Sports betting: With upsets aplenty in the NFL, prop bets are another option

After three weeks of the NFL season, there appears to be more parity across the league than in recent years.

In NFL betting, big underdogs are not only covering but winning outright. Underdogs of 5.5 or more points are 14-2 against the spread, including 10 outright wins. But there are other ways bettors can win.

One prop bet option is anytime touchdown scorer, meaning if that player scores a touchdown at any time, the bet wins.

Here are some players who could find the end zone this week, with odds from the BetMGM online sportsbook:

Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys, +150

After losing two straight games, the Dallas Cowboys face the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football. Ezekiel Elliott is the primary Cowboys running back in the red zone, so expect him to get multiple chances to score a touchdown.

Saquon Barkley, Eagles

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns in the league through three weeks, so it could be a great spot for one of the best running backs in the league to find the end zone. Through three games, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has 351 yards on the ground, including four touchdowns.

Tony Pollard, Titans

Miami’s run defense hasn’t been the greatest to open the year, allowing the third-most rushing touchdowns in the league. Although it’s hard to expect the Tennessee Titans to score a ton of points on Monday Night Football, if they do find the end zone against the Dolphins, Tony Pollard has as good of a chance of any player on the roster. He’s coming off a tough performance against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 (six carries for 14 yards), so Tennessee could feed him the ball more to get him going again.

CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys, -120

The Dallas Cowboys and CeeDee Lamb have a chance to rebound after a tough loss to the Baltimore Ravens, where Lamb lost a fumble, dropped a pass and also appeared frustrated on the sidelines. Look for Dak Prescott to target him even more than usual, giving him multiple chances to find the end zone.

Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals

The Washington Commanders are coming off an upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, but even in the victory, the pass defense was exposed. The Commanders have allowed the most passing touchdowns in the league through three weeks. This is a good matchup for Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and the Arizona offense, so look for plenty of pass attempts, especially in the red zone. Marvin Harrison Jr. has scored in two straight games, so don’t be surprised if it’s three come Sunday.

Tee Higgins, Bengals

Cincinnati got Ja’Marr Chase going last Monday night with two touchdowns, so it could be Tee Higgins this week against a Carolina Panthers defense tied for allowing the second-most passing touchdowns in the league through three games. Higgins recorded three catches in his season debut last week.

This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (5) warms up before an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) catches a pass against the Detroit Lions during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington (29) breaks up a pass intended for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Tennessee Titans' Tony Pollard runs during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates after scoring a two-point conversion against the New Orleans Saints in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott gains yards after catching a pass in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The baseball program at the University of California, Los Angeles, was locked out of its home stadium on veterans’ land near the campus Thursday under an order issued by a federal judge.

The ruling late Wednesday from Judge David O. Carter prohibits UCLA from accessing Jackie Robinson Stadium and an adjacent practice field until it produces a plan that ensures service to veterans is the predominant focus of the 10-acre (4-hectare) facility leased from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Los Angeles Times reported that UCLA Chancellor Darnell Hunt appeared for a hearing during which the school's attorney urged Carter to accept a proposal that was focused on increasing services to veterans.

“It’s more than a lease,” attorney Ray Cardozo said. “It’s a partnership. It’s a good trade-off from our perspective.”

But Carter declared the proposal inadequate and ordered the VA to cordon off the stadium and practice field until further notice from the court.

Following a four-week trial that ended earlier this month, Carter's decision declared the UCLA lease illegal because its focus was not predominantly service to veterans.

Under a slightly different legal standard, he also invalidated leases to the nearby Brentwood School, an oil drilling operation and two parking lots for the same reasons, the Times said.

The class-action lawsuit alleged the VA had failed to provide adequate housing for veterans and that its leases at its 388-acre (157-hectare) campus in West LA violated an 1888 deed to the U.S. government for the “permanent maintenance” of a home for disabled soldiers.

Carter previously ordered the VA to produce 750 units of temporary housing and 1,800 units of permanent housing on the campus in addition to the 1,200 to 1,600 planned in connection with an earlier lawsuit.

FILE - UCLA players take batting practice at Jackie Robinson Stadium before their NCAA college baseball tournament regional game against Maryland in Los Angeles, June 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea, File)