Cowboys vs. Giants Player Props: 5 Best Bets for Sunday Night Football
The best Cowboys vs. Giants player prop for Sunday Night Football is Javonte Williams to score a touchdown, priced at -160 at DraftKings and as low as -140 at Fanatics, and the case for it is the simplest on the board: he scored 13 touchdowns in his first season in Dallas, reached the end zone in 10 of his 16 games, and lines up against a Giants defense that allowed 5.3 yards a carry last year, worst in the league. Below are my five plays for the Week 1 opener at MetLife Stadium, every one priced to a live six-book regulated pull taken on the afternoon of September 12, 2026.
The Cowboys and Giants kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on NBC, Peacock and Universo. It is John Harbaugh’s first game as Giants head coach, and the biggest question on the prop board is whether Malik Nabers plays: he practiced in full all week and is officially questionable. If you want the rest of Sunday’s slate, our Week 1 NFL DFS picks cover the main-slate plays. This piece is only about the props in this game.
Best Cowboys vs. Giants Player Props
Here is the full card. Every line and price below is from DraftKings as of the afternoon of September 12, 2026, with one exception: DraftKings moved Isaiah Likely’s line up to 36.5 during the day, so his row carries the 35.5 that FanDuel still has. The confidence column is my editorial conviction in the play, not a probability estimate or a claim of value.
| Player | Prop | Pick | Odds | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javonte Williams | Anytime Touchdown | Yes | -160 | 4/5 |
| Cam Skattebo | Anytime Touchdown | Yes | +100 | 5/5 |
| Jaxson Dart | Rushing Yards (32+) | Over 31.5 | -115 | 5/5 |
| Cam Skattebo | Receiving Yards (16+) | Over 15.5 | -112 | 5/5 |
| Isaiah Likely | Receiving Yards (36+) | Over 35.5 | -114 (FanDuel) | 4/5 |
Two of these numbers deserve a comment before you bet them. Williams is the shortest anytime-touchdown price in the game at -160, and the gap between books on that one bet is 35 cents: Fanatics has him at -140, FanDuel at -145, Caesars at -157, BetRivers at -162 and BetMGM at -175. Skattebo is a coin flip almost everywhere (+100 at DraftKings, BetMGM and BetRivers, +105 at Fanatics) but juiced to -105 at FanDuel and -110 at Caesars, so where you bet it changes the payout by more than it looks.
💡
DraftKings Is Not the Best Price on Four of These Five
Prop prices scatter across books far more than sides and totals do, and the gaps on this card are worth real money. As of the afternoon of September 12, 2026, Fanatics has Williams to score at -140 against -160 at DraftKings and Skattebo at +105 against +100. BetMGM has Dart’s rushing line a full yard lower, 30.5 for -110 against 31.5 for -115, and FanDuel still has Likely at 35.5 (-114) after DraftKings moved him up to 36.5 (-110). DraftKings is the best regulated price only on Skattebo’s receiving line (15.5 at -112; FanDuel is -114), and it also lists the 15-plus alternate (over 14.5) at -121. Check two books before you place any of these.
Cowboys vs. Giants Odds and Game Info
Dallas is a 3-point favorite with the total at 48.5. That number has barely moved in a month: DraftKings had the game at Cowboys -2.5 with a 48.5 total from the first snapshot in our odds archive on August 13 until the morning of September 7, when it moved to -3 and the moneyline went from -148 to -162. Every book on the six-book regulated panel now has the spread at 3, and the total is 48.5 at DraftKings and FanDuel and 48 everywhere else on the panel.
| Detail | Cowboys vs. Giants (DraftKings, Sept. 12) |
|---|---|
| Matchup | Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants |
| Date and Time | Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, 8:20 p.m. ET |
| Location | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. |
| Spread | Cowboys -3 (-105) / Giants +3 (-115) |
| Moneyline | Cowboys -162 / Giants +136 |
| Total | 48.5 (Over -105 / Under -115) |
| TV / Streaming | NBC, Peacock, Universo |
The Giants’ final injury report has one name that matters to this card. Malik Nabers, who tore his ACL in Week 4 last season, practiced in full on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and is listed as questionable. Harbaugh said on Wednesday that he thinks Nabers is ready to go, Nabers said Thursday that he has done everything he could to be in this position, and he has also been candid that the final call is his and that he will not put his career at risk. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Saturday that it is still up in the air: Nabers is a full go in practice and the Giants are prepared for him to play, but it could come down to a game-time decision. Read that as a receiver who plays if he feels right on Sunday and sits if he does not, with no guarantee of a full snap count either way. Everyone else on New York’s report practiced fully and carries no status, including tight end Theo Johnson (shoulder).
