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By Max Meyer

There will be some noticeable absences on the gridiron this NFL Sunday, with Aaron Rodgers and Derrick Henry out for the first time this season. Meanwhile, two more superstars have been ruled as game-time decisions today, with the line moving significantly because of it.

So how have Caesars Sportsbook bettors been wagering on spreads featuring teams playing without their top offensive players?

There have been two NFL Week 9 spreads that have moved by 5 points from the opener at Caesars Sportsbook. Kansas City opened as a 2.5-point home favorite before the line went down to pick’em following the Chiefs’ Monday night game against the Giants. Then after it was announced that Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19, the line shot up to Chiefs -7.5.

Even with Jordan Love making his first start at quarterback, this has been the most popularly bet spread of the week by both total number of tickets and total dollars wagered.

“The Packers are still a huge public team and there’s also the public uncertainty whether the Chiefs are even good,” said Adam Pullen, Assistant Director of Trading at Caesars Sportsbook. “They barely beat the Giants, and the Packers are better than them. Jordan Love making his first start in a tough environment isn’t optimal, but the Chiefs really haven’t proven much this year. The Packers are always a team that will generate money and action no matter when they play, so I’m not surprised that the handle is as big as it is without Rodgers.”

While Green Bay has accumulated 69% of the total number of tickets among all spread bets in this one, Kansas City has collected 66% of the total dollars wagered. Each foe has drawn a noteworthy spread wager—one Nevada bettor put $520,000 on Chiefs -7 (-110) for potential winnings of $472,727.25, while another Nevada bettor staked $110,000 on Packers +7.5 (-110) for potential winnings of $100,000. 

That Chiefs spread wager is tied for the biggest this week at Caesars Sportsbook, as another $520,000 was placed on Jaguars +15 (-110) vs. Bills for potential winnings of $472,727.25. Because of it, the Jaguars have the most lopsided spread action by total dollars wagered of any Week 9 side even though they’re the biggest underdog on the board.

The Packers aren’t the only team dealing with questions surrounding their signal-caller, as the Cardinals may have a new face under center as well. Kyler Murray has missed practice all week due to an ankle injury, and the status for both him and wideout DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) is up in the air for Arizona’s affair with the 49ers. As a result, the spread has swung from Cardinals as 2.5-point road favorites to currently 2.5-point underdogs in San Francisco.

“When you’re a game-time decision, he’s clearly not 100%,” Pullen said. “I think if Murray does play, it’ll probably hover around where it is now. If he is not going to go, the line will obviously go higher. If Colt McCoy is announced as the starter, I think the game will probably go to at least 4. That’s about a 7-point difference from where it was originally, which is in line with the top quarterbacks being worth a touchdown. But a lot has to do with who the backup is and who they’re playing.”

Arizona has captured 76% of the total number of tickets and 56% of the total dollars wagered among all spread bets against San Francisco as of now. The Cardinals are one of two current underdogs getting the majority of action in each category, along with the Bears (+6.5) at Steelers getting 51% and 76% respectively.

The Titans face a stiff first test in their new life without Henry, as they head to Los Angeles to square off with the Rams on Sunday night. Tennessee opened as a 6-point underdog, and the line now resides at +7. The Rams have accumulated 75% of the total number of tickets and 64% of the total dollars wagered in this prime-time matchup.

“Derrick Henry is one of the best running backs in the league, but what he can do doesn’t compare to what happens when teams are missing their quarterback,” Pullen said. “[Jeremy] McNichols and [Adrian] Peterson are not Henry, but it’s easier to replace a running back than a quarterback. If you have a good offensive line you can make those same holes. They might not get those extra yards that Henry can get, but it’s nowhere near the same impact as replacing a quarterback. But the Titans have been on a roll and it’s a lot of points, so I can see why people aren’t rushing to back the Rams necessarily.”

Check out Caesars Sportsbook’s latest odds and trends for every upcoming NFL Week 9 spread below.