Best CJ Stroud Prop Bets: Texans to Continue to Lean on Their Ground Game

• The Houston Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts 29-27 in their season opener

• CJ Stroud threw for 234 yards and 2 passing touchdowns in the Texans revamped offense

• Joe Mixon rushed for 159 yards and 1 touchdown in his first game with the Texans

With Joe Mixon getting the benefit of running wild against a stretched out defense, that allows CJ Stroud to take another step back as he did in week one. Especially if the Texans get out to a sizable lead as the spread of -6.5 implies, getting to deploy a run heavy late game script to help run out the clock. This shades value towards the under on Stroud’s passing props as he may not have the volume to burn them as Joe Mixon receives another uptick in usage.

In his first game with the Houston Texans, Joe Mixon ran wild as he gashed the Indianapolis Colts front seven to the tune of 159 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown. His offensive line looked far better than last year, getting the benefit of being back at full health while moving the Colts' front seven at a consistent rate. With the Bears' defensive line looking underwhelming in their game against the Titans, as well as their secondary being stretched out by the Texans' pass attack, expect another big game from Joe Mixon.

As for where you can bet on CJ Stroud’s player props, BetMGM sportsbook has a wide range of markets for their users to choose from and at very favorable odds. If you have not signed up yet with BetMGM sportsbook, you can get up to $1,500 back in the form of bonus bets* should you lose your first wager after creating an account with the WSN promo code WSNSPORTS.

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Under 269.5 Passing Yards (-115) at BetMGM Sportsbook 

While we are not necessarily fading CJ Stroud’s ability to throw the ball, we are backing the idea that he will not have the volume to threaten the under on his passing props as Joe Mixon will find himself in another position to succeed. This is in large part of their pass attack as opposing secondaries will be stretched out thin having to defend against the trio of Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs, and Tank Dell.

With the Bears' back end under duress, as well as needing help from their linebackers in coverage, Mixon will find himself with more room to work with when he gets to the second level of their defense. Tony Pollard averaged over five yards a carry against them last week with no threat of a pass attack, now having to deal with an even faster running back while spaced out in coverage. With Mixon making sizable gains at a time, the Texans may call the run at a heavier rate which eats away at Stroud’s passing yards.

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Under 0.5 Interception (-125) at BetMGM Sportsbook 

With less pass attempts comes a higher chance of not throwing an interception. CJ Stroud has been one of the more efficient quarterbacks at taking care of the ball, now finding himself in less dangerous situations as he hands the ball off more. Better yet, Stroud gets the fortune of getting to avoid double coverage as his deep group of pass catchers forces them to either stay in single coverage or revert to a zone.

When in the zone, Stroud picks them apart as one of the more pinpoint passers in the league. In his 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, Stroud threw only 5 interceptions to his astonishing 4,108 passing yards. While the Bears' secondary is projected to improve this season, they will still have their hands full trying to smother the Texans pass attack while also having to deal with Mixon in the backfield.

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Under 2.5 Rush Attempts (+100) at BetMGM Sportsbook 

Keeping the theme on rushing, CJ Stroud has been a rather conservative quarterback when it comes to using his legs. After finishing last season averaging just slightly over 2.5 carries a game in 2023, Stroud followed that up by finishing the season opener against the Colts with just one carry for 13 yards. With an improved offensive line giving him better protection this time around, he should be scrambling at a lesser rate. Joe Mixon receiving a higher usage also strips away potential scrambles as he hands it off to his star running back.

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CJ Stroud 2024 Stats

• Passing Yards: 234

• Passing Touchdowns: 2

• Interceptions: 0

• Completion Percentage: 75.0%

• Rushing Yards: 13

• Rushing Touchdowns: 0