5 best prop bets for Rams-Saints
The New Orleans Saints are three-point favorites over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday, with the total at 56.5 as the two teams vie for a trip to the Super Bowl.
Let's break down the five best individual player prop bets in this game.
Saints WR Ted Ginn Jr. Over 52.5 receiving yards (-120)Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas dominated cornerback Marcus Peters while recording 211 receiving yards in the Week 9 game between these two teams. That will be a matchup to watch again, though Aqib Talib should be assigned to Thomas more often this time around, which would open up other avenues for quarterback Drew Brees.
If that happens, take another look at Ted Ginn Jr. The veteran receiver has seen 15 targets over two games since returning from injury, and he's always a vertical threat. He'll get opportunities to make downfield plays against a Rams secondary that ranked No. 22 in deep-ball DVOA this season.
Rams QB Jared Goff Under 36.5 pass attempts (-120)Jared Goff hit a rough patch to start December, throwing six interceptions and only one touchdown pass over a three-game span when the Rams went 1-2. Since going 35-for-53 passing on the final leg of that skid against the Philadelphia Eagles, Goff hasn't been asked to throw as much while attempting fewer than 28 passes in three straight victories.
Instead, the Rams have been utilizing the two-headed backfield monster of Todd Gurley and C.J. Anderson. Los Angeles is flashy offensively and can put up points in a hurry, but the team's recent approach to winning games has us leaning the other way on Goff's pass attempts.
Saints RB Alvin Kamara Under 40.5 receiving yards (-120)Alvin Kamara recorded another great year as a pass-catcher, hauling in 81 regular-season receptions for 709 yards and four scores.
The Rams, however, allowed only 28.3 receiving yards per game to opposing running backs this season, which ranked fourth in the league, according to Football Outsiders. Kamara has piled up 40-plus receiving yards only once over his previous seven games.
Rams WR Brandin Cooks Under 70.5 receiving yards (-120)How important was Cooper Kupp to the Rams' offense this year before his season-ending knee injury? When Kupp was healthy during the first 10 weeks of the season, fellow wide receiver Brandin Cooks recorded 70-plus receiving yards in seven of those contests. In seven games without Kupp, Cooks has posted 70-plus yards only once.
The Saints' defense is vulnerable to deep passes, but we don't see Cooks topping this number on Sunday.
Rams RB C.J. Anderson Over 45.5 rushing yards (-120)C.J. Anderson is enjoying quite the comeback tour, piling up 422 yards and four touchdowns in three games with the Rams after the Carolina Panthers released him midway through the season.
The veteran has received the lion's share of the Rams' carries lately, getting 18 more touches than Gurley over the team's previous two games. Anderson should see enough volume to get past the total here, even while facing an elite Saints rush defense.
(All bets were taken from Bet365. Always shop for the best numbers available.)
Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.
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