SB LVI Rams receiving props: Higbee ready to make some noise?
The Rams made a point to augment their receiving corps with star power at the expense of future draft picks. Of course, their biggest star was the least likely to become one.
Cooper Kupp was an MVP candidate this season, and I've written about the possibility of him winning Super Bowl MVP on Sunday. His totals and odds in the prop market reflect those high expectations.
Meanwhile, the flashy name of the group, Odell Beckham Jr., has consistently surpassed his receiving yardage total during the playoffs, encouraging bettors to push that line up into the 60s for Sunday. The market is fully aware of what he and Kupp are capable of. As a result, we'll search elsewhere for some under-the-radar value with Rams pass-catchers.
Van Jefferson longest reception: over 17.5 yards (-110)Van Jefferson's full game total is a modest 32.5 receiving yards, but given his recent game log, he'll need either a long reception or three catches to hit the yardage over. In his last seven contests, Jefferson's gone over that number just twice, catching a 35-yard pass in one game and a 41-yard pass in the other.
Given his recent trend as a boom-or-bust option for Matthew Stafford, I'd rather back Jefferson to make just one catch for modest yardage. As the third option to Kupp and Beckham, he'll get the chance to stretch the field.
First reception: Tyler Higbee (+1400)We haven't had much in the way of long-shot bets in our prop betting extravaganza, but we'll take a shot with a fun one here. If Tyler Higbee can't go, this bet gets refunded, so we'll play it on the premise that he starts. He's been a primary target of Stafford early in games, with 42 of his 60 grabs this season coming in the first half.
Obviously, this may come down to who gets the ball first, but we've seen how conservative the Bengals' play-calling can be on early downs. That could force Joe Burrow to throw on a third-and-long after two run plays if Cincinnati receives the opening kickoff, which may result in a reception-less three-and-out.
Higbee could provide an easy first throw for Stafford as the veteran works through some early Super Bowl jitters.
Tyler Higbee anytime touchdown (+370)With Kupp priced as high as -200 to score, I'm looking to find other pass-catchers to record a touchdown. Barstool Sportsbook has Higbee listed at +370 for a score. When compared with some of the other payouts for Higbee, or the other options for Stafford, there's no better value - assuming Higbee is available for the Rams.
Matt Russell is a betting writer for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on Twitter @mrussauthentic.
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