Vikings vs Eagles player props: bets on DeVonta Smith, TJ Hockenson

The second Thursday Night Football game of the 2023 NFL season features an NFC showdown between the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.

Let’s dive into my player picks for Vikings vs. Eagles in Week 2 of Thursday night football, featuring plays on DeVonta Smith and TJ Hockenson.

NFL Player Accessory Picks

In the table below, you’ll find each of our NFL staff’s top prop player picks from today’s slate of games. Click on any selection or team logo to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.

The must-have app for NFL bettors

Best NFL Betting Scoreboard

Free Picks from Proven Pros

Live winning probabilities for your bets

One of the things that emerged from the Eagles’ Super Bowl run last year was the importance of Smith to their offense. Smith isn’t just the Robin to AJ Brown’s Batman: he’s a legitimate WR1 himself.

In Week 1, Smith and Brown were tied in both targets (10) and receptions (seven). Brown could have accumulated more yards (79 versus 47), but it was Smith who got the touchdown.

Smith’s receiving line is at 5.5 and this is an over I like considering he will get a minimum of around seven targets all season.

Choose: DeVonta Smith 5.5+ Receptions (+120; BetMGM)

I have two supporting picks for Hockenson in this game.

The Vikings are coming off a shocking Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, but one thing that stood out is that Hockenson continues to rack up plenty of targets. He was second on the team with nine, behind only Justin Jefferson’s 12. Rookie Jordan Addison and KJ Osborn trailed with six targets each.

Low profile, there are several mouths to feed in the Minnesota offense, but as Gilles Gallant points out, Hockenson has averaged 8.8 goals per game in his career with the Vikings (12 games, postseason included).

Take him to clear 4.5 receptions. I would still play this if the line goes up to 5.5.

Choose: TJ Hockenson 4.5+ Receptions (-166; DraftKings)

Based on my bet on Hockenson’s receptions, I also like his over in yards per reception.

He only managed 35 yards against the Bucs, but I hope he bounces back in Philly.

Hockenson surpassed 49.5 yards four times in the Vikings’ final six games last season, which included two explosive games in which he surpassed 100 yards.