Divisional Round Top Prop Bets for Rams, Eagles Game: Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, Matthew Stafford, Tyler Higbee and More
Some of the most appealing player prop best for the Rams/Eagles game on Sunday afternoon.
The Los Angeles Rams play the Philadelphia Eagles in the first game on Sunday (3 p.m. EST). These teams faced off back in Week 12, and the Eagles won 37-20. Philadelphia is favored again (by 6.5 points), but many believe that the Rams can pull off the upset.
There will be snow and wind, possibly affecting the efficiency of the offenses, so it’s hard to get a grasp on what might happen in this one. As a result, it’s tough to know which way to lean with bets for those who like to partake in gambling come playoff time. If you’re not sure on the line or over/under, you can always look toward player props to find value.
Let’s look at some of the best individual prop bets from the Rams and Eagles game among the popular props. The lines are courtesy of FanDuel, stats are from NFL.com, and I used information from our FantasySP Prop Bet Tool.
Passing Props
The forecast calls for almost definite snow, which might mix with rain if the temperature stays high enough. That could make for a sloppy field and tough passing conditions, especially with mild winds expected.
That makes it tough to trust the over on any passing prop. I also don’t want to bet the under on two quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford and Jalen Hurts when they are throwing to superstar receivers; it just sounds risky. That doesn’t leave a lot of QB bets, but here are two that are OK (but that I'm still avoiding):
- Jalen Hurts UNDER 200.5 yards: He reached 200 yards in about half of his games, and a 50/50 proposition feels more like an under given the conditions.
- Matthew Stafford to throw an interception (-120): Philadelphia allowed the fewest yards per pass attempt this season, and it wasn’t even close. If they get a lead and can make the Rams throw the ball, Philly can squeeze the veteran quarterback and maybe end up with a pick.
Rushing Props
Saquon Barkley OVER 111.5 rushing yards
Barkley averaged 125.3 rushing yards per game this season. They came at 5.8 yards per carry. He sat out the last game of the year and still topped 2,000 yards.
The Rams allowed the eighth-most yards per rush attempt, making them a fine team to target. The real reason to support this number comes from when these teams played earlier this season: Barkley ran 26 times for 255 yards (9.8 per attempt) and scored two touchdowns.
While he probably won’t hit that number again, there’s reason to believe Barkley can easily reach 112 yards on the ground while his team pounds the rock on the way to victory. Given his production through the year and the expectation that weather might affect the passing game, I like Barkley going over here.
Jalen Hurts OVER 9.5 rush attempts
Hurts averaged 10 attempts per game, but that includes Week 16 when he left early with a concussion; eliminating that game takes him up to 10.5 rushes per game. One benefit if you think Philadelphia will win: this total includes kneel downs, so there could be up to three free attempts at the end of the game.
In the previous matchup, Hurts ran the ball 12 times. Kenny Pickett took over by the end and kneeled twice, so quarterbacks combined for 14 rushes. This is a big number, but there’s clear evidence to show that he can hit double digits again. Are you going to bet against the Tush Push?
Receiving Props
With low confidence in passing props, that extends to the receiving side as well. There are a few bets I feel better about here, though.
Saquon Barkley OVER 12.5 receiving yards
We talked about his rushing yard prop as well, so the Rushing+Receiving Yards prop for Barkley at OVER 128.5 is another good option if you prefer going after total yards. Whichever bet you fancy, there’s value here on Barkley having a big day.
Barkley averaged 17.4 receiving yards per game during the season. When these teams played right before Thanksgiving, he caught four passes for 47 yards. I really like this number.
Tyler Higbee UNDER 27.5 receiving yards
Higbee missed most of the season because of a knee injury suffered at the end of last year. He played just the final three weeks of the regular season and the Wild Card Round of the playoffs against the Vikings.
His first two games combined for only three receptions and 20 yards, but Higbee has been better the previous two weeks. After five catches, 46 yards, and a touchdown in Week 18, Higbee had five receptions for 58 yards in the first half before leaving against Minnesota.
The chest injury that ended his Week 18 early is a slight concern, but it seems like something they aren’t too worried about. More concerning is the defense he is playing: Philadelphia allowed the fewest yards per pass attempt, and they were the second-best fantasy defense against tight ends.
Higbee didn’t play the first time these teams matched up, but Colby Parkinson was limited to just one reception for 10 yards. While Higbee is a better yardage guy than Parkinson, things are pointing against the former here, and I’m looking at the under for the LA tight end.
Players to Score a Touchdown
Saquon Barkley (-155)
He was eighth in rushing touchdowns (13) and added two more receiving, scoring 15 touchdowns in 16 games. He didn’t score last week, eventually sliding down when he could have maybe gone for a touchdown so that his team could run out the clock. If Barkley is going to have a big game, I’m also looking for him to get in the end zone.
Dallas Goedert (+360)
The Rams allowed the sixth-most yards per pass attempt and the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends this year. Just five teams allowed TEs to catch more touchdowns than Los Angeles.
Goedert would be the beneficiary if Philadelphia is able to throw the ball enough. Specific to this prop, the Eagles will likely get the ball into the red zone multiple times with chances to score. With a team that struggles to stop the position, I like the chances of Goedert sneaking into space and finding the end zone, especially with these odds.