The Week 15 results have significantly impacted the playoff races, heightening the excitement for the upcoming weeks.

It began on Thursday, when the Buccaneers blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost to the Falcons.

There was another big comeback on Sunday as the Bills overcame a 21-point halftime deficit to snap the Patriots' ten-game winning streak. With one big winning streak ending, another continues as the Broncos won their 11th straight game and now hold the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

The big news from the weekend is that some recent playoff teams are eliminated from the playoffs. The Ravens shut out the Bengals, ending Cincinnati’s playoff run. The Dolphins had a slim chance, but they were officially eliminated after losing to the Steelers. The most notable elimination is the three-time champion Chiefs, who will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014. To make matters worse, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes suffered a torn ACL in the loss to the Chargers, ending his 2025 season.

After the Patriots' loss to the Bills, Drake Maye’s (+425) NFL MVP chances dropped. Matthew Stafford (-300) continues to establish himself as the favorite, with the Rams as the top seed in the NFC.

Week 16 Preview

This week has a couple of matchups that could change the playoff landscape. It starts on Thursday with the Rams and Seahawks, who are tied at in the NFC West with 11-3 records, and whoever wins will be the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

There is NFL football on Saturday, and the featured matchup is between the Packers and Bears, with first place in the NFC North at stake. Sunday has another division lead on the line, as the Buccaneers and Panthers each enter this NFC South matchup with a 7-7 record.

The contest between the Jaguars and Broncos could have seeding implications, as these two AFC division leaders meet in Denver. The week ends with the Colts aiming to snap their four-game losing streak and rejoin the playoff race against the 49ers, who are clinging to a wild-card spot in the NFC.

BetSmart Player Prop Finder

The BetSmart package has been helping cappers throughout the NFL season. With trackers for Arbitrage Bets, Positive EV, and Middle Bets, you have a ton of high-percentage wagers to choose from.

It also features the popular Prop Finder, which provides detailed information on all of the best available props. Each prop has data, including its positive EV percentage, the sportsbook with the best odds, and the frequency with which the player has hit the number in the last 5, 10, and 15 games.

The BetSmart Prop Finder currently has valuable data for hundreds of player props in Week 16 of the NFL.

Here are 5 to consider:

1. Kyren Williams

Game: Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks
Date: Thursday, December 18 @ 8:15 p.m. ET
Prop: Total Rushing Yards Over 55.5
Odds: -110
Sportsbook(s): Fanatics
Trends: 80% in Last 5, 70% in Last 10

2. Rico Dowdle

Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers
Date: Sunday, December 21 @ 1 p.m. ET
Prop: Total Rushing Yards Under 59.5
Odds: -110
Sportsbook(s): BetMGM
Trends: 100% in Last 5, 60% in Last 10

3. Jahmyr Gibbs

Game: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Detroit Lions
Date: Sunday, December 21 @ 4:25 p.m. ET
Prop: Total Rushing Yards Under 70.5
Odds: -105
Sportsbook(s): Fanatics
Trends: 80% in Last 5, 70% in Last 10

4. TreVeyon Henderson

Game: New England Patriots vs. Baltimore Ravens
Date: Sunday, December 21 @ 8:20 p.m. ET
Prop: Total Rushing & Receiving Yards Over 74.5
Odds: -111
Sportsbook(s): Fanatics
Trends: 100% in Last 5, 70% in Last 10

5. Jonathan Taylor

Game: San Francisco 49ers vs. Indianapolis Colts
Date: Monday, December 22 @ 8:15 p.m. ET
Prop: Total Rushing Yards Under 99.5
Odds: -111
Sportsbook(s): Bet 365
Trends: 80% in Last 5, 70% in Last 10

Props & Middle Betting Opportunities

If you want to profit from player props, keep up with the latest trends. This will help you identify middle bets that can double your winnings.

Props, such as Total Pass Completions, offer an incredible opportunity to profit from Middle Bets. For example, if one sportsbook has a player’s Total Pass Completions set at 17.5 and another at 18.5, you would bet the Over 17.5 and Under 18.5. If the final number is 18, you win both. If it's higher or lower, you take a minimal loss.

With our Most Profitable Markets tool, you can see that the Total Pass Completions prop market has consistently created excellent betting opportunities, as it offers a positive ROI. Here is some data provided by the tool:

Last 7 Days: 89% ROI
Last 14 Days: 64% ROI
Last 30 Days: 69% ROI

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