The winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4) head to Big D – or technically Arlington – to take on the Dallas Cowboys (2-2) at AT&T Stadium on Thursday Night Football for a Week 5 NFC showdown.
The Buccaneers are still without franchise quarterback Baker Mayfield, who left Tampa Bay’s Week 3 loss to Minnesota late in the fourth quarter with a dislocated thumb. The injury kept him out against Green Bay in Week 4, and he’ll be sidelined again Thursday night against the Cowboys. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels is set to make his second career NFL start after throwing two interceptions and posting a 65.0 passer rating in Tampa Bay’s 17-14 loss to Green Bay this past Sunday.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, responded well after suffering a gut-wrenching loss to Baltimore in Brazil in Week 3, securing a 34-30 comeback victory on the road over Houston in Week 4. Veteran quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 335 yards, connecting with Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb 17 times on 21 targets for 189 yards and the game-winning touchdown, while running back Javonte Williams found the end zone three times on the ground.
Keep reading for Buccaneers vs. Cowboys best player prop bets and predictions for Thursday Night Football.
Best Player Prop Bets and Predictions for Buccaneers vs. Cowboys
A new week of the NFL season begins Thursday night, meaning it’s the first opportunity to get in on the football betting action at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook ahead of Sunday’s slate and Monday night’s game. The Stats Hub offers valuable insights and trends, which we used to pick out three of the best player prop bets for our Buccaneers vs. Cowboys predictions below:
CeeDee Lamb Over 85.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
CeeDee Lamb is one of the sport’s top wide receivers, and we just highlighted his incredible performance in Week 4 against Houston. The veteran enters Week 5 as the NFL’s leading receiver with 498 yards, and he’s been a go-to target for Dak Prescott, leading the league with 37 receptions and tying for the second-most targets with 46.
The Buccaneers’ defense has been solid this season, but Tampa Bay is set to face a dangerous Cowboys offense and will be without Pro Bowl safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and second-year cornerback Benjamin Morrison in the secondary as it tries to slow down Dallas’ passing attack.
That’s not good news considering how well Lamb has been playing to start the year, with the Stats Hub noting that he has recorded 112 or more receiving yards in each of the Cowboys’ last three games. The Stats Hub also notes that Prescott has recorded 250 or more passing yards in each of his last 16 appearances with the Cowboys as home favorites against NFC opponents.
- CeeDee Lamb Over 85.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
Bucky Irving Over 54.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
Bucky Irving isn’t necessarily playing like the running back we saw rush for 1,122 yards while averaging 5.4 yards per carry during his rookie season in 2024, but he’s still a threat whenever the ball is in his hands for the Buccaneers.
The Stats Hub notes that Irving has recorded 68 or more rushing yards in five of his last six road appearances against NFC opponents, while also scoring a touchdown in five of those six games. The third-year back faces a favorable matchup Thursday night against a Cowboys defense allowing 150.3 rushing yards per game, the second most in the NFL.
With a rookie quarterback making only his second career start on a primetime stage after a rough performance less than a week ago, the Buccaneers would be wise to exploit Dallas’ weakness and commit to Irving and the run game. Irving averaged just 3.8 yards per carry this past Sunday against Green Bay in Jalon Daniels’ first career start, but he still received a team-high 16 carries and rushed for a team-high 61 yards.
If the Buccaneers want to win this game or at least make it competitive, Irving has to be a major factor.
- Bucky Irving Over 54.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
Chris Godwin Jr. Over 32.5 Receiving Yards (-120)
Chris Godwin Jr. has been a mainstay as one of the Buccaneers’ top pass-catching options throughout his 10-year career, and with a young, inexperienced quarterback set to play on a big stage Thursday night, it’s important for Godwin to step up and help his quarterback succeed.
Godwin may no longer be the 1,000-yard receiver he once was, but he’s still talented and can make defenses pay. The Cowboys’ defense also hasn’t been great against the pass this year and will still be without cornerback Cobie Durant, who suffered an injury in Week 2 against Washington.
While his numbers aren’t nearly as impressive as CeeDee Lamb’s with Dallas, Godwin leads the Buccaneers with 16 receptions this season and ranks third on the team in both targets and receiving yards. He recorded just 31 receiving yards in the loss to Green Bay with Jalon Daniels at quarterback, but he had a team-high six catches on seven targets, proving to be a go-to option for the rookie signal-caller.
To further show how consistent Godwin has been, the Stats Hub notes that he has recorded 26 or more receiving yards in 39 of his last 40 road appearances against NFC opponents.
- Chris Godwin Jr. Over 32.5 Receiving Yards (-120)
Most-Bet Buccaneers vs. Cowboys Player Props
Dallas running back Javonte Williams recorded a hat trick in Week 4, scoring three rushing touchdowns in the win over Houston, and his anytime touchdown prop is the most-bet player prop for Buccaneers vs. Cowboys. Below, you’ll also find the top five most-bet Overs and top five most-bet Unders for player props as kickoff approaches for Thursday Night Football:
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Prop Overs
- Javonte Williams – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- CeeDee Lamb – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- George Pickens – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- Bucky Irving – Over 0.5 Anytime Touchdowns
- Dak Prescott – To Record 225+ Pass Yards (Over 224.5)
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Prop Unders
- Jalon Daniels – Under 181.5 Passing Yards
- Dak Prescott – Under 266.5 Passing Yards
- Javonte Williams – Under 73.5 Rushing Yards
- Jalon Daniels – Under 45.5 Rushing Yards
- Dak Prescott – Under 0.5 Interceptions
Buccaneers vs. Cowboys Game Info
- š Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
- š Date: Thursday, Oct. 8
- ā° Kickoff: 8:15 PM ET
- šŗš» TV/Streaming: Prime Video
Referenced odds are subject to change.
Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, FL, IL, IN, MI, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-833-PLAYWISE. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. In AZ, OH, & VA, call 1-800-MY-RESET.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1ā800āGAMBLER (CO, IL, MI, NJ, TN)
