Patriots vs. Bengals Player Props: Best Bets & TD Picks for NFL Week 12

Joe Burrow’s return to the practice field created much buzz around our Patriots vs. Bengals player props. However, with him being ruled out, New England is now a 7.5-point betting favorite in a game that will kick off from Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati at 1 p.m. ET (CBS).

My NFL Week 12 predictions expect more defensive attention to be paid to a red-hot Bengals receiver. Elsewhere, I am banking on Drake Maye to improve his MVP odds, which leads to a great value play on a Patriots anytime touchdown scorer.

✅ Patriots vs. Bengals player prop bets

See all of our experts' NFL picks for Week 12. 

💰 Best Patriots vs. Bengals player props

⬇️ Tee Higgins player prop: Under 5.5 receptions (+105) ⭐⭐⭐

Tee Higgins slots in as the Bengals’ No. 1 wide receiver as Ja’Marr Chase serves a one-game suspension.

Even while playing alongside Chase, Higgins has seen eight or more targets in four of the last five games, and his five receiving touchdowns since Week 7 are the second-most among wide receivers.

The issue this week is that Higgins is likely to be shadowed by New England’s Christian Gonzalez, who has not allowed a touchdown as the nearest defender this season. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will likely roll more coverage towards Higgins without having to worry about Chase, so him finishing with five or fewer receptions is a great possibility.

BetMGM is my go-to top sports betting site for this wager, as the only one offering plus-money odds. Compared to the high end of the market with 52.83% implied odds to back the Under (-112 price), the +105 at BetMGM returns a much better payout ($10.50 in profits on a winning $10 wager).

⬆️ Drake Maye player prop: Over 2.5 passing touchdowns (+155) ⭐⭐⭐

Drake Maye’s leap from his rookie year to his second year is the biggest reason the Patriots offense has improved as a whole. In 2024, New England averaged 17.0 points per game (30th) and was dead-last in 20-yard plays (43). This year, New England ranks eighth in scoring offense (26.6 points per game) and leads the league in 20-yard plays (48).

Maye has turned in an NFL-high seven games with a 70% completion percentage or better, and has thrown for 200-plus yards in every game. He faces a Bengals defense that has allowed 27 or more points in nine consecutive games, tied for the longest such streak in NFL history.

That makes taking a flier on his +155 alternating passing touchdown odds at a 39.22% implied probability worth it, especially since the Over on 1.5 touchdowns is juiced as high as -182. If Maye throws three or more touchdowns for the third time this year, my $10 winning wager at BetMGM would net $15.50 in profits.

6️⃣ Best Patriots vs. Bengals touchdown scorer bet

🔥 Hunter Henry TD pick: Anytime touchdown scorer (+190) ⭐⭐⭐

Hunter Henry, and all Patriots pass catchers, have a great chance to score a touchdown against a Bengals defense that has allowed a league-worst 25 passing touchdowns.

Henry has five games with at least five targets, and should be peppered with more against a Cincinnati defense that has allowed the most yards and receiving touchdowns (12) to tight ends this season. Thus, I am expecting Henry to build off his five end zone targets that ranks fifth-most among all tight ends.

There is a sizable difference between FanDuel’s +190 anytime touchdown odds and the +150 at the low end of the market. A $10 winning wager would net $4 more in profits ($19 vs. $15) compared to the market’s shortest odds.

📊 Patriots vs. Bengals anytime touchdown scorer odds

See live NFL odds for every game in Week 12.

📺 How to watch Patriots vs. Bengals

• Date: Sunday, Nov. 23
• Kickoff: 1 p.m. ET
• Location: Paycor Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)\
• TV: CBS