Broncos vs. Saints: Thursday Night Football Picks for DFS
Sean Payton’s Denver Broncos travel to New Orleans for a primetime clash on Thursday Night Football, facing off against Dennis Allen’s New Orleans Saints. Both teams will take the field with rookie quarterbacks under center, setting the stage for an exciting showdown.
Let’s break down the top Thursday Night Football picks for DFS and PrizePicks, as the Broncos square off against the Saints to kickoff Week 7. We’ll feature a demon pick for those looking for a higher payout on PrizePicks, and a goblin pick for a safer play that can still deliver solid returns.
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Broncos vs. Saints: Thursday Night Football DFS Picks
Here are picks and predictions for Broncos vs. Saints on Thursday Night Football for PrizePicks and DFS, including a touchdown scorer prediction.
- Broncos vs. Saints Analysis
- Broncos QB Bo Nix 30.5 pass attempts — Less
- Broncos WR Courtland Sutton 47.5 Receiving Yards — Less
- Saints QB Spencer Rattler 0.5 INT — More (Goblin)
- TD Scorer Prediction: Broncos RB Javonte Williams (Demon)
- Game Prediction: Broncos 20, Saints 17
Broncos vs. Saints: Where, When, How to Watch TNF
Date: Thursday, October 17, 2024
Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Streaming: Prime Video
The Denver Broncos lead this head-to-head series 9-3, with the New Orleans Saints getting the best of them in their last meeting in 2020. Both teams are coming off a loss in Week 6 and are ready to get back into the win column.
After a strong start to the 2024 season, the Saints are now on a four-game losing streak. Quarterback Derek Carr suffered an oblique injury last week and is doubtful for the upcoming game, leaving dual-threat rookie QB Spencer Rattler in his stead. To make matters worse, they’ll also be missing top two wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Expect a very limited offense playbook for the Saints.
The Broncos are much healthier coming into this week as cornerback Pat Surtain II will most likely be active this week despite the questionable tag.
Thursday Night Football’s matchup will spotlight the NFL’s rising stars, with Nix and Rattler facing off for the first of what may be the first of many showdowns.
Broncos QB Bo Nix 30.5 Passing Attempts — Less
Bo Nix is averaging just over 28 pass attempts in his past three outings. The two games they won, he had 25 and 27 pass attempts respectively. As they are projected to win again this week, we can expect more of the same.
In their Week 4 and 5 wins, the Broncos running backs ran the ball 25 and 19 times. Look for coach Sean Payton to continue to lean on them in a favorable matchup with a rookie QB under center. It seems to be the recipe for their success this season.
Both of these teams are in the bottom 12 in plays per game, with New Orleans at 60 and Denver at 59.3. They should be happy to slow the game down for their rookie QBs, leading to less opportunities for Nix to throw.
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Broncos WR Courtland Sutton 47.5 Receiving Yards — Less
WR Courtland Sutton leads the Broncos in targets this season, but the targets have been inconsistent. Unfortunately, he’s averaged 3.5 receptions while averaging 7.8 targets. Nix has a hard time getting the ball to Sutton with the defense knowing how much he favors him as the clear No. 1 target on this team.
Sutton is averaging 46.1 yards per game so far this year, so this projection is definitely teetering the line. With the expected game script for the Broncos to be leading and winning the game, so the game script is expected to be run heavy.
The Saints also are fifth-best in the NFL in dropback expected points added per play (-.064), per rbsdm. Look for the Broncos to keep it on the ground and keep Sutton in check here.
Saints QB Spencer Rattler 0.5 INT — More (Goblin)
Saints rookie QB Spencer Rattler is coming off his first NFL game where he had 40 pass attempts and 2 interceptions. Broncos corner Pat Surtain II is on the other side of the ball and coming off a 2-interception game in Week 5.
Even if Surtain is sidelined this week, Rattler had 20 interceptions in his 25 games at South Carolina, so he’s no stranger to giving the ball away.
The Denver Broncos defense has 5 interceptions so far this season, and they should get the opportunity to add to that total by taking advantage of the rookie quarterback’s second NFL game.
Note: Goblin picks reduce your payout on PrizePicks, as they are easier projections to hit.
TD Scorer Prediction: Broncos RB Javonte Williams (Demon)
Broncos RB Javonte Williams has yet to find the end zone in 2024, hence why his Rush+Rec TD scorer projection is a demon on PrizePicks.
Williams has 9 red-zone carries compared to Jaleel McLaughlin’s 4, though McLaughlin is the only one with a rushing touchdown this season.
Williams has been averaging over double the amount of snaps for the Broncos this season over McLaughlin. Williams is also the lead back in receptions (20) in comparison to McLaughlin (12).
He should continue to get the bulk of the work around the end-zone, and eventually punch one in. This looks like it could be his week.
Note: Demon picks add a payout boost to your lineup on PrizePicks, as they are more difficult projections to hit.
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Game Prediction: Broncos 20, Saints 17
Capitalizing on New Orleans' struggles without Derek Carr, the Broncos will edge out a victory over the Saints. With both teams relying on rookie quarterbacks, Denver's defense plays a pivotal role, forcing key turnovers and controlling the pace.
The Saints' offense shows flashes but struggles to finish drives missing both Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave, while the Broncos lean on their ground game and special teams to seal the win in a tight, low-scoring battle.
Lock in on PrizePicks for Thursday Night Football
What better way to kick off Week 7 in the NFL than with some Thursday Night Football excitement? Two unexpected starting rookie quarterbacks go head-to-head as the Broncos take on the Saints, setting the stage for an intriguing narrative with plenty of DFS opportunities.
With PrizePicks, you can get in on the action by selecting more or less on at least two player projections — covering stats like passing yards, touchdowns, and receptions. Make the correct picks, stay in the green, and cash out when the final whistle blows.
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