When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn 
Wagering on alternate rushing yards is one of the most popular bets in all of NFL betting, but it is often misunderstood.
The alternate rushing yards bet can be extremely aggressive or very conservative, depending on the bettor’s appetite for risk.
So, with so many rushing yards options available, we’ve explained what alternate rushing yards is in football betting.
What is Alternate Rushing Yards?
Alternate rushing yards are set by sportsbooks. The alternate rushing yards market is a collection of numbers offering an “over” or “under” choice on how many yards a player will gain on running plays.
The sportsbook will set these “over/under” numbers for a player, most often a running back (but quarterbacks, tight ends and wide receivers also can accumulate rushing yards).
The alternate rushing yards option is available at the best NFL betting sites and sportsbooks assign odds on each yardage total.
For example, a bookmaker that has already assigned Saquon Barkley a total of 75.5 for his rushing yards will also offers several more ascending/descending numbers to consider.
The odds change, of course, as the target number rises or decreases.
The category at most sportsbooks is “alt rushing yards” or “alternate rushing yards.” Under that category title, you would find something like this:
Standard Line Rushing Yards Bet
Sportsbooks set a baseline or standard line for a player’s rushing yards in a game. For example, they might set the line at 75.5 rushing yards for a particular player.
Example:
Barkley to rush over 75.5 yards -110 (bet $110 to win $100)
Barkley Alternate Rushing Yards
In addition to the standard line, sportsbooks provide multiple alternate lines. These lines can be either higher or lower than the standard line, each with its own set of odds.
Rushing yards examples:
- Barkley to rush for over 50.5 yards: -200 (you must bet $200 to win $100)
- Barkley to rush for over 100.5 yards: +150 (you win $150 on a $100 bet)
Some of the best online sportsbooks might offer the alt rushing yards from 60.5 (at about +550 for the “under” and -400 for the “over”) all the way up to 90.5.
Is Alt Rushing Yards a Good Bet?
The alternate rushing yards bet is a great way to take your initial opinion on a player, and give yourself some added cushion or take advantage of higher payouts.
For example, a bettor can use Christian McCaffrey (1459 yards last season) and, if they believe McCaffrey will easily surpass 75.5 yards, they can place their bet on 85.5 or even higher – collecting a much higher return on investment in the process.
Another bettor, meanwhile, might have a lot of cash to risk on their belief that McCaffrey will have a big day. To that end, the bettor could pay a higher price to make McCaffrey’s rushing number much easier to hit.
Example bet: McCaffrey “over” 70.5 in the alternate rushing yards market might cost a price of -300 (bet $300 to win $100) or more.
A McCaffrey “over” 85.5, meanwhile, might bring back +280 or more in returns (bet $100 and win $280).
If this still sounds confusing, you can learn how to bet on NFL games with our guide.
Alternate Rushing Yards Pros and Cons
Alternate rushing yards is a very popular type of bet, but there are both pros and cons.
Pros 
- The many choices allow bettors to find their most comfortable position
- Chances to win your bet on the “over” improve as you choose alt rushing yards below the established number (76.5 in the Barkley example). The opposite is true when betting the “under” when choosing a number above that established yard total
- Taking a, for example, Barkley “over” 68.5 yards instead of the 76.5 number allows for that cushion on your wager
- The alternate rushing yards bet can be added to your parlays, too. This strategy allows you to improve your payout with less risk
Cons 
- Bad weather hitting at game time can sink your bet.
- An injury can ruin the whole day – for the player and the bettor and scupper your parlay
- The game dynamic may impact how often a running back, or any other player you bet on, is used. If your selected player team is way behind, it may try passes on just about every play
Tips for Alternate Rushing Yards Betting
Here are a few items to consider when wading into the alternate rushing yards market.
- Pay attention to pregame news, especially regarding injuries. NFL teams frequently employ two primary running backs, so keep an eye out
- If the running back other than the one you’re backing is reported to be dealing with an injury before the game, your odds become better
- Be aware of the likely game plan: If you are betting on a rusher who plays for the better team, he will likely be given more rushing attempts
- Analyze the opposing team’s rushing defense compared with the rest of the league to find whether your rusher will have a tougher or easier time in this game.
- Consider quarterbacks. Some are much better runners than others. If you’re betting on the alt rushing yards for a quarterback, decide whether he is a good runner who regularly decides to run – and whether the opposing defense will pressure him into deciding to run more frequently