Dallas is healthier but thinner behind its starter: backup running back Malik Davis is out with a hip injury. The bigger Dallas story is the defense, which allowed 30.1 points per game last season (511 points, the most in the league and the first 500-point season in franchise history), fired coordinator Matt Eberflus, and rebuilt under Christian Parker with Quinnen Williams up front and 11th overall pick Caleb Downs at safety. New York made the opposite move on its own front. Dexter Lawrence, a three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, was traded to Cincinnati for the No. 10 pick after asking out in April, and that trade is the reason the Williams touchdown heads this card.
1. Javonte Williams Anytime Touchdown (-160)
Williams to score is the play to make if you only make one, and the only argument against it is the price. He scored 13 touchdowns in 16 games in his first season with Dallas (11 rushing, two receiving), reached the end zone in 10 of those 16 games, and gets a run defense that was the worst in football at the point of attack.
Why I’m betting it: This game projects to have plenty of points, Dallas is favored to win, and Williams is the back the Cowboys go to early and often near the goal line. The matchup in front of him is sublime. New York allowed 5.3 yards per carry last season (32nd) and 1.2 rushing touchdowns per game (28th) with Dexter Lawrence in the middle of the line, and Lawrence is now a Bengal.
The key stat: 10 of 16. That is how many games Williams scored in last year, a 62.5% rate, and a -160 price needs him to score about 61.5% of the time to break even, so the market has him priced right at his 2025 form against a defense that is worse than the average one he faced. He also ran 18 times for 97 yards and a touchdown, with six catches for 33 yards, in the 40-37 overtime win over these Giants last September.
The risk: The price leaves no room for a bad script. At -160 this is the shortest number on the card, and if the Giants keep it close and Dallas throws inside the 20, CeeDee Lamb (+130 to score) and George Pickens (+150) take the looks that would otherwise be handoffs. Williams also sat out the January rematch when Dallas rested its regulars, so the head-to-head sample against this defense is one game. That price is why this is a 4/5 rather than a 5/5, even though it is still the bet I would make first.
The verdict: Anytime touchdown, yes (-160 at DraftKings, or -140 at Fanatics). Confidence: 4/5.
2. Cam Skattebo Anytime Touchdown (+100)
I love Williams’ chances of scoring, and my excitement does not wane at the same bet on Cam Skattebo at even money. His offseason has been a soap opera (retirement talk, a botched backflip, a coach’s podcast joke), but the football part is simple: he scored seven touchdowns in eight games as a rookie, and Dallas allowed 24 rushing touchdowns last season, tied with Buffalo for the most in the league.
Why I’m betting it: If Skattebo gets the workload he had last year, he is a good bet to get the rock 15-plus times as a runner and a receiver combined (101 carries and 24 catches in eight games is 15.6 touches a game), and ESPN has him atop the Giants’ depth chart ahead of Najee Harris and Tyrone Tracy Jr. A 3-point underdog with a 48.5 total carries an implied team total near 23 points, which is enough scoring for the lead back to get his chance.
The key stat: Seven touchdowns in eight games, five on the ground and two through the air, before the dislocated ankle at Philadelphia on October 26 ended his season. One of those came against Dallas last September (11 carries, 45 yards and a score). The Cowboys, meanwhile, were 31st in touchdowns allowed per game (3.5) and 29th in red-zone touchdown rate allowed (66.7%). Dallas looks better on defense this year, but that is a low bar to clear.
About the soap opera. Skattebo told Kay Adams’ show this month that he thought about quitting during his rehab, because he had promised himself in college that a major injury would be the end. Then he flubbed a backflip at Fanatics Fest in July, and Harbaugh’s public verdict on a podcast was that he should at least have stuck the landing. Skattebo has since said general manager Joe Schoen simply texted him to lay low for a while. None of it touches his role.
The risk: Jaxson Dart. The quarterback scored nine rushing touchdowns last season, the most ever by a Giants quarterback in one year, and he is the player most likely to take a goal-line carry away from Skattebo. Dallas is also, on paper, better than the unit that allowed 511 points, and the new pieces (Parker, Quinnen Williams, Downs) are the reason this is +100 rather than shorter.
The verdict: Anytime touchdown, yes (+100 at DraftKings, or +105 at Fanatics). Confidence: 5/5.
3. Jaxson Dart Over 31.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
Dart is the threat to Skattebo’s touchdown, and this prop is how you get paid for that. Over 31.5 rushing yards is the DraftKings line, and he cleared it in eight of his 12 starts as a rookie.
Why I’m betting it: There is chatter about Dart’s playing style going into 2026, but Harbaugh’s Baltimore offenses were built around Lamar Jackson’s legs for years, and nothing about his first Giants staff (Matt Nagy calls the plays) suggests he wants the quarterback run out of the game plan. Dart is not Lamar Jackson, but he was one of the most productive rushing quarterbacks in the league last season: 86 carries, 487 yards and nine touchdowns in 14 games.
