In the battle of Ohio, there is plenty of intrigue.
What will the Bengals offense look like without Ja'Marr Chase? Are the Browns finished this season?
We'll find out on Monday Night Football, which is a rivalry game full of intrigue.
Hayden Hurst
Over 3.5 Receptions (BetMGM)
The biggest beneficiary from Ja’Marr Chase’s absence might not be a Bengals wide receiver.
Hurst has has a very solid season so far in Cincinnati’s offense, with 29 catches on 39 targets (5.7 per game) in his first season with the Bengals. His yards per reception is just 7.8, but that makes sense gives the talent around him.
Bengals -3.5 | Browns +3.5
Hurst is capable of more, though. He’s a second-round talent who has performed well at every step of his career considering the circumstances. Last season in Atlanta, he played second fiddle to then-rookie phenom Kyle Pitts. This season, he's already eclipsed his reception and receiving yards totals.
Hurst has gone over this line four times in seven games this season, and the Bengals just lost their No. 1 receiver. That seems pretty straightforward to me.
Cleveland is 12th in DVOA against tight ends this season, so this matchup doesn’t move the needle either way. It’s the circumstances that give Hurst value to reach four catches for the fifth time in eight games.
Action Labs projects him for 4.3 receptions on Monday Night Football, giving him the biggest edge on the Bengals side of things in the props market.
Kareem Hunt
Over 11.5 Receiving Yards (BetMGM)
There’s one thing that gives me slight pause in making this bet, and that is Hunt’s decreased workload over the past two weeks, as well as constant trade rumors. He’s a free agent after the season, and the Browns are 2-5. It would make sense for a contending team to want his services.
Hunt cleared this line in the first four weeks of the season, and he had three catches in Week 5 but for only 10 yards. Over the past two weeks, he’s had a combined one catch on three targets for four yards. In the first five games of the Browns’ season, Hunt had double-digit carries in every game. In the past two, he’s had nine combined.
So, are the Browns readying themselves for a backfield without Hunt, where Nick Chubb is the true lead dog with D’Ernest Johnson spelling him? Maybe.
For now, Hunt is on the team and we are going with the numbers. His receiving-yards total is 11.5 at BetMGM, but Action Labs projects him for 15.7.
Assuming the Browns use Hunt in his normal role, he’s the pass-catching back. He had 14 catches on 16 targets in the first five games of the season, and Cleveland has lost four straight. If the Browns have any ambition for this season, they won’t hold Hunt back on Monday night.
