Saints vs Patriots prediction, player props: NFL picks, odds

The New Orleans Saints find themselves in a must-win situation in Week 5 on the road at Gillette Stadium. Unfortunately for them, they'll be up against another team, the New England Patriots, who are in desperate need of a victory to stay afloat in the AFC East. It's set to be a defensive struggle in Foxborough, but who will emerge victorious?

The game is set to kick off at noon CT from Massachusetts. CBS will carry the regional broadcast with Kevin Harlan and Trent Green on the call.

Caesars Sportsbook, the official odds partner of Bet.NOLA.com, lists the hosts as a 1-point favorite with the over/under set at 39 total points.

Let's take a closer look at the odds and highlight some player props for this Week 5 AFC vs. NFC contest:

New Orleans Saints at New England Patriots

Time/TV: Noon (CBS)

Spread: Patriots -1

Over/Under: 39

Moneyline: Patriots -115, Saints -105

Prediction: Patriots 17, Saints 13

TOP PLAYER PROP PICKS

Alvin Kamara OVER 28.5 receiving yards (-129 at Caesars Sportsbook)

Alvin Kamara returned to action last week following his suspension. While New Orleans was largely lethargic on offense, the star running back provided a bit of a spark with his playmaking ability.

Kamara averaged around five yards per carry and caught 13 passes. It's unrealistic to expect him to replicate the latter every week, but he's still going to be a key player in the passing game. Last week was just a feeler for the 28-year-old, expect him to be a bit more explosive this time out. Volume leads to opportunities after all, and while Derek Carr returns to full fitness, expect the Saints to lean on Kamara a bit.

Rashid Shaheed OVER 26.5 receiving yards (-115 at Caesars Sportsbook)

Rashid Shaheed has slowed down in recent weeks after an explosive start to the year, but to be fair, which New Orleans receiver hasn't? Shaheed has just three receptions for 33 yards in his last two games. Seeing as this is the case, his receiving yards prop is incredibly low for the trip to New England.

Shaheed has tallied at least 33 yards in every full game Carr has played this season. The Patriots rank middle of the road (14th) in total pass defense, and with injury issues in the secondary, they can't render all three of the Saints' top receivers useless. Shaheed realistically only needs one or two catches to cash the over on this receiving prop.

JuJu Smith-Schuster UNDER 25.5 receiving yards (-104 at Caesars Sportsbook)

JuJu Smith-Schuster is struggling to adapt to life with the New England Patriots. Mac Jones is having a hard time getting the passing game going and Smith-Schuster's personal stock is taking a hit because of that.

He's got just two catches for 19 yards in the last two weeks. Jones seems to favor Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry and DeVante Parker when airing the ball out. The Patriots will also want to get Rhamondre Stevenson involved out of the backfield more, so there's just not enough for Smith-Schuster to get some receptions too. I'll encourage betting the under on his receiving yard props until he proves he can play a vital role with his new team.