The defending Super Bowl Champion Rams will face a familiar foe in enemy territory tonight. Los Angeles lost both games in the 2021 regular season to the 49ers before knocking their NFC West foe off in the NFC Championship Game. Both teams look a little different than the last time they met. Still, many familiar faces are the top suggested options below.
Check out our top player prop bet picks for Monday Night Football
Game: Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
Spread: SF -1.5 Points
Over/Under: 42.5 Points
The defending Super Bowl Champion Rams will face a familiar foe in enemy territory tonight. Los Angeles lost both games in the 2021 regular season to the 49ers before knocking their NFC West foe off in the NFC Championship Game. Both teams look a little different than the last time they met. Still, many familiar faces are the top suggested options below.
Check out our top player prop bet picks for Monday Night Football
Game: Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
Spread: SF -1.5 Points
Over/Under: 42.5 Points
Rams Analysis: Cooper Kupp is easily the most exciting player on this showdown slate. He's been on fire to start 2022, averaging 9.3 receptions and 93.3 receiving yards per game. Kupp has also scored four touchdowns. Additionally, he destroyed the 49ers last season, surpassing 115 receiving yards in all three games, hauling in 29 receptions, three touchdowns and rushing for 18 yards. So, Kupp is a no-brainer pick.
Stacking Matthew Stafford with Kupp is also a stellar maneuver. Sadly, he's had an underwhelming start to the 2022 season, averaging only 253.7 passing yards per game and throwing more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four). It hasn't all been bad, though. Stafford was efficient in his last game, completing 18 of 25 passes for 249 yards. And in Week 2, he threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns. Further, Stafford torched the 49ers for 337 yards and two touchdowns in their last matchup. So, he's an excellent choice.
Tyler Higbee wasn't supposed to be the second-most productive pass-catcher for the Rams, but he has been. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Higbee has run 100 routes, the third most on the team. The veteran tight end is also second on the team in targets (24), receptions (16) and receiving yards (171). So, Higbee's integral role in the offense is ground for using him on this slate.
Ben Skowronek isn't an exciting choice, but he's useful. The second-year pro has averaged 3.3 receptions and 35.7 receiving yards per game. Sean McVay has also shown a willingness to use Skowronek creatively, such as aligning him at fullback to run a route.
The Rams DST is a nifty pick against San Francisco's offense sans stud left tackle Trent Williams. Finally, Brandon Powell is a fine punt. He's LA's kickoff and punt returner and an occasional contributor on offense. Powell has run only 11 routes this year, but he's been targeted on five of them, catching all five for 43 yards. So, Powell has a niche role in the offense and has stacking appeal with the defense on the longshot chance he scores a return touchdown. Powell has made one house call on 29 career punt returns.
49ers Analysis: San Francisco's path of the least resistance tonight is through the air. According to Football Outsiders, the Rams are fourth in rush defense Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) and 22nd in pass defense DVOA. Thus, the 49ers' passing attack is well represented on the table.
Jimmy Garoppolo was sharp in relief of an injured Trey Lance in Week 2. However, he was dreadful against the Broncos in Week 3. The veteran signal caller's results against the Rams were mixed last year. He tossed multiple touchdowns in two of three games and surpassed 300 passing yards in the outlier. However, Garoppolo also threw just five touchdowns and three interceptions in the three games combined and passed for fewer than 200 yards in one of the contests. So, Jimmy G is an acceptable choice but not a must-use player.
George Kittle was healthy for his debut last week. Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel were tied for the team lead with eight targets in that game. However, Samuel was more productive, securing five receptions for 73 yards. Conversely, Aiyuk had three receptions for 39 yards. Still, Aiyuk scored a touchdown. Samuel has also reprised his role as a part-time running back, rushing at least four times in every game this year, albeit for only six scoreless yards on five attempts last week.
Samuel and Aiyuk are the most exciting players from the 49ers. The former has a higher-floor role with his rushing work and a 5.1-yard aDOT, per PFF. Meanwhile, Aiyuk has big-play potential, owning a 12.7-yard aDOT this year and a 14.3-yard aDOT last week.
Finally, Jauan Jennings is an underpriced option. The young wideout ran 17 routes last week and has run at least a dozen routes every game this season. Jennings has also had multiple targets in every game.
Final Thoughts: Kittle and the running backs are notably absent from the suggested players. I'm concerned about Kittle potentially being used as a pass blocker to help offset the loss of Williams at left tackle. He pass blocked on three snaps last week. Meanwhile, both run defenses are stout, decreasing the appeal of Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson and Jeff Wilson. Finally, Kupp is projected to score the most points on this showdown slate and is easily my favorite option for captain/MVP.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.