Three player props to consider in ugly Bears-Commanders battle Thursday night

As if this year’s Thursday night slate hasn’t been ugly enough, we’ll be treated to an old-school showdown between the Bears and Commanders, who enter this one in must-win spots after sluggish starts to the season.

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

Thursday Night Football Bears-Commanders player props

Khalil Herbert Over 26.5 rushing yards (-110)

If the Bears aren’t relying on Justin Fields to generate yardage through the air, that should mean plenty of chances for Chicago’s running backs to shine. Though starter David Montgomery is the clear lead back after missing a week with injury, I think there’s still opportunity for Herbert in this backfield, too.

The second-year back excelled as the team’s primary back in Weeks 3 and 4, turning 39 carries into 234 yards and two touchdowns in a leading role while David Montgomery was out. And though he took a backseat in last week’s loss to the Vikings, he still saw a 28 percent snap share. That’s enough to get excited about — Herbert saw similar usage in the first two weeks and rushed for 45 yards and 38 yards, respectively.

This is a surprisingly low number for Herbert, who is a legitimate rusher in this offense and should benefit from a better game script than last week’s blowout-turned-comeback bid in Minnesota. And if Montgomery’s ankle injury flares up at all, Herbert’s numbers should spike.

Carson Wentz Over 0.5 interceptions (-120)

I couldn’t believe this price when I first saw it. Have oddsmakers been watching Wentz this season — or, really, at any point in his entire career?

The Commanders quarterback has already thrown six interceptions this year, one shy of the NFL lead, and he’s thrown at least one in four of five games to this point. That shouldn’t really surprise anyone, as Wentz has tossed at least one pick in 18 of 34 games over the past three seasons and 44 of 90 contests across his entire career.

Betting on the NFL?

It’s not like this Bears defense is an easy matchup, either, having already picked off five passes this year — including at least one interception in each of the past three weeks. Maybe Wentz will solve his turnover woes eventually, but with just a few days to prepare for this crucial spot, I wouldn’t count on such self-realization coming on Thursday.

Justin Fields Under 14.5 passing completions (-125)

In case you haven’t been following, the Bears’ passing attack has been historically inept through the first five weeks of the season, both in terms of volume and efficiency. I don’t expect that to change on Thursday.

Fields has completed just 49 passes in his sophomore campaign, which ranks 32nd among all passers and ranks behind seven players who haven’t even started every game this season. By comparison, Bills quarterback Josh Allen completed 42 passes in a game earlier this year, while Fields has completed more than 11 passes just once through five weeks.

Clearly, new head coach Matt Eberflus is content with limiting Fields’ opportunities and relying on the run game. I’d expect a similar game plan on short rest with thunderstorms expected in the area on Thursday night. Washington does give up a ton of passing yards, but I still expect the Bears to lean on the running game Thursday to set up some deep shots down the field.