL DFS and PrizePicks.
- Chargers QB Justin Herbert 238.5 Pass Yards — More
- Bengals RB Chase Brown 61.5 Rush Yards — Less
- Bengals QB Joe Burrow 1.5 Pass TDs — More (Goblin)
- TD Scorer Prediction: Chargers RB J.K Dobbins
- Bengals vs. Chargers Prediction
Bengals vs. Chargers: Time, How to Watch
Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.
How to Watch: NBC
This matchup between two solid AFC teams could have potential playoff implications, especially for the Bengals, who are fighting for their life. The 6-3 Chargers look to capitalize on their most recent win against the Titans, as the Bengals look to stay alive after a close loss to the Ravens.
The bright side for the Bengals, their WR2 Tee Higgins is returning from injury this week.
The Chargers and QB Justin Herbert should continue the trend of teams ripping apart a struggling Bengal defense. The only question is: will the Bengals keep up?
Chargers QB Justin Herbert 238.5 Pass Yards — More
The Bengals are a bottom 10 team in defensive pass yards allowed (220.2 yards per game), ranking 23rd in the league. They’re also 26th in opponent’s dropback Expected Points Added (EPA).
Herbert should find some success as he continues to get comfortable with his lackluster weapons. As the Bengals offense is healthy, we should expect them to score and keep Herbert airing the ball out through this game.
Although Herbert is only averaging just under 210 passing yards per game, he has managed to cash this projection three of his last four games. Since Week 9, Herbert is third in yards per attempt and passer rating. Look for this matchup to be a shootout, and Herbert to get his.
Bengals RB Chase Brown 61.5 Rush Yards — Less
Bengals RB Chase Brown has struggled to hit this projection recently and life won’t get easier against a stout Chargers run defense that has Joey Bosa near full health. Brown has only managed to rush for more than 61.5 yards in three games this season, most recently against the Raiders two weeks ago.
Brown has only one game with over 15 carries this year — in a 41-24 win vs. the Raiders. Averaging just over 52 yards on the ground each game, I find this projection to be extremely high for someone who hasn't shown much success running the ball.
Let’s also not forget that the Bengals traded for RB Khalil Herbert at the trade deadline — just two days before their Thursday Night Football game. Herbert sat out that one, but now has had almost two weeks of prep before Sunday Night.
Add that to the game script, which shouldn’t be tilted too far in either direction, and I don't believe Brown will get the opportunities to reach this number.
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Bengals QB Joe Burrow 1.5 Pass TDs — More (Goblin)
The Bengals offense is dynamic and the connection between Burrow and his wide receivers cannot be denied. Now, he gets Higgins back, which will be a big boost.
The Bengal offense ranks fourth in pass yards per game and sixth in scoring, averaging 27 points. Higgins will open up more opportunities for both receivers this game. The focal point in this offense has been WR Ja’Marr Chase, who has arguably been the best wide receiver in the league this year.
Less pressure on Chase will allow for easier targets and more yards for him and others in the passing game. The Bengals should air it out plenty as their run game has floundered without Joe Mixon all year long.
Although he won’t have much success running, look for Brown to get targets in the passing game as well through the check downs to spell the pass rush of Bosa.
Note: Goblin picks reduce your payout on PrizePicks, as they are easier projections to hit.
TD Scorer Pick: Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins — 0.5 Rush+Rec TDs
The Bengals have coughed up the fifth-most rushing touchdowns (13) this year. Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins gets a great matchup against a bottom-tier defense, both in the pass and rush. That should give him plenty of goal-line opportunities.
Dobbins has scored in five of his nine games this season, which leads me to believe that he should find the end zone this week. It doesn’t hurt that Dobbins has averaged over three targets per game, giving him a chance to cash this with a receiving TD.
Game Prediction: Bengals 34, Chargers 31
This game has shootout vibes, as both quarterbacks and offenses have proven they can score with ease. The Bengals defense has also struggled with slowing teams down. If the Chargers get on the board early, we could see both teams abandon the run and turn to the pass quickly.
The fire power between Burrow and Chase along with Higgins coming back from injury is what makes me think Cincinnati will win this game by a small margin. For the Chargers to win this game, they will need to find a way to limit Chase, which will be difficult without CB Asante Samuel Jr., who is on IR.
They need to pressure Burrow and bring a mixture of coverages to win this one. Winning the turnover battle is a must for them as well. Ultimately, Herbert and the Chargers will get stopped on a key drive late, and lose the game by one possession.
Make Sunday Night Football Picks on PrizePicks
Ready to build your winning lineup for Sunday Night Football? This Chargers vs. Bengals Sunday Night Football showdown should offer a lot of exciting offensive plays as QBs Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow headline some of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.
Whether you’re boosting your payout with a Demon pick, or staying safe with a Goblin pick, there’s plenty of ways to put your NFL takes into action with projections on the PrizePicks board.
Just pick more or less on two or more player projections, lock in your lineup, sit back, and stay in the green to get paid out after Sunday Night Football.
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