Commanders vs. Eagles player props: Hurts, Sanders to run wild on Washington’s defense

As we broke down earlier this week, we’re expecting a shoot-out when the Eagles travel to face the Commanders in a showdown of NFC East rivals. That’s great news for over bettors in the player props market – especially those betting high on Philly’s offensive stars.

Here are three of our favorite prop bets to target at BetMGM ahead of Sunday’s contest:

After rushing for 90 yards in the Eagles’ Week 1 win in Detroit, Hurts ran for “just” 57 yards in last week’s blowout win over the Vikings. It could have been even more – he rushed for 50 yards by halftime alone, but Philly’s offense took its foot off the gas in a scoreless second half.

I don’t expect any let-up against hated rival Washington, which owns one of the worst run defenses in football. The Commanders have allowed the fifth-most rushing yards per game (157) through two weeks – which includes last week’s 191-yard effort by the Lions, who had three different players rush for at least 53 yards on a combined 19 carries.

Washington led the league in rushing yards allowed to opposing QBs (476) last season, with Hurts averaging 41 yards on the ground in two matchups late in the year. I’d expect him to surpass that total in this one and maintain his torrid rushing pace in a breakout third season.

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Sense a theme here? The Eagles own the NFL’s second-best rushing attack (189.5 yards per game), and Sanders has led the way with 176 yards, which ranks seventh among all backs ahead of Week 3.

Sanders ran wild in his lone meeting with the Commanders last season, rushing for a career-high 131 yards on 18 carries despite playing fewer than 50% of the snaps. He’s seen the field the majority of the time through the first two weeks and rewarded the coaching staff with a 96-yard day in Week 1 and an 80-yard effort in Week 2.

As mentioned before, Washington owns one of the NFL’s worst run defenses, which has given way to big days from both James Robinson (66 yards) and D’Andre Swift (56 yards) – with the latter earning that yardage on just five carries. Sanders will see more than that on Sunday, and he’ll make the Commanders pay.

This game marks the first time that Wentz has faced his former team since the Eagles shipped him out following the 2020 season. And I expect Washington’s coaching staff to give him a chance to showcase his game.

It may not even be up to them if the Commanders fall behind early, as they did in last week’s loss to the Lions. Wentz has already attempted 40-plus passes in each of his first two games with Washington, something he had done just twice in 17 games with the run-happy Colts. That shouldn’t come as a surprise given the ineffectiveness of the Commanders’ run game, which ranks near the bottom of the league in yards per game (86.5) and yards per carry (3.5).

Each of Philadelphia’s first two opponents attempted at least 37 passes, so this number is a modest one even without accounting for Washington’s clear preference for throwing it. If Philly gets out to a big lead as oddsmakers expect, Wentz should get a chance to sling it all over the yard in a prove-it spot for the seven-year veteran.

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