The best and the worst of the AFC West will clash on Thursday Night Football in Week 10.
The pregame narrative: Riding a six-game win streak, the Denver Broncos are two-score favourites at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders' season is moving in the wrong direction, but at least their best player, Brock Bowers, is back in the mix.
Check out my Raiders vs. Broncos predictions in this +400 same-game parlay, featuring a prop bet on Troy Franklin.
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Raiders vs. Broncos predictions
SGP: Bowers 7+ catches | Franklin 4+ catches | Raiders +14.5 (+400)
Bowers 7+ catches (+118): After sitting out all of October with a knee injury, Bowers returned last week to remind everyone that he's an elite offensive weapon.
The runner-up for 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year posted his best NFL game so far, hauling in 12 of 13 targets for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
I expect a mountain of targets to come Bowers' way this week, and not just because he deserves them. Frankly, the Raiders don't have many other options.
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After trading away top wideout Jakobi Meyers at the deadline, Bowers is by far the best pass-catcher left. He'll be flanked by the likes of Tre Tucker, rookie Jack Bech and a washed-up Tyler Lockett.
Remember, Bowers set the NFL rookie record for catches last season (112). He had eight catches, 97 yards and a touchdown on the road against Denver.
Denver will obviously be keying on him, which might make it more difficult for him to rack up yards downfield. But the Raiders should still be doing whatever it takes to get the ball into No. 89's hands.
Thursday Night Football SGP picks
Franklin 4+ catches (-148): Courtland Sutton is still the clear WR1 for the Broncos, but Franklin's usage can't be ignored.
- The second-year receiver leads the Broncos in targets (64) and is second in receptions (37).
- That equates to 7.1 targets and 4.1 catches per game.
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The arrow is pointing up for Franklin, a former college teammate of Denver quarterback Bo Nix. In the past three games, Franklin has 28 total targets — good for a hefty 28.0% target share on routes run.
In the same three-game span, Sutton had 22 targets (22.4% target share on routes run).
There's room for both receivers to succeed. Sutton has more downfield potential, while Franklin is more of a short-yardage safety valve who wants to make things happen after the catch.
Franklin is 5-4 vs. this prop and has at least three catches in eight games. His floor is high, and it's rising.
Raiders +14.5 (-220): Las Vegas is 0-3 with a -82 point differential in its past three road games. By itself, that stat should make this a clear stay-away spot.
Bowers missed the two most thorough beatdowns in that stretch, though, and his presence on the field gives me hope that the Raiders can at least keep this modestly close.
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In three games without their star tight end, the Raiders have mustered just 8.7 points and 205.7 yards per game.
With Bowers, though, they've averaged 21.2 points and 329.8 yards over five games.
Las Vegas is 4-1 vs. this inflated spread when Bowers is playing. Denver, meanwhile, has only won by a double-digit margin in two of nine games.
Raiders vs. Broncos predictions made at 11:25 a.m. ET 11/05/2025.
