How DeAndre Hopkins’ Suspension Affects Cardinals Betting Odds

• Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins will be suspended for the first six games of the season.
• The Cardinals had +3000 odds to win the Super Bowl after his suspension, and they have +3500 odds to do so now.
• His apparent replacement, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown has -115 odds to rack up more than 900.5 yards for the season.

GLENDALE, Ariz.- Arizona Cardinals star WR DeAndre Hopkins has claimed the NFL’s PED policy is “too black and white”, but the Arizona Cardinals are already feeling the sting of his absence on the odds boards.

However, the Cardinals have locked up Kyler Murray in a long-term deal and traded for Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to replace Hopkins’ production.

Are the sportsbooks still out on them?

Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl Odds

• Cardinals To Win Super Bowl +3500
• Cardinals To Win Super Bowl (Immediately After Suspension) +3000

It seems like the answer to that question is a resounding yes – the online sportsbooks are actually more down on the Cardinals now than they were in the immediate aftermath of Hopkins’ suspension.

Hopkins’ absence does create interesting opportunities for wagers on other players on the Cardinals, however.

Cardinals Receiving Props

Marquise Brown, Zach Ertz & Rondale Moore to Combine for Over 1995.5 Reg Season Receiving Yards -115

The players who will be picking up the slack for Hopkins during his six game suspension will be Hollywood Brown, Zach Ertz and Rondale Moore.

The trio of targets has -115 odds to combine for more than 1995.5 regular season yards, and the first six games of the season will be critical to them reaching that total.

Hollywood Brown Receiving Props

Marquise Brown Over 999.5 Reg Season Receiving Yards & Over 9.5 Reg Season Receiving TDs +1000

Of the three targets, Hollywood Brown, the temporary WR1 on the team, is likely the most important.

Brown put up 1008 yards last year as the WR1 in Baltimore, and in what many consider to be a more pass-happy system, he should be able to perform well.

However, Brown has never scored more than eight receiving touchdowns in a season. How he performs when Hopkins is out will be critical to his ability to convert on this prop.

Hollywood Brown Receiving Yards O.U

Jimmy Garoppolo (If Not 49ers) Odds

• Over 900.5 -115
• Under 900.5 -115

Moving from props to straight O/Us, it seems the online sportsbooks are down not only on the Cardinals as a whole, but on Hollywood Brown specifically.

The general public belief seems to be that the Ravens pass less than the Cardinals, which seems to actually be untrue.

The Cardinals passed on 56% of their plays, while the Ravens passed on 56.4% of their plays – almost exactly the same amount.

In this context, expecting Hollywood to regress a bit makes sense. He’s only going to be the WR1 for six games, after all.