Seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro receiver Julio Jones is almost surely bound for the Pro Football Hall of Fame eventually, no matter what he does at the tail end of his career. Jones signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers late last month to try and win his first Super Bowl with six-time champion Tom Brady. In a pretty big surprise, Jones is taking the most action of any player at Caesars Sportsbook to lead the NFL in receiving touchdowns this year, dropping his price from an open of +15000 to +7500.
Jones' career average of 91.9 receiving yards per game is tops in league history, although he might slide to No. 2 this year behind rising young Minnesota Vikings star wideout Justin Jefferson (91.4 YPG). No one else is above 86.1 YPG. Jones is also +7500 to lead in receiving yards.
Interestingly enough, the 6-foot-3 Jones has never been racked up huge touchdown numbers for whatever reason. His only season in double digits was his 10-TD campaign in 2012, and he hasn't topped eight in any other year. Over the past three seasons, he has totaled a combined 10 TDs – albeit while missing a handful of games injured with the Falcons and Titans. Jones didn't play in the preseason opener for Tampa Bay and isn't expected to suit up this Saturday at Tennessee either.
Jones is not going to be Brady's primary red-zone target this. That will be another future Hall-of-Famer in Mike Evans, who is still in his prime at age 29 (as of this Sunday).
Evans has four seasons with at least 12 touchdown catches, including 27 combined in the past two. He is a +600 second favorite behind the Rams' Cooper Kupp (+500) to win the TD receiving title. Kupp led last year with 16. Brady also has the likes of Chris Godwin (five TD catches last year) and Russell Gage (four TDs in 2021 with Atlanta), presuming they are healthy.
The biggest overall bet on a player to lead the NFL in receiving yards has been $1,500 on Will Fuller at +50000 for a potential win of $750,000. Fuller, who missed most of last season injured and has yet to sign with a team, is now +10000.
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