The key stat: In his 12 starts he ran for 54, 55, 58, 11, 17, 56, 66, 20, 63, 7, 48 and 32 yards. That is eight games over 31.5 and seven over 32, with the exact 32 coming on five carries against Dallas in the January finale. Six of those eight clears came by 22 yards or more.
The risk: The four misses were all under 21 yards, so when this misses it misses badly, and it depends on the coaching staff keeping the designed runs in a new offense. If Nagy hands the short-yardage work to Skattebo and Harris, Dart’s scrambles have to do all of the work by themselves.
The verdict: Over 31.5 rushing yards (-115 at DraftKings, or over 30.5 at -110 at BetMGM). Confidence: 5/5.
4. Cam Skattebo Over 15.5 Receiving Yards (-112)
Back to Skattebo, which lets me double down on what should be a feature role while buying a little insurance in case he does not score. The DraftKings line is 15.5, the 15-plus alternate (over 14.5) is -121, and either way it is a low bar for what he can do.
Why I’m betting it: Even if Skattebo does not get 20-plus touches or reach the end zone, his hands demand targets: 24 catches on 32 targets in eight games as a rookie. New York is a 3-point underdog and expected to be trailing, which is the script that sends checkdowns to the running back late in the game.
The key stat: He cleared this number in four of his eight games (61, 45, 34 and 18 yards) and landed within four yards of it in three others (12, 14 and 12). Only the 11-yard game against the Chargers was a clean miss. That is the profile of a line he can beat on one catch in the flat, and the talent and the role make it a killer Sunday night prop.
The risk: The exact line matters. He caught two passes for 14 yards against Dallas last September, half a yard short of the alternate and a yard and a half short of the main line, and the games he misses are the ones where the Giants run him 20 times and never need the checkdown. Take the 15.5 at DraftKings, FanDuel or BetRivers rather than the 16.5 at BetMGM.
The verdict: Over 15.5 receiving yards (-112 at DraftKings, -114 at FanDuel). Confidence: 5/5.
5. Isaiah Likely Over 35.5 Receiving Yards (-114)
My last play leans into Malik Nabers being out or limited. Nobody knows for sure whether he plays, and even if he suits up after three full practices, his own comments about not risking his career say his workload will be managed. Likely, the tight end Harbaugh brought with him from Baltimore, is the cleanest beneficiary, and the market has been leaning the same way: DraftKings moved its line from 35.5 to 36.5 on Saturday, so the 35.5 still posted at FanDuel is the number to take.
Why I’m betting it: The Giants gave Likely a three-year, $40 million deal this offseason and then released Darius Slayton on September 7, so the target tree behind Nabers is thinner than it was a week ago. Going into 2026 Likely is the Giants’ top tight end, and if Nabers sits or plays part-time he could be much more than that. Either way, we are getting a pretty nice yardage total here.
The key stat: Likely topped 36 receiving yards only twice last season (60 yards at Miami on October 30, 95 against Cincinnati on November 27), but he also missed the first three games after foot surgery and played behind Mark Andrews, finishing with 27 catches for 307 yards on 37 targets. His last season as a featured piece, 2024, was 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns.
The risk: This is the riskiest play on the card, which is why it is a 4/5. If Nabers plays a full complement of snaps, Likely goes back to being a third or fourth option in a new offense on opening night, and the 2025 game log says a 35.5 line is a real ask for that version of him. Theo Johnson is healthy and will take snaps at the position too.
The verdict: Over 35.5 receiving yards (-114 at FanDuel; DraftKings has moved its line to 36.5 at -110). Confidence: 4/5.
What Last Season’s Two Meetings Tell Us
These teams split in 2025, and the two games could not have looked more different. Dallas won 40-37 in overtime on September 14 in a game with 77 points and 811 passing yards between Russell Wilson (450) and Dak Prescott (361), then New York won the January 4 finale 34-17 while Dallas rested most of its regulars.
The Shootout Is the Game the Total Remembers
Nabers caught nine passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns, Williams ran 18 times for 97 yards and a score, Skattebo scored his first NFL touchdown, and Brandon Aubrey tied it with a 64-yard field goal on the last play of regulation before winning it from 46 in overtime. That game is a fair part of why this total sits at 48.5, and it is the game the touchdown props on this card are built on.
The Finale Was a Giants Game and a Dallas Preseason
Dart went 22 of 32 for 230 yards and two touchdowns and ran five times for 32 yards, Tyrone Tracy Jr. ran for 103 yards and caught a touchdown, and Prescott threw 11 passes before giving way to Joe Milton III. Williams did not play. The win snapped a nine-game Dallas winning streak in the series, and it tells you very little about Sunday except that Dart’s legs showed up even in a game the Giants controlled.
