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NFL Picks, Player Props: 10 Players to Watch in Conference Championships

Andrew Brennan

Last Updated: January 23, 2025 7:51 PM EST • 5 min 28 sec read.

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates alongside wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) as we offer our NFL picks and player props with 10 players to watch in the conference championship round.
Pictured: Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates alongside wide receiver A.J. Brown (11). Photo by Bill Streicher / Imagn Images.

As you'd expect, the final four teams remaining in the NFL playoffs aren't lacking star players, making this Sunday very exciting for both viewers and bettors.

However, with so much talent on the field, it may be difficult to narrow down exactly who you want to pay attention to and bet on during Championship Sunday. That's why we're taking a look at the 10 players to watch in the conference championships. 

10 players to watch in the conference championships

Our NFL player prop odds tool can help you find the latest odds among the legal sportsbooks in your region on each of these picks.

  • Saquon Barkley player prop prediction: Over 2.5 receptions (+168 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Josh Allen player prop prediction: Under 48.5 rushing yards (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Travis Kelce player prop prediction: Under 70.5 receiving yards (-110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Jayden Daniels player prop prediction: Anytime touchdown (+205 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Terry McLaurin player prop prediction: Under 5.5 receptions (-145 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Xavier Worthy player prop prediction: Anytime touchdown (+200 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • A.J. Brown player prop prediction: Anytime touchdown (+160 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • James Cook player prop prediction: Under 1.5 receptions (+145 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Dyami Brown player prop prediction: Over 3.5 receptions (-120 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Patrick Mahomes player prop prediction: Over 4.5 rushing attempts (+100 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Saquon Barkley

Barkely player prop prediction: Over 2.5 receptions ⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +168 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 37.31%

How could we write about 10 players to watch in the conference championships and not start with Barkley, the leader for the Super Bowl odds favorites?

The Philadelphia Eagles superstar has been discussed at great length already, especially in our article dissecting the Eagles Super Bowl odds and why they'll win.

I offered this prop at +178 on Monday as part of my conference championships early picks, but we're still getting great value now even if the price has shortened somewhat.

Josh Allen

Allen player prop prediction: Under 48.5 rushing yards ⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: -110 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 52.38%

Now we move to perhaps the most important player this weekend. If the Bills are going to take down the mighty Kansas City Chiefs, it'll be because of Allen. I discussed as much in my look at the Bills Super Bowl odds and why they'll win.

However, I don't think Allen will enjoy much success running the ball. There's some value on the Under for both his rushing yards and attempts, but I'll opt for the yards because he could cruise Over the attempts number due to QB sneaks and potential kneel-downs (the latter would happen in a perfect world).

Allen's rushing yards projection is only 36.85, so we're getting good value taking the Under on a total well above that number.

Travis Kelce

Kelce player prop prediction: Under 70.5 receiving yards ⭐⭐⭐  

Best odds: -110 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 52.38%

Playoff Trav was alive and well in the divisional round, with Kelce exploding for 117 receiving yards on seven catches. However, everyone and their grandma knows the Chiefs will try to run the offense through Kelce. The Bills surely know that, too.

That's why I'm taking Kelce's receiving yards Under while backing a couple of his teammates to find the end zone.

I'll focus on one of them later, but I also explored a Kareem Hunt anytime touchdown with my conference championships early picks.

Jayden Daniels

Daniels player prop prediction: Anytime touchdown ⭐⭐⭐  

Best odds: +205 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 32.79%

We know that Daniels is the driving force behind the Washington Commanders' success. We explored just how far he can take this team in our look at the Commanders Super Bowl odds and why they'll win.

Daniels ran the ball a team-high 16 times during the divisional round against the Detroit Lions, so we know the rushing volume is there. It'll just be about whether he can find a gap between the first and second levels of the Eagles' defense. I'll gamble he will at these +200 odds.

Terry McLaurin

McLaurin player prop prediction: Under 5.5 receptions ⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: -145 via Caesars | Implied probability: 59.18%

McLaurin provided the Commanders with a massive boost when he took a screen 58 yards for a touchdown. However, he still managed only four catches on six targets.

The wide receiver caught five passes the last time these teams squared off after managing just one reception during the initial meeting. 

