There are a few playmakers that sneak through the cracks and are overlooked by the betting market, even when they are essential to their team. The prop betting markets are fairly sharp, but players with no name recognition aren't as highly valued as those who the media covers.
In this article, we'll talk about a few such players and why they are overlooked. Bettors who have the foresight to recognize these players can capitalize on their performance before the market adjusts.
Why the Prop Market Misses
Even the best crypto American football betting sites tend to overlook the players on our list. Sites such as these allow players to make wagers from anywhere in the world, and the bets made in crypto are fast and secure. The sites create odds based on public information and often adjust them in real time.
There's a narrative bias towards players who are frequently discussed in the media and are expected to play a significant role on the team. Coaches also choose not to show their hand before the season starts. This is known as the "depth chart fog", making it difficult to make predictions with limited information.
Experts such as the ones from CCN also warn about "small sample skepticism", where breakout players are dismissed if they are not weekly starters.
The 2025 Underrated Player List
Here's our list of underrated players to watch for that the markets still haven't noticed, but that will soon break out:
Nico Collins – WR, Houston Texans
Collins was drafted in 2021, and he slowly grew into the position he has today. He offers a strong catch radius, especially when it comes to contested catches. In 2024, Collins had career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, but he still flies under the radar when compared to other WRs in the league.
Markets treat him as an underdog, so a prop bet on receiving yards and receptions should always be "over". Collins is also a great pick for the "first TD" market.
Bucky Irving – RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Irving was seen as one of the most underrated rookies of the season. He's a slippery runner who can catch passes. The field is pretty loaded when it comes to the Buccaneers' backfield, but Irving managed to impress in the preseason, and there's a chance for him to break through. If Tampa loses a player due to injuries or decides to focus on his running ability, it will be Irving's time to shine.
The best prop bet on Irving is for him to have low rushing yards early in the season and to surprise later on.
Jameson Williams – WR, Detroit Lions
Williams was a first-round pick in the draft and is now regarded as a versatile player who can either excel or struggle. Now, when he's no longer dealing with injuries, he can turn a short slant into a 60-yard TD in seconds. Williams is probably among the fastest players in the league right now.
Longest reception props are the best wager to make on Williams. If he gets between 4 and 6 targets, he has a chance to blow past modest totals on a single catch.
Derrick Henry – RB, Baltimore Ravens
Henry isn't like other names on our list, since not everyone considers him an underdog. He's been performing steadily, and at age 30, he is a veteran on the team. In fact, he was the two-time NFL rushing leader and 2020 Offensive Player of the Year.
Many analysts and experts believe that his stats will start to decline due to age and the changing strategy within the league as a whole, and that's where the prop edge comes into place.
Brock Purdy – QB, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy was the last pick of the 2022 and was called "irrelevant" at the time. However, three years later, Purdy became the perfect fit for the offense orchestrated by Kyle Shanahan. Purdy led the 49s to playoff runs year after year and is one of the most efficient passers in the whole league.
However, on the books, his passing yards and TD props are always priced below the elite level compared to other QBs in the league. This makes an "over" bet on these stats a perfect choice.
Jalen Hurts – QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Hurts started out as a dual-threat QB and is now the centerpiece of the offense for the Eagles. For the past two seasons, Hurts was useful in the end zone and excelled in short-yardage situations. At this point, he leads all the QBs in rushing TDs.
Combining rushing and passing yardage is a perfect "over" prop for Hurts, given his past performance.
The players on our list are the underdogs for prop bets, as the market hasn't noticed their skills even though their teams have, and they've been using them for a while.
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