The Rosters Have Changed More Than the Matchup
Neither game featured Harbaugh, Likely or Caleb Downs, and both defenses have been reworked since: Dallas changed coordinators, New York traded Lawrence. The head-to-head numbers are worth something for Williams, Nabers, Dart and Skattebo, whose roles are the same as they were, and very little for anyone else.
Cowboys vs. Giants Player Props Prediction
Javonte Williams to score is the play to make if you only make one, and Skattebo at even money is the one I would size up if the +105 at Fanatics holds. I love all five of these bets and think each one has a strong chance of converting. There is more where that came from, too, because this game has a healthy total, and divisional games under the Sunday night lights get wild.
I would be targeting Overs across the board here, since both teams have something to prove out of the gate, and I would not be shocked if it stays competitive: the January result and a 3-point spread say Dallas is the better team, not a dominant one. In general, I am more interested in the Giants side of the prop board. New York’s lines are priced softer because nobody quite knows what Harbaugh, Nagy and a healthy Dart look like together, and that is a good time to attack. If you want our read on the game itself rather than the player markets, our NFL Week 1 picks cover the sides.
Prices on a Sunday night game move all day, and props tied to a questionable receiver move fastest of all. Re-check every number before you bet, and if you want the general framework rather than this one card, our guide to NFL player props covers how these markets are priced and settled.
Play Safe: Gambling should be fun, not stressful. Set limits, stick to your budget, and never chase losses. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-MY-RESET or visit ncpgambling.org. For more resources, see our Responsible Gambling page.
Cowboys vs. Giants Player Props FAQ
The questions we get most about this game, answered against the September 12, 2026 board.
What is the best Cowboys vs. Giants player prop for Sunday Night Football?
Javonte Williams to score a touchdown at -160 on DraftKings is our top play, and Fanatics has it at -140. He scored 13 touchdowns in his first season with Dallas, found the end zone in 10 of his 16 games, and faces a Giants defense that allowed 5.3 yards per carry last year (32nd in the league) and then traded Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati. It is the shortest anytime-touchdown price in the game, so shop it before you bet it.
Is Malik Nabers playing against the Cowboys, and how does it change these props?
Nabers is officially questionable after practicing in full on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and the Giants have said the decision is his. John Harbaugh said he thinks Nabers is ready to go, while Nabers has been clear that he will not put his career at risk, and ESPN reported Saturday that it could be a game-time decision, so treat him as likely to play but with no guarantee of a full snap count. If he sits or plays part-time, Isaiah Likely over 35.5 receiving yards gains the most; if he plays a full game, that Likely prop becomes the riskiest bet on the card. The two Skattebo props, the Williams touchdown and the Dart rushing line do not depend on him.
What is the best Cowboys player prop tonight?
Javonte Williams to score at -160 (or -140 at Fanatics) is the top Dallas play. The total is 48.5 and the Cowboys are 3-point favorites, so the game sets up for Overs on Dallas skill players in general, and CeeDee Lamb (+130) and George Pickens (+150) are the next-shortest anytime-touchdown prices on the DraftKings board behind Williams.
What are the best Giants player props for the opener?
Cam Skattebo to score at +100 and Skattebo over 15.5 receiving yards at -112 lead the way, and Jaxson Dart over 31.5 rushing yards at -115 is close behind: Dart cleared that number in eight of his 12 starts as a rookie on the way to 487 rushing yards and a franchise-record nine rushing touchdowns for a Giants quarterback. Isaiah Likely over 35.5 receiving yards at -114 (the FanDuel line; DraftKings has moved up to 36.5) has a clear path if Malik Nabers is limited, but it is the riskiest of the five plays.
When is Cowboys vs. Giants and how can I watch it?
The Cowboys and Giants play on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 8:20 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The game airs on NBC and streams on Peacock, with the Spanish-language broadcast on Universo, and Football Night in America starts on-site at 7 p.m. ET. It is the season debut of Sunday Night Football and the 14th time these two teams have met in the package.
Which sportsbook has the best odds on these props?
It depends on the play, and the gaps are wide enough to matter. As of the afternoon of September 12, 2026, Fanatics had the best price on the two touchdown props (Williams -140 against -160 at DraftKings, Skattebo +105 against +100), BetMGM had Dart’s rushing line a full yard lower (over 30.5 at -110), and FanDuel still had Isaiah Likely at 35.5 (-114) after DraftKings moved to 36.5. DraftKings was the best regulated price only on Skattebo over 15.5 receiving yards at -112. Player props such as anytime touchdown, rushing yards, receiving yards and receptions are posted at every major regulated sportsbook in states where sports betting is legal, and prop markets vary far more between books than sides and totals do, so compare at least two before you bet.