It appears Quinyon Mitchell will be healthy enough to play Sunday, so Daniels may be forced to look to his other receivers while McLaurin is locked up in Quinyonamo Bay.

Xavier Worthy

Worthy player prop prediction: Anytime touchdown ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +200 via bet365 | Implied probability: 33.33%

Here's that other Chiefs receiver I was discussing.

There are two reasons to watch Worthy when the Chiefs' offense is on the field:

  1. He's easily the most exciting player of the bunch, and a receiver who can break the game open with his blazing speed either after the catch or out of the backfield
  2. The rookie has clearly gained the trust of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, as he drew six targets during the divisional round and was also given a rushing attempt

Worthy is getting one of the best TD projections this week, and yet his prop is still trading at an absurd +200. Take advantage of that pricing mistake.

A.J. Brown

Brown player prop prediction: Anytime touchdown ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +160 via BetMGM | Implied probability: 38.46%

Unfortunately, none of our best sports betting sites are offering props for how many times the broadcast talks about Brown's reading habits. So instead, we'll back him to do something he's yet to do during the postseason: make any sort of impact on the field.

Brown is getting the highest receiving TD projection among all players, so the numbers support this bet.

It's hard to get too excited when his quarterback isn't very good at throwing the ball. But maybe the Commanders' explosive offense will force Jalen Hurts to throw more.

James Cook

Cook player prop prediction: Under 1.5 receptions ⭐⭐⭐  

Best odds: +145 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 40.82%

Cook totaled 20 touches against the Baltimore Ravens, with three being receptions. However, the Bills didn't need to do much offensively last week since their defense forced turnovers to start drives in good field position.

Despite his three targets last week, Cook is projected for just 1.5 catches now, which is why we're getting so much value on these +145 odds.

Dyami Brown

Brown player prop prediction: Over 3.5 receptions ⭐⭐⭐⭐  

Best odds: -120 via Caesars | Implied probability: 54.55%

The 2021 Dyami Brown fantasy football truthers can finally raise their arms in the air in triumph.

Brown has exploded during the Commanders' two playoff games, totaling 11 catches for 187 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Lions.

But his receptions prop is still trading at a low 3.5. McLaurin may get extra attention from the Eagles' secondary, so Brown could once again lead the team in targets like he did last week.

Patrick Mahomes 

Mahomes player prop prediction: Over 4.5 rushing attempts ⭐⭐⭐⭐  

Best odds: +100 via bet365 | Implied probability: 50%

We couldn't talk about 10 players to watch in the conference championships and not discuss Mahomes.

His passing props aren't showing a ton of value at our best sports betting apps, but I do like his rushing attempts Over for multiple reasons.

First, the Chiefs are trading as small favorites, and if they win, Mahomes could get a kneel-down or two at the end of the game.

Second, if you don't think Mahomes will escape the pocket at least a few times and try his little penalty-drawing tricks, you're lying to yourself. This will arguably be Kansas City's toughest game of the season. He'll use every weapon at his disposal, including the NFL officials worrying about his well-being.

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Written By:
Andrew Brennan
Andrew Brennan is a publishing editor for Sportsbook Review. He also heads the website’s MLB coverage, from the various futures markets to daily picks. Andrew believes a math-based approach is the best way to enjoy long-term success in sports betting, and he’s spent the better part of the last year fine-tuning his own process for MLB, NBA, and NFL picks. Andrew uses eight different sportsbooks to find the best odds available and various projection models to gather as much information as he can. His most used sportsbooks are bet365, FanDuel, and theScore Bet. When it comes to daily projection models, he regularly references NumberFire across all sports, as it’s one of the best free tools available. In terms of which daily markets Andrew attacks, he almost exclusively bets on pitcher strikeouts for baseball. When the winter rolls around, you’ll see him providing more variety when it comes to the NBA (points, assists, rebounds) and NFL (almost any offensive-based player prop). He used these tools to go +150 units in 2023. Andrew is also a passionate fantasy sports player. He’s played fantasy football, fantasy Premier League, and fantasy baseball for the last decade. He graduated from Durham College with his diploma in journalism after earning his degree in law from Carleton University. He’s worked in sports media since early 2017, first contributing at FanSided before moving to theScore. He joined SBR in 2022.